I have known Chris Lapp for over twenty years as he coached some of my son’s sports teams. He still coaches, even though his sons are grown and they are coaching with him now. That is just the kind of person Chris is. His follow through on his volunteer effort was so impressive, that when we decided to renovate our charming but somewhat dysfunctional stone cottage in 1997, we looked to him for architectural advice. We had a very limited budget, and he managed to help us make the house very livable while retaining the character and staying within our means. We have since done another addition to our home with Chris’ help, and our builder (M and M Builders, Ralph and Ryan Mollett) was actually awarded “Best Addition over $750,000 by the Montgomery County Builders Association” for our addition. The little touches added by Chris made all the difference.
We have seen far grander and much more modest additions or entire homes that Chris has designed and they are all unique, functional and beautiful. He manages to help a homeowner accomplish their practical needs while keeping the architecture consistent with the style or period of the home; unless of course it is a home that doesn’t really have style you want to preserve, in which case he can do miracles as well! We recommend Chris Lapp without reservation, he is not just a well-trained architect, he also has an innate artistic ability that makes his work stand alone.
With respect for your knowledge, expertise, and willingness to help others, your talent is reflected in what we build and I am thankful for your support over the years.
No words can properly express our gratitude. You have been a wonderful support throughout this whole ordeal. There was never a complaint or hint of frustration; you were always ready to give us wise advice. You have been a blessing to us.
Your work has touched so many people’s lives over the years. You have created so many unique homes, renovations, and additions and enhanced the lives of those that live in a Lapp designed house.
I am living proof. You designed my house 26 years ago and there isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t look at my house and thank my lucky stars that you designed and drew my house.
Good architecture is timeless. It never goes out of style. You have a way with making everything blend together and seem to always have been there. My houses look like they have been there for years even though they are brand new. The additions that you design fit within the design of the existing house, and it is impossible to tell which part was added on and where the existing house and addition meet.
Your plans are flawless, simple, and easy to read. I can feel you over my shoulder whenever I am reading through the details for a measurement. You know the practical building end of the job from your summers working as a carpenter in school.
I wish you every success in life and know that you can always count on me as a friend and colleague.
Over the last decade, Douglas Construction Group (DCG) has built over 90 homes and 45 additions/renovations, exclusively servicing the Bethesda, Potomac, and Chevy Chase market. As a professional builder, our clients and homeowners have lofty demands and high expectations, as do we. DCG’s philosophy has been to assemble the best team of professionals, trades and vendors who share the same levels of service-mindedness, creativity and integrity as we do.
Chris Lapp has been part of DCG’s team since its inception in 1998. He has been responsible for the vast majority of our award winning designs. He is a highly creative designer while still maintaining a great level of sensibility and accurate budget guidance – a rare combination with today’s architects. I believe Chris’s experience as a carpenter has served him brilliantly in his profession. Our clients find him to be personable and a good listener, which easily translates into the satisfaction of a design that is functional and aesthetically pleasing.
I offer my highest recommendation and endorsement for Chris – he is one of the best architects in the area, period.
It’s always a good sign when a customer asks to provide a testimonial, rather than being asked to provide one – and that is certainly the case for us. We retained Chris Lapp to design both a sun room for us, as well as a detached garage with greenhouse. Because these were additions to an existing home, blending them in with the existing architecture was critical, while also introducing a sense of style all their own. Complicating the task further were some engineering challenges requiring Chris to make the separate HVAC systems required for these areas “disappear from view”. As if that were not enough, we were also using a greenhouse fabricated in England, which required interaction with local building officials to make sure the imported structure met Virginia building and installation codes. Chris met all these challenges with expertise, good humor, competitive pricing, and an eye for design & integration that was unsurpassed. We couldn’t have been happier with the process or the result, and these new areas in our home have become some of our favorite places to enjoy our time with each other. We’d recommend Chris without hesitation for any job, large or small.
We love our house and we have Chris Lapp to thank. When we bought our home it was a tired old house with “great bones.” Chris saw the potential and worked with us to make our dream home a reality. Chris was a pleasure to work with. He listened to our needs and understood our lifestyle. He created a plan within our budget that included a large addition and the re-working of existing space. His design fit with the character of the existing house and neighborhood, yet was unique, modern and well suited for an active family. He had great ideas that made our house design so livable and beautiful. It is a house that we will enjoy for many years.
