I was introduced to Deborah through a friend for a new construction project that we were…read moreconsidering. We were hiring her to work with us on our architectural plans for twin homes in the Cardiff beach community. I have to say, Deborah is such an amazing architect with a very detailed eye. We came in with a wish list of how we wanted this project to turn out and she put together to most amazing plans that not only met my expectations but exceeded them. Her extraordinary suggestions & ideas to maximize the space and usage of the floor plan was appreciated and made it exciting to visualize the possibilities of this home. Deborah's knowledge of the city's permitting & building process was extremely helpful too. She is very educated on the building & planning requirements and created our plans to the inch of what was allowed. Not only am I a client, but I am also a Realtor® and have referred clients to Deborah because I personally know that they are in the best hands when it comes to a building project. I would highly recommend Deborah Shewaga's services. Her guidance, knowledge and vision are definitely top notch. If you are looking for an architect to bring your vision to life, Deborah is your person!

It was a pleasure to work with Deborah Shewaga. She listened to our concepts, made excellent…read moresuggestions and helped us accomplish what we set out to do -- update our home yet maintain the existing style. I especially appreciated Deborah's quick response to all our questions and her professionalism. I highly recommend Deborah for architectural services. The Wands of Carlsbad

I am an apartment owner/investor and want to let other apartment owners know about my experience…read morewith Reverence Engineering. Last year, I obtained an inspection of the deck and balcony at my family's 10 unit apartment complex in order to comply with Senate Bill 721. After learning that our cantilevered balcony needed structural work, I began calling engineering firms. I chose Reverence Engineering because I wanted to work with a smaller firm and I was impressed with my initial call with principal engineer Brett Sauers. During that conversation, he explained in simple terms how he would approach creating plans and seeking permits for a major retrofit of our balcony walkway. From there, I was kept well informed by email at every step of the way. Because I live out of state and was not able to be present for any site visits, Brett prepared an explanatory video for me so that I could see exactly what he was seeing and understand how we could solve the structural challenges. The draft plans were ready more quickly than I expected and Brett personally addressed all my questions with patience and precision. The City took longer than I had hoped to do its plan review, but Brett's staff sent me weekly updates. In addition, they walked me through all the forms that I needed to sign so it ended up being a pain-free process from start to finish. I really couldn't be happier with the attentiveness of Brett and his team, as well as the outcome. They deserve accolades for exceptional structural engineering work, at a very reasonable cost.

I submitted a request to Reverence for an Architect in early January 2026, I received a call back…read morefrom Brett to go over the services Reverence provides and their approach to support the clients. At the end of the call, Brett stated he would work on the contract and send over for review. The following week, I called Reverence to better understand the timeline for contract creation so I could maintain realistic expectations; I was told I should have the contract that day (January 13) or the following day (January 14). I contacted Reverence on January 20, after not receiving a response and was advised a message would be sent to Brett for an update. I again did not receive a response (no callback nor email) and contacted Reverence on January 22 and again on February 2, and was provided a similar response (that I should receive the contract soon if not today or the next). I subsequently left a message on February 4, indicating that I no longer wished to proceed with their services and would look elsewhere. I have no doubt that Reverence provides customers with solid service once contracted, however, I find it is equally important to effectively communicate with prospective clients to ensure transparency. I would have gladly waited a few more weeks if that was the standard and was communicated to me. Hopefully future clients will have a better experience.

Andrew was a real pleasure to work with. He took on our master bathroom design, which is a very…read moresmall project for any architect. Despite this fact, he took his time when meeting with us and was very attentive to our needs. His design turned out great too! I will highly recommend him to friends and family because he's affordable, has great design ideas, and is great with his clients.

I highly recommend Andrew as he has an extensive knowledge of the trade. He was kind enough to…read moreanswer all my questions about permits (very important in the Oceanside area) FOR FREE. It is rare to find someone in this industry that genuinely wants to help others. Andrew's attention to detail really sets him apart from the rest!

Commercial Job for a juice/smoothie bar. Jason exceeded our expectations on the design and concept…read moreand has been a joy to collaborate with. He is a straight shooter and doesn't tell you what you want to hear, but gives it straight and honest. We have hired him on and cannot wait to get the project going!

Where to start... I was referred Jason, by a high end builder in SD for a custom deck I needed…read moredesigned and built in Carlsbad. I am a local house flipper, so I have had some interesting experiences with other architects, but was ready to try someone new. From the start, I could tell Jason had more knowledge and ideas then all of the other architects I have worked with before combined. The project was completed without any complications and the buyer of the home actually told me that him and his wife were buying the home because of the deck..thanks Jason! Anyways, I was so impressed that I had him over to my personal house on Mt. Soledad to give me some ideas on my upcoming remodel. Again, blew me away with ideas, designs and concepts..so he was hired...again. He produced such great ideas and results, that even my wife and I agreed on the concepts...a first. Not one person walks into my home without complementing me on the design and original concepts. Jason always comes up with solutions to any situation and he is very honest and reliable, which is tough to find in this industry. He is now a staple for any custom projects I work on and have referred him to the highest of critics and all have thanked me repetitively for the referral. There are options when it comes to choosing in architect, but I guarantee you will be beyond glad that you had Jason over to give his insight.

