After interviewing many architectural firms, Bill was the only architect that asked us what we…read morewanted in our home and listened. That immediately impressed us. We knew what we wanted, we just did not know how to incorporate it in the existing home. We were not looking for an architect to control the entire project. We have been doing the general contracting on our own and Studio 21 was the perfect firm for us. They drew out the plans and submitted for permits once that was all approved we took off flying with it. We did run into a unforeseen bump on the road with the crawl space foundation where and an existing addition was done in the 1940's, three cinder blocks deep. Gregg was able to amend the blueprints for us to get us back up and running. We now have a 100% full basement instead of 5% crawl space for the addition that was existing. We have yet to finish our total gut rehab/addition but we could not have envisioned working with any other architect firm other than Studio 21. As busy as they are, they took the time to answer our questions and go above and beyond anything we could have imagined possible in our home. Words cannot express their attention to detail, knowledge and creative minds. Bill and Gregg did an excellent job. We cannot wait to move in and finally enjoy the home. Studio 21 can tailor the project for your needs. They can go as much as doing everything for you to letting you fly on your own. If you are looking for an architectural firm definitely add them to the list of the potential candidates. We highly recommend them.

From the owner: A one-stop-shop process led by our expert architects, from design through construction. We don't…read moreoutsource design, ever! Our architects are involved at every step of your project. One team manages your project; a team that keeps your interests in mind and one that you can trust to deliver your dream home.

We hired Richard Chuk of Richlind Architects to design our deck and provide plans for permit…read more Richlind did a great job. Richard provided us with several design ideas, from simple to complex. He worked closely with us to ensure that we were happy with the final design and that it would meet our budget. He visited the site, took comprehensive notes and planned a deck that would work well in the allotted space. Once we selected a design, Richard drew up plans, which were accepted by the village for permit with no hitches. In addition to the plans, Richard did extensive research for building materials and made several recommendations. All in all the experience was excellent, the deck was built and everything passed final inspection. I found Rich's approach professional and thorough, and his designs were creative yet functional.

From the owner: We are driven by a single focus. From your private residence to places of work; from interior…read morerenovations to your multi-level facilities. Our dedication is to achieve the best architectural experience for our clients and their community through the use of design excellence.

He was responsive, fast, and reliable. I have already recommended him to several people I know that…read moreneeds architectural plans. So easy to work with.

We're not big spenders. Last time I redid a bathroom (in my single-girl condo) I just hired a…read morecontractor. But if you want to add a bathroom, and you live in a town with strict requirements, you're going to need an architect. We interviewed four and chose to work with Frank. It was a great experience (and he was very tolerant of me nitpicking and memorizing every last thing)--I never would have done it if not forced, but he made things run so much more smoothly. Despite paying his fee, his expertise was well worth it not only for the detailed plans, but for taking care of the permitting process, getting bids from multiple contractors and meeting with us & the contractor weekly to review progress. Not to mention the reduced stress, since if the contractor had a question or wanted to charge us extra for something (or even wanted to get paid) it went through Frank first. We ended up having him do the plans for our existing bathroom redo as well. We don't have anything else to remodel in our house, but if I did I would definitely give Frank a call.

We were in London when Martins did the rennovations on our home. We didn't know exactly what we…read morewere coming back to. We opened the door . . . and walked into paradise. We felt like we were in someone else's home. Someone who had a lot more money than us! Martins isn't just a builder, or a designer. He's an artist. When you bring someone into your home to change it forever, you have to trust that person. When Martins came by for our first free consultation (something other people had charged us for), he stayed for two hours. He wanted to get to know us, and figure out exactly what kind of home we wanted. To say he cares about his work is an understatement! Other people we looked at charged us for that first visit, came in, took measurements, were out in 30 minutes, and then provided some cookie-cutter recommendations. Besides his off-the-charts talent, he is honest, flexible, responsive and easy and fun to work with... not to mention reasonable. He even provided us with guidance and recommendations to bring the overall costs down. If you're looking to do renovations on your home, that not only are beautiful, but also unique and specific to you and your family, your search is over. Martins Buka will not only deliver, but exceed your expectations!

My family hired the Martin family to do some work on my aunt's house in the suburbs. They were a…read morepleasure to deal with. Reliable and honest. Phone calls were returned and we always felt we were in the best hands. We remodeled our aunt's basement down to the studs and when the job was done, it was AMAZING. Highly recommended for remodeling jobs!

Steve is wonderful. He was the third architect I hired to help me redesign a complete gut rehab of…read more3 story plus basement SFH. Having already failed to get a workable design twice, working with Steve was so easy. During our first meeting his off-the-top-of-head ideas were both logical and architectually appropriate. His design drawings were even better. And nothing like either of the previous designs! Steve worked closely with the City of Chicago to make sure that our plans met code. I credit his knowledge of CofC building codes to place new dormers, not where I suggested but where they would still give me the required space and be approved by the City. Plus, they provide a better view! Everytime I think 'oh, no, I didn't think of . . .' I check the plans and Steve did think of that! Steve is quick to understand what you want/need, is responsive to questions, and explains the whys and hows. His plans are thorough, detailed, thoughtful. The kitchen space he created for us without an addition is alone worth 5 stars. Now that he is finished with the heavy lifting on my project talk to him about yours

Steve did a great job on designing our addition. He was easy to communicate with and listened to…read moreour needs. He had some great ideas and was able to get exactly what we wanted while still working within our budget. The drawings were thorough, which reduced confusion with the contractor and made the permit process very quick. Would definately recommend.

