I reached out to Alex about a project in South San Francisco that I needed help on. He came over to the house, spent over an hour with me, explained the process in South San Francisco, what to expect, how he could help and what my options were. His council gave me the tools to make my best decision. That decision ended up not needing his assistance. I offered to pay him for his valuable time; he said he was happy to help and told me to keep him in mind for the future-refusing payment. I was so appreciative for his advise, time and expertise. I felt confident in his abilities and I would gladly work with and recommend Alex gain. read more

Working with Alex and Jay on our full gut remodel in Millbrae made a huge difference. They know San Mateo 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. read more

I've worked with many talented professionals, but Alex Tzang stands out as one of the best architects 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. read more

Several of my clients have used Alex for ADU and remodels. All very happy with his services, responsiveness, prices and knowledge.

Alex did an amazing job for our ADU in Danville. Their team is very responsive, professional, and knowledgeable in the design of ADUs. They know the building codes and hence can anticipate issues that may come up during permitting, designing, and constructions. They are also very patient with our various demands and preference during the design phase, and was able to modify the design to suit our particular needs. We have used other architects before, but Alex Tzang Architects is amazing. I'd highly recommend them. read more

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I couldn't be happier with Alex and his team. From my initial call, he was very responsive, professional, and ridiculously knowledgeable. He was able to explain areas of concerns to ensure I was familiar with any unknowns. What really blew me away was the turn-around time, they were able to fulfill my sudden request and was able to provide plans within quick a short time. On top of that, the team was very kind and respectful. They updated me every step of the way and made sure I was in the loop on every communication which was highly appreciated. If you need an architect who respects your time and actually picks up the phone, Alex and his team is easily the one! read more

Alex and his team made the process of building an ADU very smooth, they are very professional, responsive and communicative, our project is almost finished and I can't wait to share it! read more

Alex Tzang Architects - Architects Near Me - San Bruno, California

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Alex helped me redesign my families home in Millbrae and add an ADU. We turned a 2bed/1 bath into a 3bed/ 2 bath within the existing floor space and added a 1bed/ 1 bath ADU in our backyard. He got things done as quickly as possible with the city of Millbrae and we got our permits and everything was done smoothly. YEARS later the planning department came back to us with a bunch of baloney that we never got our permits finalized. He went up to bat with me against the city and he found a "backdoor" solution that got everything finalized and saved us a ton of money and a huge headache! He still answers my call when I need help and thats why I recommend him to all my clients and family. Thank you again Alex! read more

I had issues with the City of San Bruno regarding a project, and after about a month of trying to find a solution with no success, I decided to contact Alex Tzang Architects. They not only guided me in the right direction but also contacted the city on my behalf and had a solution within a few days. If I had reached out to them from the beginning, I would have saved myself a lot of headaches. They supported me through the entire process--from start to finish--until everything was fully resolved with the city. I have no complaints about their service. 5/5! The value is there 100 percent! read more

We worked with Alex and Ming on a second story addition for our house in San Mateo. Alex walked us through the planning and building process, designed our house, and handled the multiple rounds communication with city that were needed to get our project to approval. He also helped review bids from contractors, and was available throughout the build phase for the many little questions that came up on bringing the project to completion. Throughout the process, Alex was effective at hearing our desires and ideas for the house, while also bringing in his own voice on how much space we'd need for the functionality we're looking for. We're lucky to have found him for our house! read more

Found Alex on Yelp & so glad I did! He used his expertise to convert an unfinished basement into a liveable & functional space. From initial design to submitting the permit, Alex was there to lead the project. During the construction, Alex was responsive when questions came up. Plus, Alex was able to help on another urgent last minute request! He helped save so much time and headaches that could have happened. No doubt, highly recommended! read more

Alex Tzang Architects - Pile of dirt transformed into Finished basement! - Architects Near Me - San Bruno, California

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Alex and Jay are simply amazing! We have worked with them on multiple projects and they always go above and beyond. They are very responsive, and always available to address any questions or concerns. I can't recommend them enough! read more

