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.

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.

Working with Athos was a Joy! Our home had some serious water damage from our upstairs neighbors,…read moreand Athos walked us through every step he and his crew could take to restore our home. He was easily reachable and if we found some material at a different price was able to match. Our home looks amazing and our son loves his restored room. I've been telling other neighbors about the great work these guys do.

We interviewed several contractors for this job of renovating a closet and chose RH based on our…read moreperception of their understanding of what needed to be done + price. they did a great job in an efficient wa. I'm giving them five stars for that plus their good communication and an overall high quality of customer service.

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.

Working with Ingrid was a dream experience! My family and I live in a 100 yr old home in Oakland…read morethat had a bathroom that desperately needed upgrading. Ingrid has an artistic eye that clicked perfectly with our design wishes. She listened to our ideas and compiled 3D drawings to help us visualise what our bathroom would look like. Once we decided on a few key features and a design template, our project design came together very quickly. We chose tiles, a custom built vanity and marble top, flooring and bathroom hardware with Ingrid's input over a few weeks and then building work started with a general contractor, Adam Arrington Construction, suggested by Ingrid. We had Ingrid as an invaluable link whilst the works were carried out. All in all, the project was thorough and executed with great skill and a keen eye for detail. Our new bathroom has all of the hallmarks of what can be built by skilled craftspeople when great design is guiding a project. We are so grateful to have found Ingrid and to have her and Adam's expert work adorn our home.

Ingrid and Emilie were a delight to work with. Highly highly recommend their work and level of…read moreservice, care and style. We needed to overhaul or family room and had no idea where to start or how to tackle some oddities in our old home. Ingrid provided ideas and expertise on both he decor but also some structural needs like removing an old window seat, and making sure all the door casings and trim matched and fit faithfully in our Victorian. She did an amazing job of marrying my style with my husband's and created a gorgeous room for us. We took a few calculated risks on paint colors and furniture we wouldn't have ordinarily chosen, and they turned out fabulous. Exactly why we chose a designer!

Norman Sanchez is a true professional…read more Working with Norman and team was like having a full time architectural firm in house in the best way. He, Sara and Derek took our requests seriously, no matter how small and took time to research the best options to help achieve our dreams. He convinced the City of Oakland to make the impossible happen, worked with all collaborators professionally and was simply a real joy to work with. If we did it all over again, Norman would be the first call we make. The final product speaks for itself. We challenged Norman with building one of the most dynamic spaces the Bay Area has ever seen and he achieved it. I would highly recommend working with Norman Sanchez Architecture. Richard Sandlin GM, The Crown: Royal Coffee Lab & Tasting Room www.royalcoffee.com/the-crown

My husband and I highly recommend Norman Sanchez and Associates. We worked with them for 3 years…read moreon a down-to-the-studs, total remodel of our home. Norman is a skilled architect and has great ideas that made our home beautiful and functional. He worked well with the City of Alameda and came up with cost effective ideas and solutions acceptable to all. He is very organized, accurate and fair. If we were going to attempt another project we would not hesitate to call him.

Contacted Shawn after reading reviews here on Yelp and after seeing photos of his work on Houzz. I…read morewanted to update my kitchen to make it brighter and fit in with the style of the rest of the house but needed help with what to do. Shawn took a look around, listened to what I had in mind, and thankfully told me what would or wouldn't work. He picked a beautiful quartz counter top, gave me options to choose from for the paint, faucet and hardware. He has a great team working for him. They were respectful and trustworthy. The refinished cabinets look like new. They do high quality work. He made his best effort to get things done within the time frame discussed but, as with any renovation, there were some unexpected issues that led to minor delays and affected cost. I really appreciated how his main concern was that I was happy with the end result. Before and in process photos attached (forgot to take a picture of the final product and don't want to clean the kitchen right now).

We lucked out big time in finding Shawn and his team. After interviewing 7 options last Spring for…read moreour kitchen/interior living space remodel, we knew Shawn was our guy. We've now been in our finished kitchen and house for a few months and love it more every day. We still can't believe the transformation and beyond the beautiful upgrade across the board, his design and recommendations made it SO much more functional. From the design process to communication and his project manager/workers, everyone was a true professional. No kitchen horror stories and they finished exactly on time. There of course are small things that came up in communication between what we decided with Shawn (keeping our dishwasher) and what the workers on site knew about (tried to give it away 2x), but that is common in any project, and most important to us is every small thing we noticed/flagged was fixed without question. We've already referred Shawn to anyone who asks. He took our space from a very dated 1960s vibe to modern but with character, and a design that matches our ranch style home. Thank you Shawn for making our house feel like us!

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.

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.

Daniel and his team are top notch professionals and offer clear, consistent, transparent, and…read morehonest results. I was in the complete dark on an ADU project. Daniel was able to navigate me through the process and offer great advice. He is attentive and his team provided the work superbly and in a timely manner. I would recommend this company 100%.

Our contractor recommended Bay Area Design to help with our plans for the remodel. The whole team…read morewas great and took care of the process from start to finish. This is our first ever project for our remodel and Bay Area Design made it easy to apply/submit for our permit.

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.