Nott & Associates restores iconic properties around the Valley
The Pasadena area is home to countless architectural gems, among them craftsman bungalows, colonial estates and Spanish revivals that look as pristine as they did when they were first built over a century ago.
Nott & Associates is a family-owned, South Pasadena-based architecture, construction and interior design firm that specializes in remodeling and restoring many of these iconic properties throughout the San Gabriel Valley.
Co-founded by local architect Tom Nott and his son, Jeff, Nott & Associates offers a variety of services for residential and commercial properties through all stages of construction, ranging from custom designs and structural engineering to electrical and more. The award-winning father-son duo has worked together for more than 30 years, combining Tom’s expertise as an architect with Jeff’s building and construction background to help clients achieve their vision while adhering to their budget.
Nott & Associates is also a member of the U.S. Green Building Council, a nonprofit organization that promotes sustainability in building design, construction and operation to enable a socially responsible, healthy and prosperous environment that improves quality of life. Along with its team of experienced designers, subcontractors and carpenters, it stays updated on the latest building techniques and technologies so it can remain on the forefront of industry trends.
Jeff grew up in South Pasadena surrounded by homes with rich architectural history and also lives in a 110-year-old home he remodeled. When working with older properties, he is committed to maintaining the historical integrity and enhancing the original style of a home, while simultaneously implementing the latest technology for modern-day living. Due to his extensive experience working locally, he is very familiar with each city’s codes, which helps projects reach completion smoothly and more efficiently.
The firm also specializes in building different types of additional dwelling units (ADUs), including detached guest houses and work studios. With growing families that are blending together, as well as more people working from home these days, ADUs have become one of their most in-demand services.
“We’ve gotten a lot of calls from people who are tired of working at home without a proper office setup,” Jeff says. “Clients are looking into building ADUs so they can work comfortably and more efficiently.”
One type of ADU is attached new construction, which is an entirely new structure built on the same lot as a person’s existing property but with no attaching walls. Another type of ADU is an attached unit, which is connected to the primary home structure. Nott & Associates can also convert a garage or master bedroom into an independent-living unit, and it can build a smaller Junior ADU that is created by adding a kitchen and exterior door to an existing home to create a separate suite. To streamline the design process, the firm also offers several pre-designed layouts for detached new construction that clients can customize.
“A lot of ADU restrictions have recently been removed by the state of California due to the housing crisis, which has opened a lot of opportunities for us and our clients,” Nott adds.
As part of these new and relaxed regulations, there is no minimum lot size anymore, parking is no longer required, and design review has become more lenient. Besides increasing the overall amount of living space in a home, adding an ADU will increase property value and can also act as a source of potential income in the future should the homeowner decide to rent it out.
To start the home design or building process, clients can call for a consultation and schedule an in-person meeting for Nott to come out to their home. During COVID-19, the firm remains open for business but is following social distancing measures.
“First, we’ll speak on the phone prior to coming to a client’s home,” Jeff explains. “There are various precautions we’ve had to take, such as changing the way we take our meetings, setting up additional handwashing stations at our current jobs, and requiring masks on all construction sites. We’re continuing to work full time and our team is hard at work. We’ve been a family-owned and operated business for many years. We’re just making some changes to how we do things nowadays to keep up with the current times and situation.”