I can't recommend Ben enough for any architectural needs, especially if you're navigating the complex permit process in Malibu. From the very beginning, Ben has been incredibly professional, attentive, and proactive. What truly sets him apart, however, is his genuine heart and empathy for his clients. My mother's business had to be put on hold during this process, which was an unexpected and stressful time for our family. Ben didn't just treat us like another project; he truly understood our situation. He worked tirelessly to resubmit plans and handle corrections as fast as possible because he genuinely wanted my mom to be able to get back to work and reopen her shop. It's rare to find someone who takes your personal success so personally. Beyond his expertise, Ben's pricing is very reasonable and fair, he is not overpriced at all, which is hard to find in this area. He was also incredibly helpful and understanding by allowing us to pay in installments while the business was closed. This financial flexibility was a lifesaver for us and showed his true character as someone who wants to help, not just make a profit. If you want an architect who is highly skilled, honest, and truly cares about your family and business, Ben is the one to call. We are so grateful for everything he's done. Thank you Ben! read more

I had a great experience working with Ben and would highly recommend him. He drew up plans for our project and went above and beyond in helping us navigate some unexpected issues with the City of Los Angeles. Due to circumstances outside of our control, our original plan checker was replaced, which caused delays and additional review. Ben stepped in and handled everything professionally, working directly with the city to resolve the issues and keep our project moving forward. His knowledge of the process and persistence made a huge difference. On top of that, his pricing is very competitive, especially considering the level of service and support he provides. Overall, a 5-star experience--I would absolutely work with him again. read more

I truly can't recommend Ben at Benjuro Studios highly enough. Before finding Ben, I met with architects from four different firms. I was honestly surprised (and a little discouraged) by how hard it was to get clear answers about what LADBS actually allows and what my real options were for a permitted ADU vs. JADU vs. duplex. I kept hearing vague responses instead of straightforward guidance. Then I met Ben -- and the difference was immediate. He knew the requirements inside and out and clearly explained the pros and cons of each option based on my specific property and long-term goals. Instead of feeling confused, I finally felt informed and confident about the direction I was taking. He walked me through the permitting process step by step and made something that felt overwhelming much more manageable. What really sets Ben apart is his responsiveness. He has almost always responded to my texts and questions within minutes -- which is rare and so appreciated. His attention to detail and steady guidance throughout the owner-builder permit process gave me real peace of mind. His pricing for drafting the plans and supporting me through the process was very fair as well. If you're considering an ADU or any residential project and want someone knowledgeable, detail-oriented, responsive, and genuinely supportive, I highly recommend Ben and Benjuro Studios. read more

What sets Benjuro apart is his amazing responsiveness to communication. He texted me whenever I needed to communicate with him. In fact, I found him because he answered my call on a Saturday. He works around the clock for his customers! read more

Benjuro studios did and excellent job on my ADU garage conversion. Very responsive and went back and forth the with the city until we got everything approved in the way we wanted. I recommend them. read more

If you're looking for an architect who is both skilled and affordable, Ben is your guy. He helped us navigate a very complicated plan check process with ease. His rates are very competitive and reasonable, and he was extremely kind to let us do installments, which helped us stay afloat while we waited for the city's approval. He's very nice, easy to talk to, and genuinely wants to help his clients. 10/10! read more

Not an architect. Not an expert and it is evident by the lack of experience and constant return of plans with mistakes. So, no expediting after months of waiting. Also, forgot to add the external parts of the drawing to the plans and kept saying that they would be added at a later time which never made sense. read more

Terrible person and same as business owner and does not care. Not an ARCHITECT so should NEVER advertise "architectural" work or designs WHEN YOU DONT KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING. Pressed to be paid when he never did his part of the contract, because he didnt care. He wanted to do it on his time off. Same as others here, he put a window where the electric meter was and lots of other mistakes. The City returned his drawings 4 SEPARATE TIMES. His reviews seem fake as it is IMPOSSIBLE he males messes. read more

Benjuro Studios - Here he is talking as if the client doesn't matter. Calling me(his client) stupid. Sending unprofessional emails. - Architects Near Me

