I had a very bad experience working with Daniel (Dan) Baigelman of Full Circle Architects on my…read morerenovation project. Dan worked very slowly, and sometimes made simple and easily avoidable errors, such as reviewing the wrong document. On other occasions, it took him an inexplicable amount of time to complete short tasks. Overall, this caused weeks of unnecessary delays in the project. Dan did a poor job with communication, and did not respond to emails in a timely fashion (and sometimes didn't reply at all). Moreover, he attempted to overcharge me at the conclusion of the project. While he did change the charge when the inconsistency was pointed out, it shouldn't be incumbent on the customer to point this out. I raised my concerns with Dan at the conclusion of the project. His response was characteristic of his behavior throughout the project: He just ignored my email and never responded. Not a good way to treat a customer. Overall, my experience working with Dan was frustrating due primarily to his slow rate of work and careless mistakes. There are a lot of architects in Chicagoland. It wouldn't be hard to find one better than Daniel Baigelman/FCA.

If you desire architectural and interior design services for both residential and commercial spaces…read morePLUS a great ongoing relationship both through and after the design process, then this is the place for you!

I knew the original owner and am now excited to work with the new team on some new construction…read moreprojects. I was an investor buyer and they were able to streamline our plans and permits to keep us on budget and on time.

Stay away from this guy! Ismet is his name. The first time we met he demanded that I pay him…read morebecause he had already done the drawings. I had not even asked for drawings yet. He lied to me that it was already included in the price that the contractor was charging. That was not the case. When we met again he stole my Plat of Survey and ran away. He literally ran to his car and sped away. When I told him that we would not be moving forward with the project he said he would mail the Plat of Survey. I never received it. I can't prove that he did not mail it but based on his past behavior I doubt that he really did mail it. He also tried to get me to sign a contract before I got my HOA approval for the project. He is a liar and seems very desperate for your money. Don't bother trying to do business with him.

Steve is wonderful. He was the third architect I hired to help me redesign a complete gut rehab of…read more3 story plus basement SFH. Having already failed to get a workable design twice, working with Steve was so easy. During our first meeting his off-the-top-of-head ideas were both logical and architectually appropriate. His design drawings were even better. And nothing like either of the previous designs! Steve worked closely with the City of Chicago to make sure that our plans met code. I credit his knowledge of CofC building codes to place new dormers, not where I suggested but where they would still give me the required space and be approved by the City. Plus, they provide a better view! Everytime I think 'oh, no, I didn't think of . . .' I check the plans and Steve did think of that! Steve is quick to understand what you want/need, is responsive to questions, and explains the whys and hows. His plans are thorough, detailed, thoughtful. The kitchen space he created for us without an addition is alone worth 5 stars. Now that he is finished with the heavy lifting on my project talk to him about yours

Steve did a great job on designing our addition. He was easy to communicate with and listened to…read moreour needs. He had some great ideas and was able to get exactly what we wanted while still working within our budget. The drawings were thorough, which reduced confusion with the contractor and made the permit process very quick. Would definately recommend.

I'm looking for the 6-star choice because we are so lucky we found Doug for our project, and so…read morehappy with the effort he put forth for our project.  Our experience with him has been wonderful and he is even a nicer guy than he is a great architect. We got to Doug through a reference after being run-around for months by a previous recommendation who decided he was too busy, after stringing us along for too long.  Doug (and everyone) was backed up with Covid renovation, but when he heard my frustration in the delay he found a creative way to work us in. He made several visits to our apartment and dug through some walls to be certain what was possible and what the limits were. He looked at our idea which started as a shower expansion and showed us how we could do so much more if we removed the bathtub which we never use, resulting in a much larger footprint for the shower and a new vanity/makeup/cabinet area where the enlarged shower was originally going to go. He came up with a wonderful venting solution that we weren't focused on, and then noticing that with the new plan that we'd have to re-tile the floor, made a great suggestion to heat the new tile floor. Something we hadn't thought about.  We are so excited for the new design and features of the new space he's defined. He mocked up a cardboard replica of the steam generator for the shower so that we could work in 3-space to position it in the adjacent closet, and he's made trips here throughout the project and has been available to answer our questions.  We were having problems visualizing some details in discussions with our contractor and he emailed an isometric 3-D drawing shortly after our clarification phone discussion. After Doug finished the drawings, we weren't happy with the 2 contractor quotes we received and Doug connected us with a wonderful contractor who came in with a much better price and has been an absolute joy to work with. All of this was done for the reasonable price of his original quote, even though the calls, visits, emails drawings and interacting with our contractor was extra work.

