We were fortunate a few years ago to pick up a tiny cottage in Carmel By The Sea. We realized in…read moreorder to make this something that we could potentially retire to we'd need to expand it a little. For that we needed an architect or draftsman that could design something that was sympathetic to the existing structure, the cottage is pretty funky being built in the 30's and remodeled by no other than Hugh Comstock 10 years later so is bursting to charm and quirks. One of our neighbors has just remodeled their orig. Comstock and used Darren so introduced us. Yes he's a hard man to pin down but the way in which he embraced the brief was just the ticket. The point of the extension was to expand the property but ultimately make it feel like it was all there from day one. In working through the process with the city (not the easiest process I must say) and all the fees and approvals you need, it was clear we chose well as on every turn Darren had the schedule mapped ahead and in every case the officials had nothing but fantastic words for his work and integrity. I assume if we got this choice wrong then the whole project would have been a miss but it set us up for what I think has been an epic result. One further thing, we decided to daisy chain all the contractors from this relationship forward so we asked for referrals on a general contractor, got 3 and picked 1. Each of the contractors from this point on (except for 2 minor subs) had worked with each other on scores of homes over a period of 25 or so years so it made relationships between each party very smooth. I can't speak high enough about Darren, so if you have the good fortune to use him I would highly recommend it. I hope we have the occasion to collaborate with Darren again.

From the owner: Draftect was established in 1985 by Darren Davis to provide professional building design services…read more Since inception, Draftect has completed more than 1,600 projects. Part of Draftects success has come from engaging with clients early, when a collection of ideas has yet to form into a tangible vision. Early involvement is often most valuable when ideas are coming from more than one person, and the first big step is marrying various ideas into a unified vision. This assures that every project gets started on a successful path, which significantly enhances the likelihood of a timely and agreeable result.Of the 225 new homes that Draftect has designed, more than 50 have been in the community of Carmel-by-the-Sea. While being one of the finest communities in the world, it is also one of the most restrictive with respect to building. Draftect has gained tremendous experience in helping realize many dreams amidst this mix of high-end expectations and restrictive regulations. Draftect has also designed more than 20 historic renovations, which have enhanced its ability to help clients navigate challenges associated with regulatory compliance and permitting processes regardless of the design complexities involved.Since 1985 Draftect has grown into one of the most highly recommended design firms on the Monterey Peninsula. We hope that we may help you design your dreams into reality.

Kyle designed my new house from a SB9 subdivision in San Jose. He is very patient and courteous,…read morevery knowledgeable about the city codes, and always responds in time. His design is elegant and efficient, he oversaw the project and answered all the questions promptly even after the project is well into the late stage. Highly recommend!

This is a very long overdue review. We was lucky to came across Kyle's service at the beginning of…read moreCOVID when we wanted to remodel our home in Santa Clara. I don't know how to express our sincere thanks for everything he did for us. Kyle is very professional and super nice. He patiently work with us over 6 months to come up with the most economical and yet practical design and great flow of the space. He tirelessly met us constantly to make sure we were comfortable throughout the process. His experience and knowledge was integral of our project. His price was very reasonable. I would have pay much more for the experience I have with him. I highly recommend Kyle service to anyone.

Al and Eddie are an incredible team! I've tapped into their expertise multiple times to assess…read moreland in the Monterey area. They have high ethical standards and will give you their honest feedback based on their instincts and experience. They will address what you ask for and "then some". They are patient and always willing to explain any details needing more explanation. Given their knowledge of local laws/requirements, I would highly recommend them if you are in the market for land or any real estate needs in the Monterey County area.

Al is an amazing architect and masterbuilder. He has amazing taste. I love the work he did with my…read morehome! His attention to detail is impeccable. I am excited every time I walk in my home because of his amazing work. He saved me time and money by being an architect and general contractor.

We live in Carmel Valley and hired Justin and his team to do an addition and full remodel of our…read morehome including re-plumbing, rewiring, redoing the septic systems and replacing our ridge line beam, after having a terrible experience with our first contractor. Justin's team picked up the project while in the permitting phase and did a fantastic job on all aspects of the project, from pulling the permits through the final. They were always available, transparent with their bid process and exceedingly fair when unknowns came up in the project. Doing a high-end remodel is never cheap, but their pricing was fair, transparent and they worked with us to fit everything we wanted into our budget and schedule. Could not recommend them more highly!

I am a CA Licensed Realtor and would hire Hastings Construction for any of my clients. They are…read morevery professional, communicative, clean and do an excellent job.

We recently worked with Innovative Design Build to add about 1200 sq ft to our family home and…read moreremodel the existing space, and the experience was fantastic. Shayna and Jordan were on top of every detail from start to finish clear communication, quick responses, and they truly cared about getting things right. The project stayed organized, the crew was respectful, and the quality of the work shows in every room. It's not easy to trust a team with such a big remodel, but they made the entire process feel smooth and manageable. Highly recommend!

Jordan, Shayna and their team were great! We redid the kitchen with knocking down a wall to include…read morethe dining room. Also guest batheoom. They have great communication and always update us on status and what's next. They have great ideas and suggestions too. Everyone on their team is great especially Christian who works hard and takes great pride in their work and it shows. Would use them again for our next project!

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.

My husband and I highly recommend Martinkovic Milford Architects! Blake, Amanda, and Amelia were…read moreour brilliant team of architects overseen by Brian Milford. They designed our dream home and also monitored the construction/renovation process in addition to recommending a great contractor to build our home.

Disappointed by my experience here. I got more value from a 15 minute phone conversation with a…read moredifferent architecture firm than I did from my interaction with this firm, which involved multiple hours of billable research.

Extremely nice person. I only consulted with him but I was confident that he knew what was possible…read moreregarding the tight historic laws in my historic neighborhood.

From the owner: Residential architect specializing in additions, remodels and new single family homes in the…read moreCarmel, Pebble Beach and Pacific Grove, California area. Seven time recipient of the Pacific Grove Heritage Home Award.

Unreliable. They were perfect until we signed with them, then they changed the rules of the game…read moreand decided to try to siphon as much money as they possibly could from us. We got nothing from them, not even an idea, anything to go with, and they still took $2000 from us, claiming they worked for hours. On what? No one knows for sure. Scam.

Bill is the absolute Best! His intimate knowledge of Santa Cruz code requirements made my project…read morepossible. His excellence, enthusiasm and great results make him my choice for best architect in Santa Cruz