San Bernardino County

Three climates, three sets of design problems

A home in the valley, a cabin above the snow line in Big Bear or Lake Arrowhead, and a house in the high desert are not the same design problem. Snow load and access shape mountain projects; heat, sun, and wind shape desert ones; the valley sits somewhere in between. The right response is specific to the site — orientation, shading, insulation, and materials chosen for the conditions that particular lot actually faces.

A vast county, mostly unincorporated

Because the county is so large, a great deal of it is unincorporated land administered by the county rather than by a city. Incorporated cities run their own building departments; everywhere else, the county's land-use authorities handle planning and permits. Confirming which applies — and what it expects — is where each project begins.

The full scope, under one process

Kevin Cohen Design is a design-build practice: architecture, interior and exterior design, and general construction coordinated together rather than split across separate contracts. That covers ADUs, home additions, whole-home remodels, kitchen and bath remodels, permit drawings and plan-check, and general construction — with a single point of accountability from the first sketch to the final inspection.

Working remotely, with visits as the project needs them

Most of the work — design, drawings, and coordination — is handled remotely, which is what lets the practice serve a region this large without thinning the attention any one project receives. On-site visits are scheduled when a project genuinely calls for them: reading the site at the start, checking key moments during construction, and resolving the things that are better seen in person. For many homeowners this is a practical way to work with an architect whose approach fits, regardless of where the lot sits.

Rules, zoning, and permit requirements differ from one jurisdiction to the next and change over time. Nothing here is a substitute for confirming the specifics for your exact address with the local building department early in the project — which is where every engagement starts, so the design is aimed at the right requirements from the first drawing.