I worked with Jim on an extensive Palo Alto interior home remodel for a +100 year old craftsman…read morehome. Layout change, 2 bathrooms/bedrooms, new hallway orientation, closets, whole house electrical, laundry, kitchen, etc. Jim had great ideas, was patient, funny and a joy to work with. I was pretty hands on with my preferences and he was good at pointing out some dumb ideas I had in a kind and tolerant way that allowed me to see why what I proposed didn't make sense from various points of view, like home resale value, attractiveness to the average person, etc. Things I hadn't considered. Will gladly seek him for future work.

Jim has been the architect now on two of my extensive home projects…read more He has provided a calm and patient platform during the development of the design, guiding me smoothly to the finish line. His demeaner and experience in his craft was enjoyable and provided me with confidence in his ability to deliver what I was wanting. Also, with his knowing his way around my cities planning department, made the paperwork go smoothly.

Meet Doug at the Home Shows, and as a Landscape Architect with Landscape Locators / SCVDesign4U, I…read morehave coordinated with and recommended his firm to many of my clients. The feedback I received from my clients and working with them personally was outstanding! Always nice to be able to recommend another professional who believes in the customer first! Susan Vogel Landscape Locators

After our modular home manufacturer unexpectedly canceled our order, we felt lost and unsure of how…read moreto move forward with building a new second unit on our property. That's when we met Doug -- and everything changed. Our project wasn't simple. The permit required us not only to build a brand-new house but also to renovate and legalize the existing old house. Doug stepped in, redesigned the new unit beautifully, and reimagined the old house so the two complemented each other perfectly. The construction of the new home went incredibly smoothly. Doug's professionalism, craftsmanship, and attention to detail were evident every step of the way. The quality of his work truly exceeded our expectations. The renovation of the old house turned out to be much more complex than expected, but Doug handled every challenge with steady leadership and creativity. He brought the right people together, found thoughtful solutions, and kept the project moving forward steadily through each difficulty. His dedication and calm problem-solving turned a demanding process into a truly rewarding experience. The whole process took nearly five years -- but in the end, we have two beautiful homes that feel cohesive, warm, and full of life. Doug's commitment, honesty, and heart carried us through. We're deeply grateful for his expertise and friendship throughout this journey. If you're looking for someone who truly cares about your home as much as you do, Doug and his team are the ones to call. We can't recommend them enough. Please feel free to contact me if you want the reference. My phone: 408-800-6698. Michael

I'm going to start by saying I considered a designer to be an optional expense. A luxury that was…read morehard to justify. I was so so wrong and so grateful that my husband thought otherwise. We called shashi even though we already had a design from an architect. My husband just wanted a fresh set of eyes. Shashi improved the flow and layout of our plans so much, even in his very first design. He started by asking us to make a "wish list" and said that we may not fit everything but he managed to do it anyway! He reorganized the rooms in a way that made more sense and even gave us an additional bedroom and bathroom (something that we were previously told wasn't possible). Beyond the initial design, he dealt with the city of fremont, which let me tell you is no joke. They requested revisions which he knew how to took care of promptly (and we definitely didn't know what to do with). he dealt with the engineers etc and ran multiple processes and required tests concurrently to save time... stuff we have no idea about and definitely would have cost us more in time and $$ (wasted mortgage etc) to do ourselves. Fastforward to construction phase. He has an engineering background so it made us more comfortable that he was able to maintain quality control. Every time there was a question or challenge with the process, he drove over and took care of it. He would provide us with updates regularly without bombarding us. Another thing that was really helpful is that he drove me around to select tiles, countertops etc and he knew exactly where to go get good deals. also, there's a learning curve when it comes to materials. I almost picked a shiny tile for the floor and he stopped me because someone could slip on it when wet. I wanted all American-made hardwood and he immediately directed me to the right brands. It would have taken me three weeks to get all the shopping done that we got done in one weekend. And i would have probably paid way more and made mistakes. I truly believe the amount we spent on him is less than the money he saved us and value that he added to my home. Also he is just a really nice, flexible guy. He accommodated our schedules and met us during his evening (after we put our kids to bed). Meeting during business hours was something very difficult for us and he totally worked around it. All in all I could not have been happier with my experience with optimal home design. i am so proud of my house and I love shashis special touches.

