Motionspace was the third architect we worked with on a basement and kitchen remodel. They were…read morealso the best. They were incredibly professional, had great insight, and worked closely with our structural engineering firm. We just finished our remodel and couldn't be happier with the final product.

Nazim and Motionspace were asked to work quickly and meet a nearly impossible deadline required for…read moresubmittal. They met for a site-walk within 48 hours of the request. They worked quickly and made the permit process painless. They met our needed budgets for permits and we look forward to a continuing business relationship.

We wish we had chosen a different architect. Initially, H2D seemed competent and pleasant during…read morethe first part of our home remodel. However, our overall experience with them was unsatisfactory. Admittedly, our remodel was problematic and revealed challenges we hadn't anticipated. However, common oversights and miscalculations by H2D resulted in generated revenue for H2D and added expense and time to our remodel. At the beginning of the project, H2D called for a meeting so we could discuss key design aspects of a particular room. The plans that H2D created after that meeting failed to reflect the very specific design choices we had made. Additionally, H2D miscalculated a key structural measurement that cost us time and money with our contractors (and it was a mistake that we, with no architectural background, were able to clearly see). H2D also provided plans with handwritten notes that we and 2 contractors could not clearly read. We asked the architect to make the notes legible, which was our expectation from the onset. She made them legible, but charged us an additional $1,200 for the changes. After receiving the invoice and us questioning the charge, the architect stated that she "did not work for free." We asked her to consider reducing the charge by half. She agreed to a 16% reduction. The next invoice we were charged hourly every time a contractor called about our project. H2D managed to recuperate that 16% discount (and then some) by fielding our contractor's questions. Our last dealings with H2D were when we discovered they had provided the wrong plans to a contractor without key revisions. At this point, all parties involved decided it would be better to deal with our structural engineer and bypass H2D entirely. A relationship with an architect is a critical component to a remodel. We had hoped that our architect would take responsibility for poor work and provide helpful customer service (other significant examples lacking in these areas are not included in this review). The continual errors made by H2D, combined with navigating the architects' temperament, made for a sour experience that aggravated an already stressful experience of a home remodel.

I called looking for specific plans and found out I'm just outside their scope. She referred me to…read morethe proper contractor right away and was extremely helpful.

Like the previous reviewer, I am considering purchasing a property. Also, like the previous…read morereviewer, I am concerned with taking advantage of Pietro's goodwill, i.e., not paying him. My family is considering purchasing property. We approach this with endeavor with caution for many reasons. (1) The property is sloped. (2) We are ignorant to the process of buying land and building. (3) We come from humble backgrounds, and have three children, one of whom is in college. The aforementioned is not to say that others who may be more fortunate economically aren't concerned about their money--it's only to convey that we live with the PERCEIVED threat of falling back into poverty and the REAL experience of being taken advantage of because of our lack of knowledge. Pietro is generous with his knowledge and his time. This is a bonus. The other reasons we contacted ALCOVA is because of their experience building on sloped properties, beautiful designs, and ALCOVA is listed as one of the best residential architects and designers in Seattle by "Seattle Architects". To find those that are experts at their craft and compassionate is indeed a rarity. Pietro is working with us to clearly assess and delineate concrete steps to determine if we should purchase the land and assessing the (capital and other) costs of doing so. If we end up buying the land, and do in fact build, I will update my review about the actual process with ALCOVA.

I was considering purchasing a property that had unpermitted work (which might violate zoning law)…read more I wanted to double check. So, I called up Pietro. Pietro was very patient on the phone answering my questions. Twenty minutes into the conversation, I felt bad that I was taking up his time without paying him, and offered to pay. He said that he would start charging me when he really sat down and worked with me. I was impressed by Pietro's grace and knowledge. If I end up going for this property (or any other property that I have doubts about legitimacy), I would definitely hire him to check it out and advise me.

Josh does an OUTSTANDING job! He is very honest, easy to talk to and will help you design the home…read moreof your dreams. He is very transparent through the process and makes you feel like he is in your corner every step of the way. I would highly recommend him to anyone I know in the Seattle area looking for architect needs.

From the owner: Josh Architects focuses on friendly, personalized modern residential design with exceptional…read morequality and extraordinarily prompt service. Our background in construction paired with our out-of-the-box thinking provides innovative architecture while being considerate to realities of the construction process. We assist clients in project feasibility, concept development, permitting, getting bids from qualified builders, construction drawings, and monitoring quality during the construction process. We also have a knack for overcoming challenging permitting issues.

I wanted to take a few minutes to review my experience with Christoph Kruger at Kruger…read moreArchitecture. Christoph was introduced to us by our General Contractor, Alex Schenkar. The reason Christoph deserves a five-star rating is not related to how he performed when things were going well, but rather how he performed when a disagreement about billing showed up. During our design-build project the scope of our project grew considerably. During this process I became upset with what I felt was a lack of transparency in how billable hours were being calculated and I took issue with this, to our GC and to Christoph. In many cases I believe because of the issue that was created it could have ended the relationship. Instead with no guarantee of resolution Christoph maintained his professionalism and calm, continued to complete our drawings set through permittal and has continued to contribute in a very positive manner to the projects ongoing success. Having resolved our issue is a satisfactory manner, Christoph has continue to perform on a highly technical project, including taking into account changes to design elements we want to incorporate on the fly. I would recommend Kruger Architecture highly to those who value a team member who remains calm when others are storming, who has an excellent knowledge of municipal restrictions and what "can be done" and also who works well with the GC is realizing the vision of a project. Thanks Christoph. - Tom and Katie

From the owner: Kruger Architecture is a design office specializing in contemporary residential and commercial…read moreprojects. Our experience extends from custom homes, remodels & additions, to tenant improvements, and multifamily housing. We develop creative design solutions through a holistic approach that balances beauty, function, sustainability, and budget. Our office provides a full range of design services that include architectural and interior design, material selection, permitting, construction drawings, and construction contract administration.

If I could rate them, it would be zero, didn't deliver on time, designer left halfway through job,…read moremy wife did more design work on this house. No consideration for building functionality. Would never recommend

Great work! Very inspiring and modern design! LEED platinum homes including the Ellis Residence on…read moreBainbridge Island. Seattle Architects - Coates Design specializes in green building and sustainable design.