We used Raskop and Lu for a large remodel/rebuild project (over $1 Million) in Oakland. We…read moreselected Ryan after interviewing 10 architects, all of which we found online. A project of this scale is always stressful and has high uncertainty, particularly with respect to details, cost and schedule; our case was complicated further because we were living out of state and our design had some unique details that created constructibility challenges. From the beginning, we were extremely satisfied and comforted with the level of communication, the patience to educate us on the full project cycle requirements, the high level of pro-activity and engagement, and the ability to find creative solutions when we needed them. The work is high quality and they work very efficiently and patiently with the builders and engineers. We have been very impressed at how calm and supportive they are no matter what the stress level. We would have no hesitation in strongly recommending Raskop and Lu for large or small projects. David and Peggy McKay

From the owner: Established in 2017, Raskop and Lu is an architecture, engineering, and development company that…read morehelps homeowners, real estate investors, and builders navigate the design, permitting, and construction process successfully. With a combined 30+ years of industry experience, we provide our clients and community with informative, considerate, and attentive services with the aim of being a trusted steward of our built environment. We believe in the possibility of developing real estate more harmoniously with the people and places involved. Economically integrating today's ideals and values for the built world requires not only deep knowledge, but also a commitment to solve these complex challenges. Achieving this mission means we show up every day ready to serve our community.

We had the pleasure of working with Jill Finn of TANGERINEdesign LLC when our longtime designer was…read moreunavailable -- so she walked into a situation where we were already feeling a bit off balance. But from day one, Jill exceeded our expectations. The project involved tearing down an old, dilapidated screened-in porch that had never really worked for us -- too cold in the winter, too hot in the summer -- and transforming it into a usable interior room. We wanted to keep the light and airy feel of a porch while gaining insulation, comfort, and year-round usability. We also wanted ideas for built-ins: maybe a window seat, maybe bookshelves -- we weren't quite sure. Other contractors over the years had taken one look at the porch and declined to get involved due to its age and condition. Not Jill. She had ideas right away. Jill brings so much energy, creativity, and practical knowledge to the table. Even while juggling big personal commitments (like her son's graduation across the country), she delivered several strong design ideas within a few weeks -- and they were fresh, inspiring, and budget-conscious. She collaborated easily with our civil engineer, adjusting her drawings quickly to meet his needs. She also understands our local codes and regulations really well, and met directly with our contractors to make sure her designs were realistic and executable before we got too far into the process. On top of all that, Jill has a fantastic personality. She made the experience fun and engaging, and she brought a sense of momentum and confidence that really helped us move forward. I can't recommend Jill highly enough -- her creativity, responsiveness, and enthusiasm make her a true gem. If you're considering working with TANGERINEdesign LLC, you're in excellent hands. Karen & Greg Marriner 6/22/25

I recently called on TANGERINEdesign LLC to help me with some retro permit work needed prior to…read moreselling my home. I wasn't sure what the City needed, or how to complete it, but Jill knew what to do, how to get it done correctly, and guided me through the process. As for the process, it was quick!... from on-site measurements, to drafting the necessary documents, to submittal and approval, it could not have gone smoother! I'm so thankful to have found TANGERINEdesign LLC and appreciate Jill's genuine work ethic by sticking to the timeline & price she quoted me.

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!

Wafa was very responsive to my call inquiry about a new property I acquired in Sonoma County. She…read morewas generous in giving me her time on a zoom call to go over the scope of the project. Though I elected to forgo my plan to redesign the roofline, if I had decided to go through with it, I would absolutely have gone with Wafa. Her knowledge and experience is strong and she was very easy and pleasant to talk with. We elected to keep the house roof line as it is, and focus on interior upgrades and improvements. Thank you Wafa, for being so kind and amazing. We will definitely choose to use her services in the future when a new architectural need arises. Recommend.

I converted a study room in my three cars garage without a building permit years ago. It was…read morealways been my goal to legalize it but didn't have time and energy to do it until my retirement now. I didn't have any idea as where to start the project. I joined a Facebook ADU Group and started learning about the permit and construction process. It was suggested that I should start finding an architect to draw up a design plan and submit it to the City for approval. I read through many Yelp reviews and found Wafaa at waArchitecture + Design for she had great reviews and the professionalism I was searching for. Wafaa helped me designed and received building permit for converting my existing garage room and laundry space into a 270 square foot JADU of one bedroom. Waffaa was responsive, patient, and flexible during the design phase. What impressed me the most was that her and her team's speed of correspondence. There were no revision requested from the City and my JADU design plan was submitted the first week of February and was approved by the City of Fremont at the end of April. If you are looking for a responsible, highly skilled professional Architect, look no further, I highly recommend Waffaa of waArchitecture + Design.

