I submitted a request to Reverence for an Architect in early January 2026, I received a call back…read morefrom Brett to go over the services Reverence provides and their approach to support the clients. At the end of the call, Brett stated he would work on the contract and send over for review. The following week, I called Reverence to better understand the timeline for contract creation so I could maintain realistic expectations; I was told I should have the contract that day (January 13) or the following day (January 14). I contacted Reverence on January 20, after not receiving a response and was advised a message would be sent to Brett for an update. I again did not receive a response (no callback nor email) and contacted Reverence on January 22 and again on February 2, and was provided a similar response (that I should receive the contract soon if not today or the next). I subsequently left a message on February 4, indicating that I no longer wished to proceed with their services and would look elsewhere. I have no doubt that Reverence provides customers with solid service once contracted, however, I find it is equally important to effectively communicate with prospective clients to ensure transparency. I would have gladly waited a few more weeks if that was the standard and was communicated to me. Hopefully future clients will have a better experience.

I contacted Reverence Engineering in early May to discuss architectural drawings and design for an…read moreADU in our backyard. Brett called me back relatively quickly and we talked a bit about the design process, options, styles and permits. I had sent him some basic drawings of our footprint and what we were thinking but also would appreciate any ideas he would have. Last we talked he said he would look at our property to see if any red flags popped up and start working on an initial proposal for the scope of work. Brett said he likes to put everything in the contract to make sure we're all working from the same sheet of music. A week went by and didn't hear a word. 10 days later I sent a follow up email and nothing. Totally ghosted. Still haven't heard anything.

I have a simple single family home near Windansea beach. It was built in the early 90's, and has…read morerequired, up to now, very little maintenance. But it needs some work now. I visited Mark Bucon's office, as I walk by nearly every day, thinking as long as I was going to fix the broken things, maybe I could improve some things that are outdated, or that were designed inefficiently to begin with. I made a career in commercial real estate development, and felt confident of my ability to assess the needs of updating my home myself. However, very quickly, evaluating my own home became overwhelming. I knew I needed a second set of eyes. Mark has a real eye for detail. With my permission, and total disclosure of his fees, etc.... he measured up my house, shot grades, all that kind of groundwork that is needed to make smart decisions regarding building changes. Just having that information alone kept me from making expensive mistakes. After that groudwork was done, he, again with my permission and knowledge of his costs, drew up some easy to read concept designs to address all of the broken things, and various ideas to update the look and functionality of the property, and didn't waste time designing things outside my budget. He has tremendous knowledge of the suitability of the materials that will endure in the environment they'll be built in (here a marine environment). He has an excellent eye for what will look and function well, as well as just being practical. He never tried to upsell me, or marry me to any particular product or contractor, or anything like that... just design ideas and options. I was also able to get a handle on the costs for the various options... very helpful in prioritizing what will likely be a multi year project; one thing at a time, as I am working with a small budget for an expensive neighborhood I do not want to leave. Before calling Mark, I did call other architects and contractors prominent in the area, who all left me feeling a little abused. Like they did to my neighbor... just drew up some outlandish plan covering every square inch of their property.. costing millions to build, and charging my neighbor a lot doing so... Neighbor ended up just moving. In addition to being a damn good designer and architect, Mark was just friendly and low, low pressure. He came out to my home several times to dig around himself looking for details on the foundation, the property line markers, stuff in the crawlspace, condition of the roof, etc... Normally, I would have been asked to find that information out on my own and deliver it to him, which is costly and problematic. So now, I have solid ideas, options, information on costs and materials, and time to decide what to do while looking for the funds to renovate. Bottom line, Mark approached this project with a holistic, "multi-generational" view. His best idea, although the most expensive, would allow my family, my grown children, and their families to live at the property after I'm gone (or, even if I am here). Mark lives in the area, and knows the rules as well as anyone I've spoken with. It's nice to know I can house my whole family if times get rough (I didn't think that would be possible before). And, probably the most important point, if you are still reading this novella, Mark won the trust of my highly skeptical wife, who generally distrusts anyone proclaiming to be able to help with renovation of the house... That is her purview, and she is protective as hell... it's one reason maintenance is deferred... She would just chase away the people I would hire to fix even the simplest thing. When the time comes for actual drawings, I will absolutely stick with Mark. He knows the staff at the City.. he knows the rules, he is a good advocate, and has given me a lot of peace of mind that I won't screw this project up, like I have seen in so many other renovation projects. I highly recommend Mark Bucon, well above the other local arrogant professionals who really do just want to draw up a random set of plans for an overbuilt project, charge you $30k, and not even bothering to ask what you really want, which in my case, is to live here comfortably and affordably for decades to come.... everyone else wanted to look at what I can do to improve the property and sell it for a big profit... they didn't understand that is not what I am seeking.. Mark did. Thank you Mark Bucon!

Mark was fantastic at giving me some initial information and assistance as I am looking at doing a…read moreCustom Home. I have not started the project yet, but Mark invested the time to provide assistance and his expertise as he met with me and my General Contractor. Very professional.

