I can't recommend Ben enough for any architectural needs, especially if you're navigating the…read morecomplex permit process in Malibu. From the very beginning, Ben has been incredibly professional, attentive, and proactive. What truly sets him apart, however, is his genuine heart and empathy for his clients. My mother's business had to be put on hold during this process, which was an unexpected and stressful time for our family. Ben didn't just treat us like another project; he truly understood our situation. He worked tirelessly to resubmit plans and handle corrections as fast as possible because he genuinely wanted my mom to be able to get back to work and reopen her shop. It's rare to find someone who takes your personal success so personally. Beyond his expertise, Ben's pricing is very reasonable and fair, he is not overpriced at all, which is hard to find in this area. He was also incredibly helpful and understanding by allowing us to pay in installments while the business was closed. This financial flexibility was a lifesaver for us and showed his true character as someone who wants to help, not just make a profit. If you want an architect who is highly skilled, honest, and truly cares about your family and business, Ben is the one to call. We are so grateful for everything he's done. Thank you Ben!

I had a great experience working with Ben and would highly recommend him. He drew up plans for our…read moreproject and went above and beyond in helping us navigate some unexpected issues with the City of Los Angeles. Due to circumstances outside of our control, our original plan checker was replaced, which caused delays and additional review. Ben stepped in and handled everything professionally, working directly with the city to resolve the issues and keep our project moving forward. His knowledge of the process and persistence made a huge difference. On top of that, his pricing is very competitive, especially considering the level of service and support he provides. Overall, a 5-star experience--I would absolutely work with him again.

Justin is great to work with. I had a bad experience with a previous architect who overpromised and…read moreunder delivered. Justin not only delivered as promised but also stayed in constant communication with me. If I had a question about the design or the process he made himself available and helped me. He also helped me identify issues with the existing design that could have made it more costly and helped me navigate the changes through his thoughtful explanations. I highly recommend Justin for any of your upcoming projects, he is honest, straightforward, respectful, and takes pride in his work.

Justin was amazing to work with throughout this entire process, though our communication mainly…read moretook place via email. He was prompt with every response wither it was from myself or with the city for various revisions and documents submittals. His work is excellent, i have no reservations with working with him again for future projects and rates are competitive for the A+ work that him and his staff provide.

Extremely knowledgeable and informative. Highly recommend for any job, not just for the LA area. I…read moretrust them for all of my commercial jobs.

Outstanding service from start to finish. The team at EZ Plans showed incredible commitment and…read morededication to my project. Mark, Jorge, and Cindy were especially great to work with--knowledgeable, responsive, and genuinely invested in making sure everything was done right. Communication was clear, timelines were respected, and the final result exceeded my expectations. I highly recommend EZ Plans to anyone looking for a reliable and professional team.

DVA has been a key player in client experience with my full service real estate brokerage. I have…read morerecommended him to my residential and commercial clients and have only received positive feedback on all of the remodeling, feasibility study, RTI, repositioning, and tenant improvement projects. I personally had the pleasure of using his services for a full rebuild of a single family residence, permitting a storage room at my family's apartment buildings, and when it came time to build an ADU on my duplex. I appreciate all the valuable knowledge he brought to the table, his efficiency with determining scope and drawing plans, and his effectiveness at the building department and plan check. I highly recommend DVA and encourage any property owner interested in quality work and a keen eye for design to hire him.

From the owner: At David Van Arsdell Architects (DVA), we create custom homes in harmony with nature. Our designs…read moredraw inspiration from the land, climate, and views. Why DVA: Preserving Nature: We conserve native vegetation, blending homes seamlessly with the environment. Natural Light: Our designs artfully capture daylight to enrich your home, creating an inviting and comforting ambiance that elevates your daily living experience. Privacy & Views: We artfully balance privacy and breathtaking views, taking into account the unique characteristics of each property. Tailored Lifestyles: Each home is uniquely designed for your lifestyle. Modesty & Elegance: Our homes are spacious, elegant, and eco-friendly. Our Expertise: DVA excels in desert climate design and has a network of industry experts. Navigating the Process: We guide you through zoning, building codes, entitlements, utilities, and the journey from raw land to move-in ready, providing expert assistance at every step. Your Vision, Our Mission: Builders, developers, homeowners, and entrepreneurs trust DVA to bring their vision to life. Contact Us: Ready to transform your dream? Contact DVA today.

I want to add to an already outstanding list of reviews of Plan and Permit to write a review about…read moreRon and his colleagues. We hired Ron to do the architectural plans for the remodel of a fourplex. He came in with a fancy camera scanner to measure everything, a very efficient process. He was very much on time with the delivery of the initial draft. We discussed minor changes and submitted to the city, and they had just had a few minor corrections before approval, which is better than other architectural teams I have worked with. After we began work on the project, we discovered a beam in the ceiling was not pointing in the right direction, leading to the need for a revision to the plans. The engineer Margarito went on site and approved changes, which allowed us to quickly adapt. Overall this was a very streamlined process, I would be happy to use his services in the future and can very much recommend him.