I recently worked with Ben on a Junior Accessory Dwelling Unit (JADU) garage conversion in Los Angeles, and I cannot recommend his services enough. Permitting in LA is notoriously difficult, but Ben's deep knowledge of the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety requirements was invaluable. In addition to excellent drafting of plans, he successfully navigated several complex hurdles for my project: - He handled a last-minute Covenant and Agreement update required by the city due to 2026 state law changes without missing a beat. - He was professional, communicative, and stayed on top of the 'administrative handshake' between different city departments to move our plans from 'Corrections' to 'Ready to Issue' (RTI). If you are looking for someone who understands the technical nuances of the LA Building Code and actually knows how to get a permit across the finish line, Ben is your guy. We are now officially under construction and couldn't have done it without him. read more

I don't usually write reviews, but this one is well deserved. Working with Ben on my ADU project in Los Angeles was hands down one of the best decisions I made. If you've ever dealt with permitting in LA, you know how complicated and overwhelming it can be. Ben not only understands the ins and outs of the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety, but he truly knows how to navigate the system efficiently. From the start, his drafting was detailed and professional. When unexpected city requirements came up -- including updated paperwork and additional documentation -- he handled everything quickly and without stress. He stayed on top of plan check corrections, coordinated between departments, and made sure our project moved forward all the way to Ready to Issue. What really sets Ben apart, though, is that he doesn't just treat you like another project. He communicates clearly, answers questions patiently, and genuinely cares. Over the course of this process, he became more than just a consultant -- he became someone I trust and consider a friend. Thanks to him, we are officially moving forward with construction, and I couldn't be more grateful. If you need someone who understands LA building codes, city processes, and how to actually get your permit approved, Ben is the person to call. Highly, highly recommend. read more

Ben is a wonder! My previous architect did me super dirty. I was really hesitant hiring someone new. Ben jumped into a complex situation, gave me a sweet price and has talked me through dozens of situations. He has been very responsive, professional and has done great work! read more

Ben was great in helping us draw up plans to convert our dining room to an additional bedroom. If he made a time/deadline commitment, it was done by that time or before. The only issue we had was with the city trying to get the permit pulled, but Ben tried the best he could to continuously call them and check in. There were only very minor tweaks needed to be made to the plan and when we pointed them out he adjusted them right away. I'm not sure why people say he didn't communicate because everytime we texted or called, he responded pretty much immediately. read more

I can't say enough great things about Benjuro Thomas! He designed the remodel plans for my house and has been incredible from start to finish. Benjuro always answers my calls within seconds (which is rare these days!) and has guided me through every step of the permit process and the remodel stage. He's extremely knowledgeable, patient, and fast when it comes to making changes or revisions. You can tell he genuinely cares about his clients and wants everything to go smoothly. I've worked with a lot of professionals during this remodel, and Benjuro stands out above them all. If you're looking for a designer who's responsive, reliable, and truly invested in your project's success -- Benjuro is the one! Highly recommend. read more

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Our experience with Benjuro has been terrible. Honestly, when we first wrote our review, we were mostly fed up with the terrible communication, multiple errors he made, and poor quality of his plans. Since then, he seems to have targeted us for his ongoing campaign of harassment, doxxing, and questionable legal actions. He has refused to admit he made any errors, and continued to harass us. While he will get plans approved, they were poor quality and came with multiple errors that could have been avoided had he paid more attention to detail when he visited our site. But far more important than the quality of the work--would you want to work with a business owner who threatened you repeatedly because you wrote them a bad review? I wish I had seen the way he treats anyone who doesn't give him a 5 star review he wants before we hired him--we would never have worked with him. Pros: -he got plans approved Cons: -plans had multiple errors that we have had to correct with our contractor -plans did not correctly mark major details, which, while the city overlooked during permitting, are creating several headaches when it comes to actual construction -Ben's behavior is erratic, dangerous, and threatening -Ben's communication is terrible: he refused to take phone calls after starting the project, his emails are not always decipherable, he did not provide requested copies of plans and blamed printing service instead of fixing it, and he continued to harass us after we expressed our dissatisfaction You decide if this is who you want to hire. read more

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I contacted Ben in 2024 for an addition I wanted to do for my house. Ben came out, measured my existing home and we went to work on adding an 800 sq ft addition. Ben was pretty responsive throughout the entire process. I live in Orange County so the county required a lot of extra things that many cities may not require. Ben was able to get through all of those hurdles that Orange County required. I contacted 7-8 different architects before hiring Ben. Price-wise, Ben's pricing is very competitive for what you are getting for his work. My framers and contractors had questions while we were constructing our addition and Ben always picked up my phone call whenever we had any questions. I can say most architects would never let me bug them that much haha. My wife and I knew exactly what we wanted and Ben made it come to life. We were so happy with his work that we also hired him to work on a front patio. I will post pictures as I complete my addition and front patio. read more