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Alex and his team were fantastic and we can't recommend them highly enough. We went with them for a pretty complex addition to our house, and it was the best decision we made throughout the whole process. In addition to helping us choose a great design, Alex and Ming guided us through the whole process, and were a hugely valuable source of advice when we encountered some unexpected obstacles along the way with permitting and construction. We're so grateful to have chosen Alex Tzang! Initially we were considering a variety of other options, some of them with cheaper quotes, but they would have ended up costing us more in the end in money and time, and we wouldn't have been anywhere near as pleased with the final result. read more

If I could give a 100 stars I would! Alex Tzang architects are amazing! Their communication is top notch, and they were so much help in every aspect from designing to getting permitted. We can't recommend them enough. read more

Highly recommended! Alex and Jay were very well versed in what they do. We just told them what we wanted and they delivered. Since this was our first time dealing with a JADU we had a bunch of questions; they were able to answer them all and more. They gave us recommendations and things to consider instead of just letting us trip on our own foot. Thanks again, Alex and Jay, for the quality of work provided! read more

We highly recommend Alex and his team. He and Angel helped us with the design of our ADU. Alex is knowledgeable, professional, creative, and accountable. He helped us find a contractor and address challenges during our construction phase even though that wasn't part of our contract with him. We are grateful that we chose Alex! read more

Amazing Architect - Highly Recommend Alex! I cannot recommend Alex highly enough! And his team member Angel. After a nightmare experience with a previous architect on my remodel project in Millbrae (Apr- September 2024), Alex stepped in and turned everything around. I was converting a large bathroom into a bedroom and a bathroom, remodeling an existing bathroom, and adding a new one. My previous architect, although cheap and someone I had used before, was completely unresponsive, did a poor job, and dragged the project out for five months with no resolution. Switching to Alex was the best decision I could have made. His price was reasonable (a little higher than the last guy, but you get what you pay for!), and the entire process was smooth and efficient. From the time Alex first saw my house, it only took him ONE WEEK to draw up plans and submit them to the city. I didn't have to chase him or the city at all, and to my surprise, the city approved everything in just three weeks! Alex saved me so much time and stress. They are such nice people to work with too! I only wish I had hired him from the beginning - five months wasted, plus the cost of keeping the house under mortgage during that time. For my next project, there's no question, I'll be hiring Alex again. If you're looking for a reliable, professional, and efficient architect, Alex & his team is the way to go! read more

It was really great working with Alex and his team on designing our JADU project. This was especially true because of Alex's experience and expertise in many areas including region-specific regulations, as well as what to expect working with the city for permits, inspections, and contractors. His services are structured well, which included a thorough design session to talk through living space considerations and navigating its constraints. Alex was even active during our construction, starting off with an initial meeting with our contractor to emphasize less obvious designs and answering contractor questions as they came up. I highly recommend Alex and would definitely work with him again on our next project. read more

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We needed someone to help us do drawings for our home addition project a few years and were glad that we were able to find Alex. He's friendly but also professional. He's super responsive to texts and phone calls. During our design phase, my parents had some changes in mind and he was very willing to incorporate their input. Alex's prices are also quite reasonable and he even came with us to City Hall when we had to pull our permits. Thanks to Alex's help, we are able to enjoy our dream home. read more

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Sent them a question with a very basic overview of what the project entailed and they didn't bother to ask any questions or understand the project. They just brushed me off. Don't waste your time with these people as they are lazy and don't care to understand scope or needs. read more

I don't usually write reviews but in this case I need to! Alex Tzang Architects is one of the best in the business. I enjoyed my time working with Alex and his team. Usually working with an Architect is a slow and tedious business, but Alex is quick to respond and willing to go the extra mile to get the work done. I am glad I found Alex and will definitely recommend others to use his service read more