When we made the decision to remodel our home, we didn't even know where to start. Luckily, we came…read moreacross Shashi at Optimal Home Designs to helps us through this strenuous process. His designs were not only beautiful, but perfectly represented our vision of what we wanted our home to look like. It was a great balance of traditional and contemporary upgrades. Then came the hard part - he dealt with obtaining permits from the city and managing the contractors, which is a full-time job in itself. Shashi poured 110% of his time and efforts into our home. We couldn't be happier with the finished product and his quality of service. We can now plan to raise a family in our forever dream home!

Eric, Ella and Jenny worked really hard to get my bathroom permit…read more They are punctual, organized and super professional. Look no further and hire them!

I hired them for an ADU project. What I loved about them is that they stuck to the timelines and…read moremade sure my queries/concerns were addressed in timely manner.

The team at Zenith Engineers really are fantastic. I have worked with them many times through my…read morebuilder contractor client, and Zenith are producing regular engineering solutions for retrofits in the cities of Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, West Hollywood and Santa Monica. Soft-story retrofits can be complicated and complex, especially with the various councils' soft-story ordinances, yet Zenith create *great* results on a regular basis. I was originally working with Jason Leon who is the Business Development Manager at Zenith Engineers Inc. Jason is professional, courteous and very helpful. He knows what he is doing and his plans and solutions are very clear. These days I work directly with Juliette Chandler, the Engineering Estimator at Zenith Engineers Inc. Juliette is fantastic - she works very quickly with the turnaround of engineering solutions, and this makes my job a lot smoother with soft-story retrofits. Happy to recommend Zenith - five stars.

I want to express our gratitude for Zenith Engineers Inc. prompt, professional, and outstanding…read moreservice throughout our remodeling project. From the very beginning, we were impressed with Senthil, Ryan and other members of Zenith team's level of professionalism, prompt response, architectural knowledge and effective communication.This level of service was seamless through our entire engagement with Zenith Engineers Inc., from obtaining the building permit to successfully passing all necessary inspections by the SF Building Department. No one questions their architectural work because they are so good at what they do. We had some initial concerns after reading negative reviews, but as the project progressed, it became clear that those comments were based on personal grievances, rather than valid concerns. The team at Zenith Engineers Inc. has a high level of professional ethics and integrity. Zenith's management team had explained to us early on in the project, the strict adherence to code and compliance was paramount throughout the project. If Zenith compromises to satisfy unsatisfied clients, the building will end up being non-compliant and more importantly unsafe. We truly appreciate Zenith's commitment to quality and integrity, even if it means earning a few negative reviews along the way, which seem rather unfair to them as they are simply doing their job. I am extremely satisfied with the professional and excellent work the team at Zenith Engineers Inc. provided us and will hire them in a heartbeat for all our future structural and/or seismic engineering needs. Thank you Senthil, Ryan and the Zenith engineering team for your professionalism and support. It was our best decision to work with you and experience such high standard of professionalism, work ethic, and integrity.

I've been working with Larry for the past year on a tricky kitchen remodel. It involved expanding…read moreout one corner of our two story house and lots of careful planning and engineering to account for significant changes to load bearing structures. Larry worked very closely with me through this planning process. He was very responsive to emails, messages, and phone calls. He went the extra mile to explain the details of what was happening at each step of the process, and helped us make well-informed trade-offs and decisions. We haven't done the actual construction yet because of some personal scheduling conflicts, but I have no doubt that Larry and his team would be just as detailed and thorough in that endeavor as they were with the planning. He and everyone he worked with were very respectful and friendly when coming into our home, and cleaned up after themselves if they had to disturb any walls or ceilings. From a cost perspective, this wasn't the most expensive nor the cheapest firm we considered for this project, but knowing that it would be somewhat complex, we wanted to go with someone who would focus on the structural engineering rather than someone who would just get a job done in the cheapest and potentially hackiest way possible. I think that it was overall a great value given the amount of time that Larry spent with us in considering the details.

