01
Understand the existing house
Document the rooms, structure, circulation, zoning constraints and what is—and is not—working today.
Residential Architecture · Main Line & Philadelphia Region
Turn the home you have into the home you want.
Architectural planning for renovations and additions—combining space planning, sketching, client options, construction drawings and practical construction experience.
Licensed ArchitectConstruction Management ExperienceLocal Residential Focus
Professional Guidance
Start with what is possible—and what is reasonable.
Greg Nowell helps homeowners make informed choices before and during renovation, from early property and zoning questions through design, permitting and construction coordination.
The goal is to clarify the opportunity, test options visually, and give owners useful information for working with designers, contractors and building departments.
Inspection & Property Evaluation
Understand existing conditions, constraints and opportunities before committing to a project.
Zoning & Feasibility
Explore additions, usable square footage, setbacks and realistic ways to expand.
Design & Space Planning
Compare layouts, circulation strategies and alternatives for kitchens, baths, additions and living spaces.
Construction Documents
Translate the selected design into drawings that communicate dimensions, materials and construction intent.
Permitting & Coordination
Support the permitting process and communication with contractors and building departments.
Contracts & Construction Management
Owner-focused guidance through pricing, contractor coordination and construction decisions.
Selected Work
Breadth of design—from first sketch to finished space.
These examples are organized to show the full range of residential design thinking: existing-condition analysis, options, hand sketching, rendered plans, visualization, working drawings and completed work.
Design Approach
Make the decision visible before you build it.
Good renovation planning is not one drawing. It is a sequence of increasingly specific decisions that let the homeowner understand consequences before construction begins.
02
Test more than one idea
Use sketches and plan options to compare possibilities, priorities, tradeoffs and cost implications.
03
Develop a buildable solution
Carry the preferred concept into coordinated plans, elevations, details, permitting and contractor communication.
Client Options
Compare alternatives, not just drawings.
Rendered plan options give homeowners a clear way to compare cabinet layouts, islands, circulation and room relationships. The drawings become a decision-making tool—not merely a technical product.
Sketching
Three-dimensional thinking from the beginning.
Hand sketching is a fast, direct way to explore massing, proportion and character. It helps the homeowner see the idea as a place rather than trying to interpret plan lines alone.
Design Development
From concept to coordinated architectural information.
The Beyrer Residence example brings together plans, elevations and perspective views to show how a residential addition is developed as a complete design—not simply as an isolated room.
Finished Work
Designing for today—and for tomorrow.
The Stanford bathroom shows how accessibility can be integrated into a clean residential design. The open, zero-threshold shower supports aging in place while maintaining a calm, finished appearance.
About
Greg Nowell, RA
Greg is a licensed architect and construction manager based in Narberth, Pennsylvania. His renovation consulting practice combines architectural design with construction perspective, helping homeowners understand what is possible and make well-informed decisions as they work with contractors, designers and building departments.
Services include inspection, property evaluation, design and space planning, permitting, contracts and construction management, with a particular focus on residential renovations and additions on the Main Line and in the surrounding Philadelphia region.
Start with a conversation
Thinking about changing your home?
Bring the question before you bring the contractor. A short conversation can help identify the next useful step and whether a zoning analysis, feasibility study, plan option or more detailed design work is appropriate.
Contact
610-283-7598 · Call or Textgregnowell@comcast.netNarberth, Pennsylvania · Main Line & surrounding region