Doug did a wonderful job for us in designing the new look for our front porch. We were amazed by…read morehis attention to detail and commitment to our satisfaction. He communicated well, set our expectations up front, and was very reasonable throughout. In particular, we loved how Doug provided so many ideas we would never have thought of ourselves. Our concept for the new porch was simplistic, but by the end of it, we had exactly the look we wanted (but couldn't necessarily articulate) and one that perfectly complemented the existing charms of the house in ways we wouldn't have imagined. Our neighbors keep complimenting us on the new look, which is also a testament to our contractor (Hilman Construction, reviewed separately on Yelp.) Doug worked well with the contractor, and that cohesiveness kept the project moving along nicely. On the permitting front, I am sure we saved many hours of effort and weeks/months of waiting by using Doug's extensive experience in how to cut through the red tape as quickly as possible. He took the initiative to call the reviewers at the permit office ahead of time just to anticipate the issues we would face, and he coached us in how to approach our permitting meeting so that we knew what to expect. An otherwise frustrating and hopelessly complex process became quite manageable. We would not hesitate to work with Doug again!

We fell into a family owned 75 year old house after my husband's great uncle passed away and…read morecouldn't pass up the good deal. COULD do without the pink kitchen and yellow and black bathroom tiles. Aesthetics aside, there were some serious layout issues with the house that made it seem smaller than it actually was. Before just hiring a general contractor, we talked to Jereme to see if he had some design ideas that would be more interesting than just "knock down some walls and put new drywall up." Jereme worked really hard to keep within budget while still adding some fun touches that everyone comments on, like a reclaimed wood soffit that defines the kitchen area. He also used every square inch of the home to make sure we didn't have any wasted spaces. We used barn doors to make old bathrooms feel bigger and built ins to make the most of slanted attic walls. Overall, everything was on time and any extras were clearly laid out. Communication over email was great and he was very organized as we went along with the to do list and keeping all of the contractors on task. I would highly recommend Design Insight and will definitely use them again if we buy another house.

As a dedicated Yelp fan, we scoured the reviews to find an architect to renovate our 1950's ranch…read morehome. Our main goals were an open floor plan and a larger kitchen. We got so much more! A gorgeous, spacious, cook's kitchen, open floor plan, open curved staircase to basement, mud room and outdoor BBQ station. Jereme is a creative architect with a keen eye for details...not to mention a great, easy-going guy! We had a couple of initial meetings to discuss our wants and needs and then Jereme dove into the design and ultimately presented a few design concepts. We quickly zeroed in on the one that seemed best and collectively tweaked the design and components to best suit our needs. Jereme hired the construction crew and personally directed and supervised their work. He was on the site every day and in frequent contact with us. The end result is FABULOUS and more than we hoped for!! Jereme was great to work with. Very responsive to all of our questions, concerns and ideas...and he never showed any ego. He was also extremely budget conscious and economical. The project took longer than quoted, but the end result is a 10!! Highly recommended!!!

Mason has done multiple projects for us including our master bed/bath/closet, master 2nd floor…read morepatio, total gut reno of coach house, warehouse reno into fitness center with sauna and more to come! He had us at hello (actually he first won over our Grandma who is now living in the coach house that he designed for her). Since that first project for Grandma, he's proceeded to win the rest of us over including my husband - who is not an easy sell.

I lived in my house for 8 years dreaming of all the ways I would make it perfect one day. After…read moreinterviewing more than 10 architects, design build firms, and hobbyist renovation addicts turned "designer & GC", I was introduced to Mason via a builder who had worked with him. The builder spoke very highly of his work, and after spending some time with Mason, understanding his vision and even touring some of his other projects, it was clear he was the right fit to finally help me reach the aspirations I had for my home. The job was huge - a full gut on the first floor, two full baths and a raised ceiling on the second, and a total makeover on the exterior. Aside from the great ideas that enhanced my vision as we discussed design concepts, I knew he was the right guy when a high level builder looked at his plans and said "who did these? These are some of the best architectural drawings and directions I have ever seen". While I ended up using the builder who introduced me to Mason, the two of them worked very well together, respecting the ideas and challenges that crept up throughout the 8-month long project. I have referred Mason to a number of friends and family who have all seen and admire my project, and I would highly recommend him for anyone looking to do a major renovation as he has the knowledge, skills and vision to achieve an outstanding finished product.

Dave is knowledgable and attentive .. They want me to keep…read moreusing more characters, but I have said enough

Have used them for an addition as well as new build. Couldn't be happier. Responsive and…read moreaccommodating. Worked with me every step of the way. They were also able to get me in touch with an equally outstanding builder.

This is not for the work but that I left a voicemail on 4/13 with no return call. We are breaking…read morethrough an exterior wall in a townhouse and seeking a contractor (or such). I left a thoughtful message about the work needed and asked for someone to call me back, crickets. If they decide they don't want to take on a project, they could at least return the call.

I just had to write a review for this stellar company - Orren Pickell. They were incredibly…read moreresponsive to my questions, offered guidance on my project, and delivered on their promise! Do not hesitate to consider them for all your project needs.