I've worked with many talented professionals, but Alex Tzang stands out as one of the best…read morearchitects I've collaborated with. He has an exceptional ability to translate vision into thoughtful, functional, and beautifully executed designs. Alex listens carefully, understands goals and constraints, and consistently delivers creative solutions that exceed expectations. His communication is clear, his process is organized, and he works seamlessly with contractors and stakeholders to keep projects on track. I highly recommend Alex Tzang to anyone seeking an architect who combines creativity, precision, and professionalism.

Alex did an amazing job for our ADU in Danville. Their team is very responsive, professional, and…read moreknowledgeable in the design of ADUs. They know the building codes and hence can anticipate issues that may come up during permitting, designing, and constructions. They are also very patient with our various demands and preference during the design phase, and was able to modify the design to suit our particular needs. We have used other architects before, but Alex Tzang Architects is amazing. I'd highly recommend them.

We found our way to Winder Gibson through our realtor and could not be more grateful. We worked…read moreclosely with Geoff and Daniel to design our dream home. They were an absolute pleasure to work with and took on all details at every stage, including handling a difficult neighbor. At the same time, they were efficient and budget conscious, helping us stay on track both financially and time-line wise. They made what could be an overwhelming process move smoothly and enjoyably. We unreservedly recommend Winder Gibson.

My wife and I had the pleasure of working with Geoff and his team on a full demolition and new…read moreconstruction of a single family home with ADU in San Francisco. We loved our experience and wholeheartedly endorse Winder Gibson to anyone looking for a full service architecture firm. From the outset, Geoff and his team demonstrated an exceptional understanding of our family's needs, which they transformed into a beautiful house design that resonates with our aspirations and lifestyle. We are currently transitioning to the construction phase, and are excited to raise our family in such a thoughtfully designed space. Also, Geoff and team are true experts at navigating the San Francisco permitting process. They efficiently moved us through permitting, both reacting to feedback from the city and helping us manage our neighbors. Honestly, we could not have permitted the house without their guidance. In a city where building homes can be difficult, the one two punch of beautiful design + the knowledge and skill to get it across the line was invaluable. We are so appreciative of Geoff and team.

I had a project that was stopped by the city and many people wouldnt even touch it because of the…read morecomplexity of joining a project mid construction. Sam came in and saved the day for me. He also stayed with me and answered a lot of questions throughout the process. The experience was not perfect, and there were times I was frustrated with our communication and speed. But considering the predicament I had placed myself and Sam in, I think he did a pretty good job and I really appreciate that he continued to respond and support my project even after being fully paid. (something a lot of contractors just dont do).

*** I AM STILL RATING ALTUS AT A BIG FAT ZERO ***…read more UPDATE: I had reached out to Sam so that we could come to some sort of agreement and he told me that he would "think about things" over the weekend and get back to me (this was over the 4th of July holiday weekend). He has been MIA and non responsive since. This is now going to court because he clearly doesn't want to work things out and refuses to respond to my calls, texts, and emails.

We hired Rob Kelly for a remodel on our bathroom and kitchen as well as new stairs to our backyard…read more Rob's expertise shined throughout the project, from his deep knowledge of craftsman style homes, his eye for design choices big and small, and his ability to keep us moving forward in a stress-free manner. He works quickly and thoroughly and was able pivot seamlessly when needed. Thanks to Rob and our contractor the project was actually done early! Unheard of, as they say. Importantly, Rob understands building code and the permit approval process very well. He was able to use some fringe code to get stairs approved from the city that most people thought would never work. Plus he checked in often to ensure the plans were being reviewed, which helped them get approved quickly through a broken city process. Hiring Rob was the best decision we made for our remodel and the outcome wouldn't have been nearly as good without him.

We were lucky to work with Rob to enhance the accessibility of our 1913 craftsman home. We…read morecompletely replaced the original porch stairs with a curving ramp, and renovated the primary bathroom to include a thresholdless shower. While these were dramatic changes to the house, Rob's eye for historical congruity and detail led to a design that feels completely in-line with the original architecture. There are so few examples of accessible designs that capture the spirit of older California homes. The work on the ramp and bathroom feel of-a-piece, and improve function without feeling tacked on or muddled. Throughout the process, Rob was sensitive to our feedback and overall cost, and connected us to excellent options for contractors. We also deeply appreciated the work of Mario, Rob's colleague, who did weekly site inspections and was able to work with myself and the contractor to quickly resolve inevitable complexities in the build. We are thrilled with the result, and hope to work with Rob in the future.