Alex Tzang Architects is one of the most attentive, knowledgeable, and professional groups I've worked with. They are very thoughtful and take much pride in their work. We can't thank them enough for their assistance with our project and we hope this review can help others who are looking for a wonderful architect. Alex helped us design our single-family home which we built from scratch. We originally wanted to expand our existing home but after sharing with him our needs and wants, we all agreed that it was more effective to consider a new build. With only a simple vision and some pencil sketches on paper, Alex was able transform our drawings into an artistic digital renditions of our dream home. We've occupied the home for a few months now and continue to get compliments from neighbors and passersby. The process to build a new home was quite extensive and required a significant amount of deliverables to the City. These included a concept design, working with city staff, planning commission hearing, and neighborhood outreach. As a homeowner without any knowledge of how an entitlement process works, I am so thankful we chose Alex. He guided us through the whole process, none of which were without their challenges. He provided tips, liaised meetings on our behalf, advocated for us during City meetings, and kept us on track with our entitlement. This process alone took about a year during COVID. It may sound like a huge undertaking but it was only the tip of the iceberg as there was more to do after entitlement. The next phase after successful entitlement was to draft the actual set of plans and construction documents. We were a bit particular, to say the least, but he and his team were very patient with us. He understood that this was our home and wanted to make sure we were satisfied with the plans. He shared with us mondern design elements and also kept us mindful of simplicity to make sure the build was cost effective. For example, he made suggestions to make sure windows and walls were appropriately placed to reduce the number of costly structural components. He also gave us options on materials selection and the pros and cons of each choice. We also designed the house to be a smart-home and incorporated greener technologies. We installed a water recycling system, added solar panels, upgraded electrical infrastructure to manage multiple car charging stations, heat pump technology for our HVAC and water heater, hot water recirculation, and IT network system, all of which he incorporated in the plans. This showed a breadth of knowledge in construction and design of a modern home in the 21st century. At the time of writing this review he calls himself the ADU expert for the San Mateo County but in our eyes, he's much more than that. Our project required knowledge of every facet of residential construction from navigating through the Planning Commission for entitlement, local ordinances, aesthetic, design, structural, permitting, construction, utilities, public works, and ultimately how to pass the final inspection. He has built a huge network of service providers and recommended several contractors that were suited for our project. What I learned during the GC selection process is that the synergy between the contractor and the architect is extremely important. The GC we ended up with worked with Alex on several other builds and they understand each other and were very open with communication. Many of the clarification questions were dealt with solely between themselves which was a blessing especially when we were busy with other areas of the project. From start to finish, it took 3 years and 2 months and Alex and his team kept the same energy and enthusiasm throughout the project. We continue to praise him and everyone involved and HIGHLY RECOMMEND them. It was a yelp that connected us with Alex and I hope this review can help anyone who is looking for wonderful architect for their project, big or small! read more

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Alex helped us design with our Adu. He is very knowledgeable and was able to get our permits in a timely manner. The finish product was more than we asked for. We enjoyed him and his team services. Would highly recommend read more

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Alex and team were phenomenal. They were super responsive, detail oriented, really knowledgeable about San Mateo rules / codes, and easy to work with. If we ever need architectural work again, we won't shop around, we'll just go back to Alex and team. Can't recommend them more. read more

Looking for a quality architect? Here are Alex and Jay can help u. I had a great experience working with Alex and his team (Jay), they are professional, responsive and deliver quality work, my plans got approved by the city without any comments, so I highly recommend them if you're looking for a quality architect. read more

If I could leave 6 stars I would. Let me share with you my experience with Alex Tzang Group. My wife and I both wanted to build an ADU as many others desire. I did extensive research and interviews with (3) prefab companies and decided against them, cost/timeline/customization just didn't make any sense. I contacted Alex one afternoon and by the end of that phone call he had already pulled up our location on google maps and asked for our goals/vision. He then had us come to his office the following week to review plan sets. We felt confident with Alex from the meeting leaving with a design and deposit. Alex and team worked tirelessly for the next two weeks and had a plan set submitted to our city planning department which was crazy fast. Design review was a breeze. Alex knows what will pass and what will not pass. This helped cut down on wasted time in the review process. Two months later we had permits in hand. Most will think this is where the saga ends, wrong. Alex was also a there assisting with GC selection. He has a reputable list of cost effective teams. We ultimately opted with our own GC but it was nice being given options from Alex had we not already had one. When we started construction we were flagged for a land surveyor request from the city. I reach out to everyone in the Bay Area and all had long lead times of two months. I reached out to Alex and he had a guy show up the same week! Alex is a go to for any ADU construction. His plans "make sense" according to our GC who noted they were also extremely easy to build. We look forward to working with Alex Tzang Group agin in the very near future! Enjoy the pictures and notice the 16ft vaulted ceilings! read more