Miles and the team at Lovelace engineering are excellent all around. Their drawings are very clear…read moreand complete. Their calculations are accurate and they don't over engineer things. They have an excellent reputation with the various cities in and around the San Diego area. I recommend them without hesitation.

Shany and the entire team of Lovelace was great to work with, they help me with my new home…read moreproject, very helpful professional and fast service

Benjamin was incredible at helping us manage our project. His sense of design, excellent project…read moremanagement and knowledge of construction made us feel comfortable making decisions and accepting his help as he partnered with all of the design, planning/permitting and construction crews on our project. He helped us manage overhead while still creating exciting and relevant upgrades to our remodel. We highly recommend this architect and his team!

From the owner: We draw inspiration from each client’s personal story, goals, and desires. Our process unites their…read morepersonalities with architectural possibilities that are artful, inventive, and engaging. The result is more than a house; it becomes a testament to the unique spirit and identity of the people it serves. Founded by 20-year licensed architect, Benjamin Schaefer, LittleBig Design is a full-service architecture studio focused on contemporary residential design. Launched in San Francisco and now headquartered in Carlsbad, California, LittleBig Design serves the greater San Diego and San Francisco Bay Areas. Benjamin and his team offer a unique approach: personalized service from a boutique design firm complemented by extensive experience in managing large and complex projects. This combination equips them with the skills needed to navigate the intricacies often encountered in coastal and urban residential development. They excel in creating innovative design solutions for constrained spaces, managing diverse stakeholders, fostering collaboration with regulatory agencies, and gaining support from the local community.

T7 Architecture was great to work with! Their architectural style was very compatible with…read moreours--contemporary with lots of clean lines and natural materials. We always enjoyed our meetings with them. They got excited about our ideas and inspirational pictures and designed spaces that reflected what we needed and wanted. They are also practical and let us know if something we liked might push the cost of our project up a lot. They have a strong understanding of building codes, and work very well with City staff. They also worked really well with our contractor, who appreciated that their plans were implementable. We found T7's services to be a great value and are very happy with how our addition turned out!

T7 was amazing to work with! Andrew Crocker and his team worked with us to make our house exactly…read morehow we envisioned. They are very responsive and helped throughout the project when we had questions. Highly recommended!

We've worked with Al Simeone numerous times over the past decade on three different personal homes…read more He's an excellent engineer and designer.

Al helped me with a difficult situation that included an non- permitted ADU and two non-permitted…read moreout buildings that were more that 20 years old. No knowing exactly what I was up against, I really had to rely on Al's advice and experience to calmly guide me through the details of exactly what to expect. When we finally were in the construction phase of the large buildings, it moved quickly, as the inspector was familiar with Al's work, trusting his calculations with confidence. There was not even the slightest issue. I am so very pleased. We are currently ready to begin work on the ADU. I expect the same amount of ease with this project.

Bart and his crew are amazing to work with! Since they have been in business for so long in North…read moreCounty, they have wonderful resources within their network of local professionals. I'm happy to help support this local business and I refer DZN every chance I get!

This is the second time I used Bart on a guest house permit. I used him a second time as I was…read morepleased with my first result a decade ago. My second experience was not so positive. I wanted to convert a guest house to an ADU unit in the City of San Diego. I gave Bart my construction budget and he assured me it was adequate to do the job. I hired him and boy was that a mistake. My budget was $150,000. I had 3 bids , each over $250,000. I wasted my time working with someone who told me they knew the regulations for the City of SD. I found out he did not know the regulations. When I went for final permit he had left off numerous items that needed to be on the permitted plans. The City Planner assisted me and pasted on the required language. Bart copied it from my plans to have in his office. He had hired a new assistant who cost me extra money by spending time drawing in items that were not requested and had to have them removed. She left off requested design items more than once. I wasted five months and $6,800 using his firm.

We were in a position to have some plans drawn up for a simple kitchen remodel. Having no…read moreexperience or knowledge in this area we reached out to Lovelace Engineering who suggested many draftsman and architects for us to choose from. I made several calls one day, some people answered and couldn't help me, some were too expensive, some didn't answer but Jim did answer and he was knowledgeable, affordable and could see us within 24 hours. We were on a time crunch since our entire new kitchen was in our garage but we couldn't move forward without these plans. Jim came over the following day, took all our information and within 3 days had plans for us. When we took the plans to the county for our permit there were some simple corrections that needed to be done. Jim took care of the corrections and within 24 hours he had then completed and sent back to me. Thank you Jim for your hard work, prompt attention to our needs and willingness to help out to ensure we received our permit. If you are need of a professional design and draftsman Jim is your guy!!!!

From the owner: Residential architecture servicesread more