Ben is a talented, kind and communicative architect. All plans for my ADU retrofit delivered on time, with meticulous detail. Helped/walked me through the process with the city, as well. Highly recommend! read more

I have been working with Ben for a little over a year on a multifamily ADU project which has taken some twists and turns, but Ben has gotten things straighten out. Also, besides being a nice guy, Ben has been quick to respond to my questions and has provided me with helpful information. I would highly recommend using Ben's services. read more

Ben was excellent to work with! The city had emailed to make some minor adjustments on the plans and by the time I called Ben he was already on it. I would recommend Benjuro Studios. Thanks again for the professional work. read more

I posted an open request on yelp for bids to remodel a new investment property. I received multiple responses very quickly, but after interviewing all of the different companies, it was clear that we had to go with Benjuro Studios. Ben gave us a tight quote range after discussing everything we wanted to do to the house over the phone while looking through pictures online. He wrote us back within the hour with two options, and had no hidden costs. He met us at the house the following day to verify everything, and we agreed to move forward the day after that. The whole process was very quick, he was always available to answer all of our questions, and he handled all aspects of the plans from start to finish and also helped with permits. We will definitely call Ben for all of our architectural needs in the future, and will recommend him to friends! read more

Ben helped ensure my adu was up to code and approved. I appreciate the fact that I needed changes made and Ben did so without hesitation and did not charge me additional like other quotes I received. I also appreciate Ben being very responsive even after the plans were approved to discuss details with my contractor. He reassured me not to worry and that he would discuss with the contractor to ensure there's no confusion or he could give specifics details to questions that the contractor may have needed clarification on. Ben was also very professional and respectful when he came to my house took all photos and measurements. I have already recommended his service for anyone looking to build an adu or additional sqft. Thank you once again Ben for all your help. my ADU took approx 7 months total and apart of that was the quick turn around on the plans made and any change request needed from Ben. read more

I hired Ben for plans for a garage ADU conversion and he was fast and responsive in getting started. The permitting process hit a snag when they wouldn't approve it because they couldn't find records of the garage as an existing building. Ben continued to question the plan checker and used his resources to find whatever records he could. In the end, the permit was approved and I was able to build my ADU. I think he was great for my small project and his cost is very reasonable. read more

We hired Ben to do plans for a renovation, he is very professional and prompt with his work.

Working with Ben has been a pleasure, his professionalism and knowledge on design is incredible. He makes sure his customers are comfortable and on the same page throughout design processes. Will work with him again! :) read more

What a pleasant experience to work with Benjuro Studios. I am a contractor using Benjuro Studios to draw plans for garage conversion, Ben was on site right away and he took care of everything from drawings of the plans all the way to get the permit. What a save in money and time read more

Hi Kathy L., I read of what you wrote on Yelp and google reviews- you said the reviews are 100 percent false. You said this is not payment dispute- but is sure sounds like payment dispute. I signed similar contract, and it does said that you supposed to pay the final payment once the plans are approved. Your allegation saying that Benjuro is crack head and hustler and he supposed to be done in 2-3 months max on the contract. On contract, it said estimate 2-3 months but the final time depends on the city and its reviewers. My experience in beverly hills showed that It may take months to review the plans. That's very offensive saying all of people put this reviews are fake which is totally false (I know i'm a real person). read more

I was recommended to Ben after dealing with another company that completely wasted my time. Ben was professional and diligent from the first time we spoke. He communicated along the way and kept me informed. He helped with my ADU and I look forward in working with him on a future home addition. read more

Ben is a top notch architect and all around pleasure to work with. From start of our ADU project through to the finish ~1 year later, we were impressed with Ben's quality of work, attention to detail, responsiveness, professionalism, and dedication to his craft and his clients. He also stayed on schedule and on budget despite challenges with LA city during COVID. Furthermore, after completing the plans and getting them approved, he helped us navigate the challenging and confusing bureaucracy of LA city to resolve various issues that came up much later in the project that were not his fault. He truly cares about delivering excellence for his clients. We are looking forward to working with him on many future projects. read more

