Services
Homes are for the people who live in them, not the architect who designs them. Before we draft any design, we like to spend some time with you and other family members of your home to uncover your specific needs and desires. At Bert Thomas Architect, we strive to work with our clients to create the type of home that they feel comfortable in, while still providing our expertise, experience, and yes… our creativity.
Our team specializes in creating high-end, custom designed luxury homes in the style of your choosing- whether it be modern, traditional, Mediterranean, or simply functional. We are versed in the needs of a historic renovation, and in working with local historic districts. You can expect for us to strive to recapture the beautiful and elegant elements of the past, while updating the home with modern conveniences and luxuries.
We specialize in modern architectural design for assisted living facilities and private practice medical offices in Florida. Each facility is designed around the individuals that live and work there, taking into consideration privacy, ease of access, functionality, and personality. You may be surprised to find out that a new building design isn't as expensive as you thought - and may provide you with a better functioning space, more content employees, and better patients.
Our assisted living facility designs are created with patient comfort and staff functionality in mind. While best use of space is always a high priority, we recognize that a building is more than just a "building". In the case of assisted living facilities, we're commissioned with designing multi-tenant residences, for seniors with specific needs. Often times these projects involve required security, group activity centers, cafeterias, on-site rehabilitation rooms, visitor areas, and more. At Bert Thomas Architect, we work with you to create a functional facility that feels like "home".
Medical & Assisted Living Facilities
Residential Design & Historic Renovation
Commercial Design
Commercial buildings are essentially "machines" that help people earn a living. Some buildings work best when pleasant aesthetics play an important role, acting to influence a certain mindset or by making a statement that projects a desired image. Other types of buildings work best by providing the type of environment that is conducive to the productivity of that given business. Still other buildings require efficiency and a straight-forward design in order to best serve the owner.
At Bert Thomas Architect, our commercial architects have extensive experience designing all types of buildings. We listen and learn how your business works, to help you determine what type of facility design will be most successful.
Very early on in the life of a project we are able to establish preliminary and budgetary cost estimates that enables everyone involved in the design project to focus on the bottom line.
As a former general contractor myself, I am aware of the effect that design decisions have on the costs of construction. Because of our experience in this area, we are able to help you realistically set construction budgets. The projects we design consistently bid out very close to the stated budget. The end result is a project that is affordable from the outset, and profitable in the long term- a task well worth the effort.
Conceptual Costing
What's your vision?
Don't see your vision listed here? Simply put- the possibilities are endless. Between a rich experience in several design styles and a well-rounded relationship with a network of talented folks in our area, we are positioned to bring life to your vision.
Give us a call or send us an email today to start our conversation!
Retail Building Design
Our clients have successfully included the largest RV sales + service center in the world, national chains, and individual specialty shops of nearly every size. We understand the important relationship between display appeal, market concerns, curb appeal and security of merchandise and personnel.
We have designed free-standing buildings in tight urban settings as well as outparcels of regional shopping malls. Our services have included many tenant build-out projects within existing buildings, and also adaptive re-use converting non-retail buildings into interesting shops and stores.
Principal Architect Bert Thomas, while in the employ of another distinguished local architect, Harry A. MacEwen, was involved in the design of many of the Old Hyde Park Village buildings and some similar projects in the Ybor City District of Tampa. We enjoy the special challenges and rewards of working with owners in retail business.
Project Management
Often during the 30+ years of this firm, we have also acted as Project Managers on projects that might require special services, such as re-zonings, construction management, or on-site construction observation activities.
We are able to assist in the bidding and negotiations phases of a project, as well as pre-design meetings with municipalities and building departments to ascertain the scope of obstacles that may be encountered with some proposed projects.
We are also able to set up facilities management programs for buildings or complexes, regardless of whether we designed them or not, and can inspect existing facilities for code compliance and building conditions reports.
Setting a building or a complex of buildings on a site has so very much to do with how the building is perceived, used and enjoyed. Incorporating the necessary parking, landscaping and stormwater issues into the overall architectural design always results in a more successful design project and higher satisfaction level for the owner.
After meeting with the site owner to determine the project needs, we often create the site plan that civil engineers will work from, but with the design appeal and sensitivity that perhaps is not present in an "engineered" solution. With one eye on the bottom line, we work to make the property functional and pleasing for the owner.