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Just around this time last year, I was looking for an architect who specialized in ADUs. It was important to me that this person understood the intricacies of smaller structures, as there are a lot of nuances involved compared to standard homes. I found Alex through Yelp, and with his stellar reviews and specialty in ADUs, I decided to give him a call. Boy, I was not disappointed! He was very personable and accessible and provided a slew of valuable information from the get-go: from rough dimensions and building costs to potential issues and strategies in dealing with city planning, I could tell Alex knew his stuff. We then scheduled an onsite visitation within the week, and I explained that we were in a rush to get something built quickly, and despite his busy schedule, he managed to fit us in. He and his assistant Jay were very efficient in the design process and were in constant communication with us regarding the architectural drawings and any updates. We ended up with final drawings for a 1 bedroom / 1 bathroom detached ADU (just under 600 square feet) and were able to submit plans to the city in less than a month! Alex's designs were functional and optimized the usability of small spaces, and the result and experience were better than imagined! I would whole-heartedly recommend Alex for any design or consultation services for in-law units or ADUs. He is experienced, insightful, provides exceptional value and is a sincere and honest partner, all of which are hugely important when making such a substantial investment! read more

Alex Tzang Architects - Full-sized kitchen and a magnificent vaulted ceiling that draws the eye up - Architects Near Me - San Bruno, California

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Can I just start off by saying that Alex is AMAZING!!!!??? My wife and I were looking to convert our garage into an ADU. After an absolutely horrible experience with another architect (who's review you can find under my profile) Alex and his crew were a breath of fresh air. Our project had a few difficult things that the city was giving us a hard time on, but Alex was quickly able to navigate through this and designed an even better layout than we originally had planned on. He took the time to get to know us, understand what our wants and needs were, listened and executed flawlessly! Every step of this process with him left us feeling cared for, appreciated and in awe of his professionalism and knowledge. Not to mention that he has all the cool and modern tech for the field. I literally felt like I walked into Tony Starks place when we first went in to discuss the layout of our unit. Overall, we could not have imagined or asked for a better experience than we had with Alex. Highly recommend him for any projects you might be consider and will definitely be in touch with him for our future project needs. Thanks Alex and crew! read more

Alex to the rescue yet again! We did a major kitchen remodel and Alex and his team were great. Really enjoy working with him. Extremely knowledgeable and responsive. read more

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Alex's team is responsive and knowledgeable. He has been focusing on ADUs for years. The city approved my plan with only one minor suggestion. He knows the most updated building codes very well. It's great value for the time and quality of work. Here's my timeline for my ADU in San Mateo county: March 2020 - interviewed 3 architects May - decided to move on with Alex June - first draft was submitted to the city August - pulled the permit October - started the construction Feb - passed all inspections and completed the project read more

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I called him with some questions about getting a permit, but he no longer works in SF. Nevertheless, he wanted to help and spent about 15 min talking to me on the phone. I really appreciated his time and kindness, and if I ever live in San Mateo and needed permit work done, I'd definitely call him again. read more

Did a phone consultation with Alex, I see why he has all these 5 star reviews, he is a great listener, knows what he does and is very responsive. Overall if you are looking for an architect, I highly recommend him and am glad I contacted him. read more

We needed a trustworthy architect to design our ADU project in our backyard. Thinking back we didn't know anything about what we wanted. Alex, such an expert in this field and extremely patient with us. We were on phone a few times before we decided to work with him and met in person, he is someone you can trust his work. He not only helped us redesign where to build our adu, but also maximized the usage of our backyard. And he got good taste! He also introduced us to a great contractor to fit our needs. We feel grateful to have him to go through this journey, we heard so many horrible stories about building adu esp for the first time. We appreciate to have him and we want to work with him for our future projects too. We recommend Alex to anyone who has the need! read more