We used Plan and Permit for a small home addition and had a great experience. Ron was really easy…read moreto work with and did a great job explaining the whole process upfront, especially since we were new to permits and planning. The timeline was totally reasonable (honestly, my slow email responses probably added more time than anything on their end), and the plans were approved by the city on the first try, which was a huge relief. It was also hard to find someone willing to take on a smaller project at a fair price, and they were very thorough. Even months later, they've still been responsive with follow-up questions from our contractor. Would definitely recommend, especially for smaller renovations or additions.

Letter Four totally dropped the ball on my project! Almost…read moregot to the final approval stage just to find out that it was not worth doing due to section 8. After spending $200,000, the project was scrapped! THE DID NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AND I LOST ALL MY INVESTMENT IN THE PLANS! $200,000 DOWN THE DRAIN! They didn't offer any reimbursement at all for their mistake!!! Good luck if you use them, and I hope they don't mess it up like my plans if you use them. But I wouldn'trecommend them after what happened to me!!!! BeWare

Found Letter Four online and read glowing reviews like the ones here... I should have looked…read morecloser. Having worked with them for 2 years, I now realize most of these reviews are either (1) 5+ years old or (2) from people who work there - Alex S, J M, etc. I spent about $120k and the last 2 years on a 4-bedroom remodel with Letter Four. I have *nothing* to show for it. No plans, no permits, nothing. Just a home that I cannot live in with some holes in the walls and ceilings (they just enough minor demo that I can't live there and then they disappeared - fun!) What I do have are shady invoices (they pad their invoices, double-charge you, refuse to send you receipts even after you ask 5x, charge you for everything they can with a 20% markup - Ubers, printing fees, software fees, etc). What really bothered me is that they pay their Project Managers almost nothing and then they charge you $200/hr for those PMs work. When I tried to do calls with them to understand the invoicing, instead of listening and admitting their mistakes when they very clearly double-charged me for the same things - they yelled at me. The owner Jeremy talked over me the entire call. (To his credit, he did apologize for not letting me get a single word in - he said something like "I've been told I do this to women"). If you want to work with two really arrogant people who want to talk a lot about how great they are and how right they are but won't listen - by all means, sign up to work with these folks. The work itself isn't just subpar and sloppy - it's actually unusable. They were constantly making mistakes - you'd send them measurements and then get the plans and everything would be the wrong size. I never got a window schedule that had windows that matched the plans. They never got approval for a permit for the plans they created. They made so many mistakes, it's laughable. I hired a new Engineer and Contractor who both can't stop cracking up about Letter Four's work. "This isn't even to scale! Look, they have the downspouts at the highest points of the roof! Look at this - that part must be a joke, right?!" For the prices they charge and how arrogant they are about their experience, they deliver really sub-optimal work. They claim their high hourly fees and high-end rates will make your remodel easy for you - but I found that working with them is 5x more work than with my new contractor. (Message me if you want his info - he's *amazing*). Finally, their design aesthetic is really cheesy. It doesn't match any of the photos in their portfolio. All their design proposals felt something you'd see in a cheap flip. It was a total waste of money to pay for a "design + build" firm because I ended up designing every inch of it myself. Another reviewer called them "awkward" and I 100% found that to be the case. Their online portfolio is great, but actually working with them is a total nightmare on every level. Most people don't love their contractors - but you will LOATHE these people. I guess if you want some cool horror stories about your remodel, this is the company for you!

I highly recommend Ms. Hakimi's services. As payroll administrator and company counsel, I was able…read moreto witness her performance firsthand. There wasn't a moment that she wasn't at her desk, working hard and implementing masterful designs into AutoCAD. I developed even greater respect for Debra when she told me about her high regards for building codes. She is adamant about following standards to the dot and will never sacrifice quality and legality in the architectural process. Finally, Ms. Hakimi is very organized and efficient. There have been times in her career when she was assigned a project with very short notice, but she came through and her work shined. Now that's dedication!

I am a first-time home owner and am in the process of doing a condo renovation on a very limited…read morebudget and timeline. Having Debra as my architect has helped me tremendously in staying on time, on budget, and meeting my deadlines. She's helped envision beautiful and creative design options for my space layout and kitchen design. My space is somewhat small and her creativity and mastery of her craft really shined in all the options she offered despite such constraints. Her attention to detail really showed in her interactions with my contractors in making sure they had all the information they needed. She's fast too -- she did an entire sizing in less than one hour! Thank you so much for everything!

Joe was extremely responsive and willing to work with you to get exactly what you want.read more

Joe & team were excellent in drawing up our plans, communication, responsive to changes, and worked…read morewith the city to get the plans approved. And that is the City of Burbank, which is an incredible feat. He did such a great and thourough job on the home plans, we retained him to do our landscape architectural drawings as well.