Doing the first LEED for Homes certified project in the Southeastern United States in 2005 was a great honor and helped us build a solid reputation for delivering innovation at an affordable price. Over the years we have done multiple LEED projects and have shown time and again,...

ENR Announces Top 20 Under 40 in the Mid-Atlantic Region Engineering News Record (ENR) has named Charles Hendricks, AIA, CSI, CDT, CAPS, LEED AP, Partner at The Gaines Group, PLC, a winner of its Top 20 Under 40 competition in the Mid-Atlantic region. This competition celebrates...

Best of Houzz Awards – The Gaines Group receives the honor for a second year in a row. The Gaines Group, PLC Architecture and Design  Receives Houzz’s 2013 ‘Best Of Houzz’ Award   Annual Survey and Analysis of 11 Million Monthly Users  Reveals Top-Rated U.S. Professionals...

Establish a site. Identify the problems in the existing home that need addressed in the new design.   Construction Starts with a solid foundation.   Framing begins.       Weather tight. Brick installed Indoor air quality issues being addressed during...

A ceiling fan allows you to reduce the use of your traditional heating and cooling system and still live comfortably. I would always recommend purchasing a fan that has the energy star label. This gives you the most energy-efficient solution for your home. UNTIL NOW. Check out...

Ambient lighting: Lighting in an area from any source that produces general illumination, as opposed to task lighting. Biodegradeable: A material or substance which will decompose quickly and without harmful effects to the environment, when left exposed to nature. Building...

The first step to air sealing a home to achieve maximum energy efficiency is to understand which caulk to use in the given application. Here is a list of types of caulk. 100% Silicone  This type of caulk adheres best and lasts the longest, but it sets up quickly and is more...

As 2012 draws to a close I sit here thinking about what we have accomplished at Gaines Group architects, what we have left to get done, and the potential for our future. Unfortunately, the construction economy continues a very SLOW recovery and we continue to be faced with hard...

Every client makes decisions differently and every project evolves in a unique fashion. However for the design of a home, the big steps are always the same. The initial meeting is a conversation to establish the goals, scope, and budget. The completion of this meeting usually...

We were contacted by a small business owner in Harrisonburg that wanted to start a new venture in town. I was familiar with the type of studio she was looking to create, but had never experienced it first hand. Her goal was to start the first Harrisonburg Bikram Yoga Studio....