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Alex is a God-sent!! I need an architect to help with my renovation project in Millbrae, the problem is I have such a tight schedule. Alex were very busy, but he understand my situation and willing to squeeze out his extra time to help me with my project in a swiftly manner. His knowledge and experience are invaluable. He clearly point out the problematic area and provide solution or work around to make sure it pass the permit requirement. Alex does a fabulous job, I highly recommend him to anyone who are looking for architectural expert. read more

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Alex is our hero! We were referred to an architect by a friend and it was a nightmare. I contacted Alex after 1.5 years of trying to get permits for our ADU, Alex squeezed us in out of the goodness of his heart and got the job done! In less than 6 weeks our permits got approved! Alex and his associates are so thorough and efficient. They answer you right away and make this process a pleasure. read more

We wanted to build an attached in-law unit in our property and after consulting with many architects we were really frustrated. Finally a friend recommended Alex to us. He has been amazing! He knows all the city codes and regulations, created an amazing design, and even helped us with recommendations for property surveys, sewer inspections and helped us land a contractor! We're so excited that plans have been approved and construction will start right around the time when he predicted. I would 100% recommend Alex. read more

I decided last year to add an ADU to my house after I saw my neighbor adding an ADU to their house. I talked to my neighbor about his architect and if he was happy with him. He recommended Alex and that he was very happy with him so I decided to contact Alex and speak with him about my project. After talking with him I decided to give him my project to work on and get me the permit and the rest is history. It is very easy to work with his team and they are very responsive. read more

We have had the great pleasure and opportunity to collaborate with Alex Tzang Architecture to design the addition of our existing home including the master suite, the second bedroom and the laundry room as well as a new ADU unit on second floor. This design is complicated with so many function requirements and multiple floor structures. Alex group was terrific to work with and he come up great ideas and is up to date on "best practices". Alex's designs are excellent and bring together the perfect combination of existing home and the new addition elements. He patiently collaborated with us to transform our requirements and wish list into a satisfied structure/elevation, realistic budgets, and detailed specifications that meets our city codes. The final product is now completely finished and this new house is above and beyond our expectations! Alex is knowledge, professional, organized and well-established in the Bay Area field. He adapted his work pace to meet our very short timeline (only a few months). Alex also worked closely with our contractor to answer questions, resolve issues and to ensure the plan was properly executed. Overall: 100% satisfaction working with Alex Architecture and I would recommend him to others looking for both residential and ADU architecture services." We want to say "Thank you" for all of the time, effort and comprehensions you put into meeting with us for developing our proposal. I really appreciate your commitment to clients and your ability to make the design excellent and practical. read more

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We reached out to Alex for help to add two additional bedrooms and one more bathroom to our house in San Mateo last year. He was very responsive, came out on-site to meet with me right away and produced the plan sets in very quickly. We obtained approvals from the City also very fast as Alex's drawings addressed everything, thus eliminating the need to go back and forth with the city to obtain permits. We are very happy with the level of service Alex provided and he is also super easy to talk to. I would definitely work with Alex again in the future. read more

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Alex and his team helped us design our project to turn our kitchen-dining-family room into a great room, which involved removing the structural walls that divided up the rooms and reinforcing the foundation. Additionally, he helped us add two skylights and design a few other improvements. We found Alex and his team to be excellent to work with. They were very responsive and thorough. Alex is very focused on designing affordable and buildable projects which look and feel great. I found him on Yelp. When we met with him for an initial consultation, I immediately appreciated his approach of being very honest about whether a client's desired design will drive up the cost of construction. During the design phase, he showed us several possible configurations of our new space to get us thinking about how we wanted to utilize it. Once the plans were drawn, Alex and his team got their design approved by our city's permitting process with only one round of revisions. As we finalized our GC selection, Alex strongly recommended us to bring our selected any potential GCs to meet with them to review his plans and talk through questions, which gave Alex a chance to give us his assessment of the GC. I would highly recommend Alex and his team to anyone looking to do a home renovation project. read more