I recently worked with Justin Zhou on a garage conversion. I was surprised how smooth the process…read morewent. I was nervous because I did not have any experience working with an architect. Justin made the process go smoothly by answering all my questions and responding back quickly via email, text or phone. When I had comments he made adjustments in a timely manner. The experience was well worth the price.

This is a reliable team. Very responsive project manager! Definitely recommended for house project!read more

Our kitchen makeover turned out amazing. Michael was easy to…read morework with and helped us make smart choices that added real value to our home. The space feels open and modern, and we are so glad we did it!

We just had our kitchen and bathroom completely remodeled, and we couldn't be happier with the…read moreresult! We really appreciate how the team went the extra mile to make sure we were satisfied, and we are excited to call them again for any future home projects. We highly recommend this company for anyone looking to remodel their home!

We bought a house that needed an entire overhaul, which meant tearing down all interior walls and…read morestarting from scratch. The layout of this house made it difficult, but we love the location. Mark was recommended to us and I can not believe how he designed this beautiful Oasis in the middle of Bay Park and transformed our 90 year old house in a modern, beachy, cosy, contemporary master piece. We couldn't be happier going with Mark. He took his time to sit down with us, explaining us the process, drafting a couple layouts that were revised a few times. Mark does not only design beautiful houses, he also understands the permitting process and ensures a smooth construction phase. I highly recommend working with Mark for any home project!

We just finished a project which was carefully designed and planned out By the team at Oasis. we…read moreworked hand in hand with Mark and Eric who were easy to get a hold of, and very helpful to resolve any questions that we had, which is very important when it comes to getting the project built without delays. They are patient and kind to work with, our client had them redesign the project a few times, but the end result was Her dream house, built, and she is very happy with the end result! I would highly recommend Mark and Eric, and look forward to future successful projects with them.

I needed a site plan for a tiny house on wheels permit and was referred to Miller Design and…read moreDrafting by an engineering company I had contacted. What started as a simple site plan quickly turned into a full set of construction documents--and I couldn't be happier with how everything turned out. After being quoted an outrageously high price by another designer, I was relieved to find Alexandra. Her prices are very reasonable, communication is clear and responsive, and the quality of her work is top-notch. In less than two months, I have a building permit in hand. I handled the permit processing myself, and Alexandra was incredibly patient and helpful throughout the process. I had a lot of questions since this was my first time pulling a building permit, and she answered them all with care. Highly recommend Miller Design and Drafting if you're looking for someone skilled, fair, and easy to work with.

i called for basic drafting drawings for a bathroom remodel. Owner said they were to busy to help…read more Although she was very nice, she had no one to refer me too.

Kristin was referred to us by friends. We sat down with her back in 2016 and she came up with a…read morefabulous plan for pop-out and remodel of our kitchen. It was everything we wanted, large center island, no upper cabinets so we could have windows all around the kitchen area, walk-in pantry and a wine cellar. It just took us 1-1/2 years to get started....not sure what we were doing in that time because our kitchen is absolutely stunning! We chose one of her contractor referrals, W.A.Jackson Construction, and they were great to work with and did a fabulous job.

Kristin designed our master bath remodel and acted as the general contractor for the job. She made…read morethe whole thing so easy, from helping us decide what we wanted, to making sure the job got done on time. I would highly recommend her and look forward to working with her in the future on other house projects.

Hi Doug, I hope that…read moreall is well. I've been admiring your designs and work for quite some time. Feel free to reach out to me if you ever have an ORCO Block questions, or request. Hennesys Hernandez Architectural Sales 760-799-4925 hennesys.hernandez@orco.com

I wanted to remodel my home but found "design build" type companies lacking in any real depth of…read morearchitecture and art history. I'm a bit of an academic type and a history buff and wanted to work with someone with similar interest and knowledge who could not just help me bring my ideas into reality, but could introduce me to new ones as well. Douglas exceeded my expectations!! He made a fixed price for what he called the "Design Phase" and then proceeded to take took me through as many ideas and versions of plans that I could ever have dream of, and then some!! He was extremely sensitive to not just functional things like sizes of rooms and circulation, but also had a great sense of natural lighting, proportions and architectural style. Working with Douglas was a pleasure. He was patient, generous with his time, and together we came up with a plan that I'm very proud of. Of course doing a remodel can be scary, but I was so confident with our final design that bringing it into reality was actually fun and exciting!!! I can truly say that, if you want to work with a highly skilled, creative, patient and generous architect, choose Doug Simon Architecture!!

Rachael is very professional and came into my project with a clear vision. She helped me from the…read morebeginning with floor and paint choices to change the entire flavor of the house. We then went on to update much of the furniture, the cabinets, accessories, and back yard patio to make the project into what she dubbed "French Coastal". I love my house! She has a keen eye and was able to incorporate my style into her vision. When all was done (it's never done!) it came together beautifully. Rachael has a quiet confidence that brings results.

Rachael helped design our dream kitchen, dining room and pantry. She provided her expertise and…read morespent countless hours helping us in our decision making. Rachael was professional, creative and attentive to detail. She was always quick to respond and constantly accessible throughout the process. We couldn't be happier with the space she designed and highly recommend her!