We made the perfect choice for an architect to do a sensitive addition to a La Grange home. We…read moreworked closely with Tom to have our vision come to life for maintaining a bungalow street facade presence, tucking a large master suite with a tented ceiling, huge walk in closet and spa bathroom into the new space. Being able to open the living room, dining room and kitchen on the first floor as well while maintaining the historic charm and original fireplace was the perfect balance of old and new. Tom worked hard to create a beautiful space that also fit our build out budget, making several visits before and during construction too. Tom was easy to work with and made changes requested by the village and due to site conditions quickly to keep our project moving. He worked closely with our project manager and a structural engineer as well to ensure the great new design was also structurally sound. A great experience overall. We hope to work with TES Architects again.

From the owner: Make sure to contact TES Architects at the start of your next construction project. We are a Lisle,…read moreIL Architect who will help you take the first steps in making your vision a reality.

Amazing intuitive design by Chris Bremer on our attic renovation. I sent him a Pinterest image and…read morehis work made it come true and more. He also helped us sift through contractor offers and was with us all the way to the end (12 plus weeks). We were blown away so we hired him again to design our tree house. Thank you Chris!

I called on a weekend, expecting to leave a voicemail with a question I had, but to my surprise,…read moreChris Plummer answered the phone immediately and spent time answering my questions about Chicago residential code and reassuring me about a small project we were contemplating. The project was far too small for Compass to even consider, but Chris's generosity with his time left an impression. We will definitely use them for larger projects in the future!

We fell into a family owned 75 year old house after my husband's great uncle passed away and…read morecouldn't pass up the good deal. COULD do without the pink kitchen and yellow and black bathroom tiles. Aesthetics aside, there were some serious layout issues with the house that made it seem smaller than it actually was. Before just hiring a general contractor, we talked to Jereme to see if he had some design ideas that would be more interesting than just "knock down some walls and put new drywall up." Jereme worked really hard to keep within budget while still adding some fun touches that everyone comments on, like a reclaimed wood soffit that defines the kitchen area. He also used every square inch of the home to make sure we didn't have any wasted spaces. We used barn doors to make old bathrooms feel bigger and built ins to make the most of slanted attic walls. Overall, everything was on time and any extras were clearly laid out. Communication over email was great and he was very organized as we went along with the to do list and keeping all of the contractors on task. I would highly recommend Design Insight and will definitely use them again if we buy another house.

As a dedicated Yelp fan, we scoured the reviews to find an architect to renovate our 1950's ranch…read morehome. Our main goals were an open floor plan and a larger kitchen. We got so much more! A gorgeous, spacious, cook's kitchen, open floor plan, open curved staircase to basement, mud room and outdoor BBQ station. Jereme is a creative architect with a keen eye for details...not to mention a great, easy-going guy! We had a couple of initial meetings to discuss our wants and needs and then Jereme dove into the design and ultimately presented a few design concepts. We quickly zeroed in on the one that seemed best and collectively tweaked the design and components to best suit our needs. Jereme hired the construction crew and personally directed and supervised their work. He was on the site every day and in frequent contact with us. The end result is FABULOUS and more than we hoped for!! Jereme was great to work with. Very responsive to all of our questions, concerns and ideas...and he never showed any ego. He was also extremely budget conscious and economical. The project took longer than quoted, but the end result is a 10!! Highly recommended!!!

We completed a major home remodeling project with LaMantia recently and are thrilled with the…read moreresult. They did a beautiful job and were a pleasure to work with! We were especially impressed with our designer, Jackie (and her assistant Katie). They had fantastic ideas: from designing the overall layout, to help in choosing materials, to even how to paint a difficult area to enhance the design. One of the unique parts of our project was the desire to keep some beautiful existing components (specifically some cabinetry, stone countertops, bamboo woodwork and a sauna) but move them to new locations. Jackie did an excellent job in designing that arranging. We lived onsite throughout the project, so we were able to see the process "up close and personal". All of the construction personnel from LaMantia and subcontractors they used were very skilled and personable. Our project manager, Mike R, kept us informed on progress and who was coming each day. The initial schedule was "almost" met. We got delayed by lighting and electric (more our fault than theirs) in the middle, but they did a great job of an extra push to make sure a critical section was usable prior to a wedding brunch we were hosting. We would HIGHLY recommend LaMantia to anyone looking to remodel their home.

I could not be more pleased with the excellent work LaMantia did remodeling my kitchen and master…read morebath. From start to finish, they exceeded all of my expectations. Nancy and Natasha patiently guided me through every detail of the design and selections. Mike was a fantastic project manager, and all the subcontractors work was of the highest quality. They even finished ahead of schedule. You can tell this is a family owned business because they treat their customers like family. Thank you LaMantia for helping me create these wonderful spaces in my new home!