I recently had the pleasure of working with EAS Designers, and I couldn't be more satisfied with…read morethe experience. From start to finish, their team was professional, responsive, and genuinely committed to delivering good-quality results. Despite the recent city legalization challenges, they handled everything with transparency and expertise, keeping me informed throughout the entire process. Their knowledge of local regulations and attention to detail really set them apart and gave me peace of mind. If you're looking for a reliable and trustworthy design team, I highly recommend EAS Designers. I would absolutely work with them again and encourage others to do the same!

Arash helped us with our on going Kitchen Remodeling issue where electrician cut notches on the…read morewindow header compromising it completely. Arash visited the site on a short notice, evaluated the situation and provided with multiple cost-effective, time-effective, not too invasive solutions to bring back the strength of the header. He also took time to answer all our questions, inspected the floor above to check the load and structure etc. Very satisfied with the service. He recommended options that are feasible and quick. The whole onboarding process was quick and easy with Siavash. One day within a call got the appointment. The consultant came prepared looked at our designs. They did not upsell their service in fact they did the opposite to keep our interest in mind. I would work with EAS again when needed. Definitely recommended.

Overall, we've found Romain to be very reliable--not only in the quality of his work but also in…read morehis professional attitude. We've had his architectural designs reviewed by friends who majored in architecture as well as several interior and landscape designers. Everyone gave very positive feedback and encouraged me to move forward with finalizing the plan. If there is any "downside," it's simply that Romain moves quickly. You'll want to share your thoughts and feedback promptly, otherwise he may be a step ahead of you. Personally, I really appreciate his energy, fast turnaround, and thoughtful consideration of details. We highly recommend Romain.

After having difficulties getting our plans approved for a project, a friend recommended Romain to…read moremy help us. To our surprise, Romain made some adjustments and in a few days, resubmitted the plans, and in a few weeks, the project was approved. The project was stuck in mud for almost a year with the city of Oakland, and the previous architect had many excuses, but Romain had very little difficulties after some discussion with the planner. Since then, I've used Romain for projects in Orinda, Walnut Creek, Pittsburg, and his designs and his architectural work are always modern and simple for contractors to follow. We've never had trouble with cities since then.

We hired U.S Accurate to remodel our kitchen and living room, and the experience was great from…read morestart to finish. Scope-wise, they removed a structural wall, added a new island, replaced all cabinets, added a butler's pantry, updated the flooring, upgraded the electrical, and took down the old plaster to install smooth drywall. Shay kept us informed at every step, talked us through options when surprises came up behind the walls or under the floors, and handled permits/inspections so everything stayed on track and to code. The crew was professional, punctual, and tidy and would also work on weekends sometimes. There were some minor bumps along the way but final results look fantastic and function even better. The new layout is open and bright, with smarter storage and lighting that really elevated the space. Because of the great experience, we brought them back for a bathroom remodel too. Highly recommend US Accurate Construction--would absolutely hire them again.

Very professional team. Fred is great to work with. He's helping us with a full remodel.read more

I was looking for help renovating a somewhat datecd mid century modern home and was fortunate to…read morefind Peter who was able to come up with a plan that while remaining true to the original design gave the home a more contemporary feel and took better advantage of the spectacular views. As architect and contractor he was intimately involved in every phase of the project and was able to adapt the plans to changing circumstances. He gave generously of his time in helping to choose appliances, fixtrures and finishes, and was always looking for ways to save money. I am very pleased with the result and would definitely hire him again!

From the owner: Bay Area Architecture is a family own business. We are licensed architects with more than than 25…read moreyears professional experience. Our work is distinguished by well thought out concept, attention to detail, crisp aesthetics, and rational approach to legal, technical, schedule, and cost aspects. We provide full scope of services from initial meeting to project completion wile regarding every client as our only client. We work closely with our clients at every step of the design and construction to ensure that the results meet the expectations.

Mr Mckee made numermeasuring errors , asking me to retake measurements rather than he coming back…read moreoit to do so himself. His first draft differed from we talked aboit doing. He redid plans due to his errors and billed me for that time. He seems nice enough but clearly his heart and brain was not in this project

From the owner: I'm Steve McKee, an architect in Benicia, California. I specialize in residential design. I embrace…read morehome design, from the smallest addition to the largest custom home. It's a very satisfying challenge to design the best possible home under new circumstances each time. I have developed a highly collaborative process in which my clients have a say in every meaningful decision about the design.