Thomas French Architect – McLean, Virginia

• WHO WE ARE

  For over twenty years, our firm has designed a full range of new construction and renovation projects. Homes in the country, homes in town, whole house transformations and sympathetic small additions: the breadth of what we have done informs what we can do for you. Our designs reflect our clients’ varied tastes, and we are as comfortable working in traditional styles as with bold, contemporary designs.

  Small enough as a group to retain focus on what we do best but big enough to handle the range of challenges your project may present, we truly enjoy what we do and it shows in our work. Our staff brings a depth of experience and a discerning eye for detail to your project, regardless of scale. At TFA, professional service means realizing your dream as well as meeting your budget.

  Thomas M. French, III is the President and founder of Thomas French Architect, P.C. Tom has an undergraduate degree in liberal arts from Dartmouth College and a Master of Architecture from The University of Texas at Austin. He is a Registered Architect in Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia and also holds NCARB certification. Tom is a longtime resident of Alexandria, Virginia where he currently lives with his wife and three children.

• HOW WE WORK

  Our design process takes a concept from simple design sketches to fully developed computer models from which we generate concise construction documents. By sketching through ideas together in design meetings, we know what is important when we start our CAD drawings and keep that in mind. By using state of the art computer modeling techniques, we effectively communicate more to you and those who will build your home, strengthening your intent and enhancing the building process.

• WE ARE BUILDER FRIENDLY

  We strive to work effectively with your contractor. Whether you work with one of the several experienced builders we can recommend or whether we’re working with someone new, our job is to clearly communicate design through our drawings, be available to answer questions and be on site when you and your builder need us. We understand that cooperation and teamwork are essential for our ideas to become reality.

• WE CAN HELP YOU GO GREEN

  Building your new home or addition using “green” principles can benefit you and the environment in many ways. The use of design strategies that take into account the home’s relationship to its site and to the sun, the implementation of more efficient mechanical systems and insulation products, and the efficient use of sustainable materials and construction methods are just a few examples of ways to build, remodel, or add on to your home in a way that not only respects the environment, but creates a more comfortable place to live.

  We welcome the opportunity to sit down with our clients and discuss the broad range of ways to incorporate green design concepts into any project. A home built to the minimum requirements of the building code will always fall short of the goals of green design. For that reason, we offer clients a set of “best practices” in order to improve upon the status quo and create healthier, more efficient homes. Ideally, we take projects the extra mile by incorporating green design concepts from the start. Helping our clients identify and work towards compliance and recognition in local and national green building programs can qualify them for incentives that reward homeowners and builders that use green methods. We can help evaluate green products, methodologies, and technologies in order to determine what will be both effective and economical.