I have a property in a historic district, built circa 1860, and needed to renovate the entire…read morefaçade, which was literally falling apart. JC did drawings and contract management. JC's designs for the new façade were great, and his management of the project was great. I selected JC because of his experience with historic properties. Everybody I've talked to about the painful process dealing with DC's Historic Preservation Review Board, months of delays and back-and-forth and seemingly arbitrary rules that their drawings didn't meet. The HPRB reviewer approved JC's drawings in about five minutes. She even had a few admiring words for his drawings. I liked the designs too, and he provided guidance on all sorts of little details that kept the project on track. The contractor I hired made a solid effort to do the least possible work at every opportunity, but JC didn't let any of it slide. The contract stipulated that he sign off on each stage before I wrote any checks, and he never relented in pointing out low quality work, and was impressively patient in walking the contractors through every step of what they were supposed to do. He even contacted suppliers of some of the custom work to make sure they did the work right too. Of course, I paid more for his more extensive efforts, but I don't think there was a single hour he billed for that didn't show up in a better quality renovation. The house looks great, and it is to a large extent thanks to JC and his ability to keep the entire project focused on a consistent and appealing vision for the project.

Don't think you need an architect for an upcoming renovation or new construction project? You do…read more Don't let the builder trick you into owning the construction AND design! How will you know if anything is done right? Don't think you can afford an architect? You can. Not all architects work on an hourly retainer. Frank helped us successfully navigate the Arlington County Use-Permit (aka variance) process. We got everything we wanted! He did all of the legwork, making it as simple as possible for us. Frank directed us through the design, always warning us when he thought we might have had some bad ideas, but was always willing to incorporate them into the design. His reasons behind the bad design was always substantiated with facts, and he always let us make the final call. Frank always made us feel like we were his only client, even though I later found out that was certainly not the case! Frank did all the footwork for the permitting process as well. His calm disposition makes for friendly interactions at the County, which is beneficial when looking for "unofficial" answers to permitting and zoning questions. That has lead to a savings for us in both time and money. Frank priced out our design lump sum, for each of the different projects we needed. We were able to select which pieces we wanted and although the scope did creep and expand, we were not ever hit with additional fees for those services. I would not hesitate to recommend Frank Durkin for any design project. His past experience shows that he can capably and creatively handle large new construction projects and small complicated renovations. You can afford an architect and your renovation/construction project will be exponentially better for it!

I met with Jason to go over ideas for a new home I am building. First and foremost, he was totally…read moreprepared for our appointment. It was obvious he had spent time going over the house plans I emailed to him prior to our meeting. He had great ideas and thoughtful questions that were very useful in the process. He even came prepared with paint chips he left with me for possible paint color choices. He shared ideas for lighting and flooring by pulling up web pages we could explore together. I thought his fee was very reasonable. I have built several homes but never consulted with a professional designer. I am so glad I decided to do so with Jason. He is very easy to talk to and down to earth. His ideas were a great help to me for picking out all my finishes. The process can be overwhelming and I am so glad I had Jason's help!

We used Greg at Barnstar to design a new en suite bathroom. He was great. Very punctual and very…read moreprofessional. He was able to suggest various contractors also, and helped oversee construction while we were on vacation. I strongly recommend.

We worked with Greg of Barnstar Architects during a complete remodel of the second story of our…read moreCapitol Hill townhouse. Greg was very responsive and creative, and he helped us out on to paper the vague ideas we had about redoing our second floor. He is very familiar with all the quirks of Hill homes, and also helped us through the incredibly complex process of getting all the necessary permits. He regularly visited the job site as the project progressed at no extra charge, and gave us many mid-project tips and ideas. We were very pleased with Greg's work and can't recommend him highly enough.

