Ethan and his team at Drafting Cafe have a great design sense and deep knowledge of construction…read moreand permitting. They helped me convert my basement into my home office and to build a deck from my side yard in Alameda. Ethan coordinated with a construction crew he works with regularly to be sure I got a quality build in the end and at a fair price. Communication was great throughout the process, and they were fast! I'd definitely recommend them.

The folks at Drafting Cafe have been incredibly helpful as we've been considering a small addition…read moreon our home. Ethan, Lindsey, Michael, and Lauren have been incredibly responsive and on top of things. Whenever we've spoken with anyone on the team, it's clear that they've reviewed our file/request and know exactly what we're hoping to build. The team has been very engaged and answered our many questions even while we were not yet 100% committed to the project. We ended up needing to take a pause before proceeding as we figure out budget on our end. But if we decide to move forward, we would feel great about working with DCA.

Working with Alex and Jay on our full gut remodel in Millbrae made a huge difference. They know San…read moreMateo County and local building codes inside and out, guiding our plans through the review process to finish in minimal revisions with only minor comments. Beyond permitting and design, they acted as true partners rather than just a standard business, actively pointing out how to avoid costly, unnecessary upgrades and helping navigate challenges with our GC during construction. Jay's dedication stood out during a key site walk when he climbed up into the attic with me. Together, we caught framing, shear-wall, and electrical details that even the inspector missed (during the building phase). Having their architectural expertise on-site before insulation and drywall went up saved us significant money and ensured the structural integrity of the build. Not only did they handle the architecture and permitting in reasonable timeframe, but they supported us through every phase to ensure quality throughout. I genuinely appreciate their responsiveness and ongoing support.

I've worked with many talented professionals, but Alex Tzang stands out as one of the best…read morearchitects I've collaborated with. He has an exceptional ability to translate vision into thoughtful, functional, and beautifully executed designs. Alex listens carefully, understands goals and constraints, and consistently delivers creative solutions that exceed expectations. His communication is clear, his process is organized, and he works seamlessly with contractors and stakeholders to keep projects on track. I highly recommend Alex Tzang to anyone seeking an architect who combines creativity, precision, and professionalism.

They were very communicative and punctual. Finished the project in the request time frame. Overall…read morethey did an amazing job on our small deck.

I love their office manager, Kathy, and their rep was quick to reach out, however, the consult was…read morevia phone, and they didn't ask for measurements or a video call. At the end of the conversation, the rep (owner, btw) said I would receive a quote the next day. It's now been 1 week and radio silence. Guess they don't want my business.

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.

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.

Working with Ingrid was a dream experience! My family and I live in a 100 yr old home in Oakland…read morethat had a bathroom that desperately needed upgrading. Ingrid has an artistic eye that clicked perfectly with our design wishes. She listened to our ideas and compiled 3D drawings to help us visualise what our bathroom would look like. Once we decided on a few key features and a design template, our project design came together very quickly. We chose tiles, a custom built vanity and marble top, flooring and bathroom hardware with Ingrid's input over a few weeks and then building work started with a general contractor, Adam Arrington Construction, suggested by Ingrid. We had Ingrid as an invaluable link whilst the works were carried out. All in all, the project was thorough and executed with great skill and a keen eye for detail. Our new bathroom has all of the hallmarks of what can be built by skilled craftspeople when great design is guiding a project. We are so grateful to have found Ingrid and to have her and Adam's expert work adorn our home.

Ingrid and Emilie were a delight to work with. Highly highly recommend their work and level of…read moreservice, care and style. We needed to overhaul or family room and had no idea where to start or how to tackle some oddities in our old home. Ingrid provided ideas and expertise on both he decor but also some structural needs like removing an old window seat, and making sure all the door casings and trim matched and fit faithfully in our Victorian. She did an amazing job of marrying my style with my husband's and created a gorgeous room for us. We took a few calculated risks on paint colors and furniture we wouldn't have ordinarily chosen, and they turned out fabulous. Exactly why we chose a designer!