Stay away if you respect your finances and don't enjoy lighting money on fire. Cari will not…read morerespect your investment. She quoted us $19k for a project we've paid more than $52,000 for, including for an egregious error on her part that cost us $10,000 and a 6 month delay. Cari originally quoted us $19k a 600sf kitchen/bath/bedroom addition. She let us talk ourselves into a 1200sf 2 story remodel, which we submitted to the city, only to have our neighbors object. Ok, not her fault, but by this point we'd already spent $25k, well over budget for the original project and still no approved plans. We then brought her exactly what we wanted on a napkin, based on the original 600sf footprint. She had designed a custom butterfly roof over the addition. Here is the unforgivable error: Cari's recommended contractor suggested we do some "value engineering" to make a simpler roof. Cari and the cotnractor said we should replace the entire roof (old house and new) with a redesigned new roof, and that this would be cheaper construction than the butterfly roof (trusses vs hand cut beams) and save us money. This was all "value engineering" after all, and they were the experts! Turns out when you remove and change the roof design over a structure, that structure has to be to code, meaning our entire foundation would need to be updated. Something Cari and her team absolutely should know. Instead, we paid Cari and the engineer for new plans and waited 6 MONTHS while they went back and forth with the city, before admiting to their mistake. $10,000 later, we'd scrapped the "value engineering" idea and went back to the butterfly. Did we have struggles that weren't her fault yes. But over a nearly 2 year process working with her I can tell you that a) she was ALWAYS happy to charge us for work rather than talk us out of bad ideas and b) she is not willing to take ownership of for the value engineering catastrophe. So, we have paid for the 1st design we couldn't use, and the 2nd design we literally handed to her on a napkin, and for a design that was never feasable. A total of $52k to this point. Even though she the original plans were with the city and we'd done all the work twice with them now, Cari still found another $4k worth of charges I'm now being forced to pay an under threat of a mechanics lien. Do not make my mistake and STAY AWAY!

We just finished a smallish remodel project where we worked with Cari and her team and are really…read morehappy with the results. We already had a contractor to work with and since our project was on the small side, we didn't know if this would be worth her while. However, we had a few good rounds of communication and were able to hone in on a solution that delivered the impact we wanted without it turning into a cost suck. With her guidance, we were able to skirt the expensive structural issues that would have blown costs out of the water, and raise a portion of our ceiling and add a new skylight that dramatically altered the feeling of our low-ceiling living area. Past experiences with architects have led us to feel unlistened to and bullied by their opinion; with Cari we felt she took the time to understand our taste and needs and find an elegant and affordable solution,

My friend Andy runs a great architectural practice assisting with remodels and additions to your…read morehome. Andy has worked in the Bay Area since 1999, and started his own practice 2 years ago. So far he's completed several major remodels and additions, and many smaller projects, in the East Bay and San Francisco Andy aims to deliver his projects on time and is thoughtful in considering the best approach for your project at hand. He also believes that sustainable design is important and seeks to work with his clients to incorporate green design as much as possible. I'd like to recommend him for your next remodel and addition!

Andrew came up with several great design options for a second story addition on our house. His…read moreideas were thoughtful, practical, and visually pleasing. He was always conscious about our budget and very accurate with his estimates. Above all, Andrew is professional, knowledgable and easy to work with.

Tim drew plans for our deck and railings replacement project. He was thorough and fun to meet…read morewith. He filed information to get the building permit, and met with the contractor. He was available if needed when the work was inspected. The inspector told us the work was done "beyond code." Tim's design guaranteed our deck would be safe as well as lovely. His fee was reasonable for someone with so much experience. We are thrilled with the results.

Timothy was great to work with. We remodeled our bathroom to make it wheelchair accessible and…read moreTimothy quickly understood the issues then provided excellent drawings. He also took the lead in securing the building permit which made all the difference! We very enthusiastically recommend Home & Temple Design!

Ethan and his team at Drafting Cafe have a great design sense and deep knowledge of construction…read moreand permitting. They helped me convert my basement into my home office and to build a deck from my side yard in Alameda. Ethan coordinated with a construction crew he works with regularly to be sure I got a quality build in the end and at a fair price. Communication was great throughout the process, and they were fast! I'd definitely recommend them.

The folks at Drafting Cafe have been incredibly helpful as we've been considering a small addition…read moreon our home. Ethan, Lindsey, Michael, and Lauren have been incredibly responsive and on top of things. Whenever we've spoken with anyone on the team, it's clear that they've reviewed our file/request and know exactly what we're hoping to build. The team has been very engaged and answered our many questions even while we were not yet 100% committed to the project. We ended up needing to take a pause before proceeding as we figure out budget on our end. But if we decide to move forward, we would feel great about working with DCA.

Mali is such an expert at her craft! She helped us with our bathroom layout (tricky sf space…read morelimits) to give us a dream master bath that not only was tastefully sourced but also honored all the requirements eg maximized light, easy to clean etc. I was so in love with Mali's work that I also asked her to design our downstairs space-- she made brilliant use of our spaces and helped us maximize usage for the space (again so beautifully rendered)! Highly recommend esp for first time home buyers who don't know much about construction. She's so patient and a great teacher!

Our permits have never been approved so fast. CA Permits and Design manages all the permit…read moreapplications and designs for my home Remodeling business. The plans are always on point, the service always professional, and my clients are always happy with the designs. P.S. ask for Mail, she's the best.

We hired U.S Accurate to remodel our kitchen and living room, and the experience was great from…read morestart to finish. Scope-wise, they removed a structural wall, added a new island, replaced all cabinets, added a butler's pantry, updated the flooring, upgraded the electrical, and took down the old plaster to install smooth drywall. Shay kept us informed at every step, talked us through options when surprises came up behind the walls or under the floors, and handled permits/inspections so everything stayed on track and to code. The crew was professional, punctual, and tidy and would also work on weekends sometimes. There were some minor bumps along the way but final results look fantastic and function even better. The new layout is open and bright, with smarter storage and lighting that really elevated the space. Because of the great experience, we brought them back for a bathroom remodel too. Highly recommend US Accurate Construction--would absolutely hire them again.

Very professional team. Fred is great to work with. He's helping us with a full remodel.read more