I cannot recommend George and Panorama Remodeling highly enough, they are truly best in class…read more I have worked with a wide range of contractors over the years, from "high-end" firms that change-ordered me to death, to cost-effective independent contractors who ultimately proved unreliable and dishonest. George stands apart entirely. He is the only contractor I would trust with my home, and going forward Panorama will be the only company I use. I am extremely particular, have very high standards, and am a perfectionist and George exceeded my expectations at every turn because he is exactly the same way. He notices everything. Details that most people would miss, George catches immediately and addresses without being asked. That level of care is rare. Professionally, George is exceptionally responsive, knowledgeable, consistent, and prompt. He is hands-on in a way that is almost unheard of, he is on site, actively overseeing the work, ensuring quality and continuity throughout the project. That alone sets him apart from most contractors. Just as importantly, on a personal level, George is genuinely a people person. He communicates clearly, listens carefully, and makes the entire process feel calm and well-managed. His crew reflects him perfectly, they are respectful of the fact that they are working in your home, pleasant to interact with, and highly skilled at their craft. In an industry where trust can be hard to come by, George has earned mine completely. Panorama Remodeling delivers not only beautiful results, but peace of mind. I would recommend George and his team without hesitation to anyone looking for excellence.

Panorama Remodeling has recently completed an extensive remodeling of our kitchen, living and…read moredining rooms. This project merged three rooms which required the removal of walls, installation of new hardwood floors, installation of new cabinets & countertops, extensive rewiring, installation of new windows, asbestos abatement and new plumbing. The Panorama crew took precautions to mitigate the impact on the environment for the health of themselves and the occupants of the house. The project involved a variety of trades and scheduling with 3rd party contractors and county permits & inspections.The remodeling project passed all county inspections with no rewiring or other rework needed. George's recommendations for component suppliers were spot on. The suppliers provided excellent quality materials with timely deliveries. Where possible, materials were manufactured in the U.S.. George's coordination of deliveries and 3rd party contractors for asbestos abatement, cabinets, countertops, structural engineering, and kitchen design was top notch, and key to the success of the project's completion ahead of schedule. George should be nominated for sainthood for his patience with nervous clients. Several meetings were held during the planning stage to iron out details. During the project, he communicated daily the status of the work, keeping us well informed of progress and issues. Panorama's crew always arrived early and started on time, working tirelessly and professionally. While supervision was on site daily, the Panorama crew was well trained and worked largely independently. Shout-outs to Hector (Team Leader), Randy (Lead Plumber), Karen (Kitchen Designer) and the electrical team.

James recently came to our house to uninstall and install a dishwasher. We were extremely pleased…read morewith his work and also with his safety precautions with Covid. He was very reasonably priced and took his time to make sure that everything was great. We feel super lucky that we have found him, from recommendations of other clients, and will be using him in the future for various her needs. Highly recommend!

We have worked with James on many projects, from painting to electrical work to plumbing and tile…read morework. He has been great to work with, efficient and economical. Very responsive when there is an emergency. Often able to make suggestions for improving a project too, without adding substantial additional costs. He is our go-to person for all of our around-the-house projects.

Chris put in a walkout to our basement…read more I would not recommend Chris, and here are some issues: - As of this post, he's not licensed in VA (in my opinion, this demonstrates a lack of ethics and professional maturity) - When pouring concrete walls, I had to stop the pour since the forms were about to cave in (in my opinion, this demonstrates a lack of structural understanding and site management) - He had to frame the stairs form 3 times, since the execution was so poor (in my opinion this demonstrates a lack of understanding of code, and lack of attention to detail and quality) - The project took more than four times as long as estimated, sometimes weeks of no show (in my opinion this demonstrates a lack of project management skills, communication, and respect) So no - I would not recommend him. How 'bout them big-boy pants? Some humility would go a long way young man.

Chris Harvey is a real one. The guy operates an honest business and charges reasonable amounts. Who…read morewould have guessed that was a viable business model in 2026? He's very reasonable and seeks to get things right with the customer no matter what.

I had a great experience working with Royal Homes team for our full kitchen remodel. They did an…read moreexcellent job with communication and met our strict timeline. Definitely exceeded our expectations, couldn't be more satisfied. They even helped us make some changes in the design along the way. They were very flexible and professional to handle any kind of remodeling task. Thank you Allen, and Royal Homes team.