Norman Sanchez is a true professional…read more Working with Norman and team was like having a full time architectural firm in house in the best way. He, Sara and Derek took our requests seriously, no matter how small and took time to research the best options to help achieve our dreams. He convinced the City of Oakland to make the impossible happen, worked with all collaborators professionally and was simply a real joy to work with. If we did it all over again, Norman would be the first call we make. The final product speaks for itself. We challenged Norman with building one of the most dynamic spaces the Bay Area has ever seen and he achieved it. I would highly recommend working with Norman Sanchez Architecture. Richard Sandlin GM, The Crown: Royal Coffee Lab & Tasting Room www.royalcoffee.com/the-crown

My husband and I highly recommend Norman Sanchez and Associates. We worked with them for 3 years…read moreon a down-to-the-studs, total remodel of our home. Norman is a skilled architect and has great ideas that made our home beautiful and functional. He worked well with the City of Alameda and came up with cost effective ideas and solutions acceptable to all. He is very organized, accurate and fair. If we were going to attempt another project we would not hesitate to call him.

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).

4.5 stars We did a…read morefull kitchen remodel soon after moving into our new home (before we got too settled). Due to unusual circumstances, we had a very tight timeline (see below for more details) so they were able to finish in 2 1/2 months. Overall, we are very happy with the end result and love our new, open layout! TL:DR version: - GREAT construction team/vendors and Fadil is the BEST project manager. Also the flooring contractor, Izec, is amazing. - Loved the design recommendations made by Shawn, like the floating shelves and bench by the window. - Pricing is competitive. Quality of work is fantastic. Designs are beautiful. - Area of improvement: better communication throughout the project. I had to be proactive and ask a lot of questions and follow up often. They offer both design and construction services, all under the same owner. This was convenient in that I only had to deal with one company and they took care of everything. Our project was unusual in that I was 6 months pregnant when we started the project. Typically, they don't start on construction until all materials are in stock but we needed to get things moving and completed quickly, so we ordered mostly standard sized and in-stock materials. The owner, Shawn, kept his promise on adhering to our timeline to the best of his ability, even as we ran into challenges with plumbing, structural, and electrical. His team worked tirelessly--even on weekends--to meet our deadline, without sacrificing quality or details. With any major construction, nothing is flawless. The one challenge I had, which may be unique to my circumstance, was getting proactive updates and just overall communication. At times, the construction team didn't even know what they were working on. Some of the designs didn't match the materials ordered. There was some miscommunication on which materials we were responsible for vs. what they would get for us. These were minor issues that eventually got resolved but it did cause me some stress and unrest. Highly recommend being proactive, with any big construction project, and staying close to the details... At the end of the day, despite some bumps, we now have our dream kitchen! And it was completed in record time! Last but not least, if you're told that any materials are "stuck" at the Oakland port, GET SOMETHING ELSE that's in stock. There is no ETA on when things will get unloaded at the dock...could be weeks or even months.

We hired Rob Kelly for a remodel on our bathroom and kitchen as well as new stairs to our backyard…read more Rob's expertise shined throughout the project, from his deep knowledge of craftsman style homes, his eye for design choices big and small, and his ability to keep us moving forward in a stress-free manner. He works quickly and thoroughly and was able pivot seamlessly when needed. Thanks to Rob and our contractor the project was actually done early! Unheard of, as they say. Importantly, Rob understands building code and the permit approval process very well. He was able to use some fringe code to get stairs approved from the city that most people thought would never work. Plus he checked in often to ensure the plans were being reviewed, which helped them get approved quickly through a broken city process. Hiring Rob was the best decision we made for our remodel and the outcome wouldn't have been nearly as good without him.

We were lucky to work with Rob to enhance the accessibility of our 1913 craftsman home. We…read morecompletely replaced the original porch stairs with a curving ramp, and renovated the primary bathroom to include a thresholdless shower. While these were dramatic changes to the house, Rob's eye for historical congruity and detail led to a design that feels completely in-line with the original architecture. There are so few examples of accessible designs that capture the spirit of older California homes. The work on the ramp and bathroom feel of-a-piece, and improve function without feeling tacked on or muddled. Throughout the process, Rob was sensitive to our feedback and overall cost, and connected us to excellent options for contractors. We also deeply appreciated the work of Mario, Rob's colleague, who did weekly site inspections and was able to work with myself and the contractor to quickly resolve inevitable complexities in the build. We are thrilled with the result, and hope to work with Rob in the future.

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%.

Our contractor recommended Bay Area Design to help with our plans for the remodel. The whole team…read morewas great and took care of the process from start to finish. This is our first ever project for our remodel and Bay Area Design made it easy to apply/submit for our permit.

Need I say more? They're architects and they do a damn fine job.read more

From Apple stores to cell phone towers that fit into church steeples, MBH delivers a designer punch…read moreto any project.