Ben and his team are great! At first, I wasn't sure if I made the right choice but, Ben managed to open my eye for a different view and I'm glad he did. Since the first time I used his services, I kept coming back as a good & loyal repeat customer. I will keep using Ben and his great team as well as recommend them to anyone needing such services. If you decide to hire Ben, be open minded just like I did and you will find yourself with a good friend. Thank you Ben for all your hard work, I am happy to be your customer! read more

i was very happy with Benjuro Studio they came in and revised my plans and filed them in a very timely manner i have nothing but good thing to say about them as the took over my nightmare of a job after my less then ethical general contractor abandoned it. They were able to guide me in the right direction to complete it read more

Ben was amazing and extremely helpful. We were stuck in a real tight spot because our old architect and planners (ADU Resource Center) were overpaid, unprepared, extremely slow and did no diligence. Ben jumped in during the middle of the project, worked with our contractor to make creative adjustments that passed code and got the drawings approved by the city. He was affordable and very communicative, handling my daily pings with a lot of patience. I highly recommend working with him over other consultancies that overcharge and under deliver. read more

We hired Benjuro Studios after searching and interviewing several companies that could create ADU plans and walk them over to City of LA approval. Benjuro did all of the above. The turnaround was fast, with plans created in two weeks and another 7 days to have them stamped and approved by city. Totally recommend Benjuro for your architectural plan needs. Professional, quick, and responsive. read more

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Ben worked through a nightmare process of getting an ADU approval through LA county. Hold up after holdup he navigated and persisted until we finally got an approval for the building permit. He put more time and energy into the process than I ever could trying to do It independently. I recommend 100% - if I need help in the future would go back to him. read more

I began working with Ben in May of 2020. I needed to get plans drawn up and the permit process started to convert a garage to an ADU. Ben met me at the site, and we discussed what I wanted to do. He laid out the process and began after the contract was signed and initial payment. The process took longer than I expected but I can't entirely blame Ben for that. Covid certainly affected the process timing. It's now February and I finally have the permit. He was very professional and apologetic throughout the process. I was skeptical at times due to communication but he got the job done as promised. I have already recommended him to family that wish to convert their garages. read more

I hired Ben ~8 months ago to design and obtain permits to build a unique and difficult retaining wall and swimming pool in my backyard that involves excavation, grading and detailed planning. Due to the limited space available, we wanted to make the most use out of area. I found Ben on Yelp just like I found others. What strike me most about Ben is his honesty, and enthusiasm about reaching our goal. Whenever I call, he answers. He is always available. He made an extremely difficult project doable when others did nothing but complicate and over price. I would definitely recommend Ben to anyone. I would recommend Ben and his team to all my friends and family. In the future if I would ever need his services he would be the first and only person I would trust! Thank you Ben! read more

It was great working with Ben on the design plan for my adu. He provides great options and works with you until you are happy! Having Ben handle the permits and all that goes with getting a plan approved, made this a seamless process - and for a great/highly competitive price. I would definitely recommend read more

Ben is very patient and answered all my questions and concerns. Although we started but did not finish the project with Ben, we still recommend him to people who needs drafting and permitting work done professionally. read more

We used Ben in 2020 to start a major home renovation project involving knocking down of some structural walls and foundation work. Ben was able to get the renderings done and approved by the city with minimal headache (he also works closely with engineers with a private company and with the city, so everything is triple checked). His cost is extremely reasonable when considering the absurd prices that many architects and designers charge. If you already have a good idea of how you want the floor plan to look, Ben is definitely a great option to get the designs and city approval done at a great cost. Construction is almost done now on the renovation and we are happy with how it is turning out. read more

My good experience with Ben goes a long way back. In my business as a general contractor I need a lot of help with CAD designs, architectural drafting, floor plan designs, expediting permits and a lot of other service a good draftsmen such as Ben provides. Throughout the years Ben has consistantly provided me with a professional services, he is friendly, attentive, responsive and, most importantly, knows how to get things done the right way. I've had the chance to work with many but Ben is hands down my favorite of them all. read more

Absolutely amazing in every way!! Goes the extra mile and is truly awesome!! I highly recommend working with them on your projects!! Thank you so much for your hard work and for being available at all hours!! You literally rock!! read more

Ben was an excellent architect. He made floor plans that the city approved so that I could get permits for my condo remodel. I will be using him again next time read more