I worked with Larry for renovating my home. We added 1 BR/ 1 Bath and extended our kitchen and…read moreliving room. Larry was very helpful throughout the process. He was easily accessible and always explained each step in great details. He is not cheap, but the quality of work is worth the money.

We've been working with Andy for the last several months on our 3rd and 4th story addition project…read morein upper Noe Valley. Communication: Andy is organized, efficient, and clear in his communications with us. He was also upfront with us from the beginning about the potential challenges our project would face, from city building regulations to neighbor considerations, but always presented solutions to the issues. Design: Andy has been able to take our high level requirements and turn them into an elegant and practical design that is above and beyond what we originally imagined. His in-depth knowledge of the city codes has also been reassuring - we really appreciate his focus on the goal of making this a smooth, low drama process. Process and Cost: Finally, Andy's wealth of vetted and reliable industry contacts has helped us determine a working budget early in the process - this has been invaluable for ensuring we're comfortable with the major changes to come. Andy and his contacts have all provided reasonable pricing, considering the scale of the project we are undertaking. We're really happy working with Andy, and wouldn't hesitate to recommend him for any projects in SF!

We've just completed our 2nd Major Remodel with Andy after having the pleasure of working with him…read moreseveral years ago on our 2nd story addition. Our 2nd project with Andy included the main level Kitchen, Family area, Mudroom and Powder Room. We were so impressed with Andy's design talent the first time, that we were certain we wanted to work with Andy to tackle the design challenges for the second go round. Andy again was integral to the success of the project. After receiving an initial estimate from a contractor we had worked with in the past that was higher than expected, Andy was able to offer another contractor more in line with our budget. After listening to our thoughts and concerns, Andy offered several design options, and again we were really excited with the finalized approach. Andy was able to incorporate some specific design details we wanted, and then build upon them and make them a unique feature for our project. When we were facing technical challenges with the millwork detail we incorporated into the project, Andy suggested a solution that the millworker went with to solve the problem. Andy again was great to work with through the design, both listening and offering design options we hadn't thought of. His attention to design detail really made the project. His knowledge of construction and cost were such a great asset to making our project a success. He followed through with the project from beginning to end. We Hired Andy 2x as our Architect, we highly recommend him for your project!

Searching for an architect was a process, and ultimately narrowed down my search to Bay Area Design…read moreConsultants to draw up blueprints for our house addition. Daniel has a great team under him; his design team were very collaborative in meeting my vision in drawing up the blueprints; and during the planning stages, his team also handled the burden in being in direct contact with the city in submitting paperwork and following any revisions needed. During the planning stages, I'd ultimately went with BADC to also handle the getting the addition built. Once the plans were approved and permit obtained, Daniel's construction crew, led by Alejandro, were on the ball to get construction started. During the construction phase, Daniel and his team were great to work with and responsive to any revisions that the city-inspectors, or myself included, had communicated. If you're looking for a company for an upcoming home renovation or remodel, from literally start-to-finish, look no further because their quality of work and customer service is definitely 5-stars!

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%.

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.

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.

We are so grateful for Jessica's help in getting a permit for our addition. It's been a long…read moreprocess which she forewarned us about. We've never worked with an architect before so we didn't know what to expect. Jessica is a great listener. She actually listens to her clients and makes recommendations based on that. We highly recommend Jessica! We look forward to the completion of our project. Thank you Jessica and your team!

Jessica has been an amazing partner during our remodel journey. She worked with us through the…read morestarts and stops of the process and helped us realize the vision for our remodel. She was incredibly informative and communicative during the permit review process, turning what we had heard could be a nightmare into a fairly smooth process. Jessica and her team were always responsive and ready with answers to our many questions. We would not hesitate to recommend Jessica and the JSD Architecture team to anyone looking to remodel their house.