We were delighted with the work Topos did for us. Peter is a great listener and presented us with…read moredifferent options, made revisions to the initial mock ups per our requests and helped execute on the option we selected. He helped us find an excellent contractor and his team managed our build. We are very happy with the results and the level of service.

I'm happy to strongly endorse Peter Baltay and his crew at Topos Architects as both a design firm…read moreand as a project management service. When my wife I are were contemplating building a home, we approached Topos as we had seen a previous spec project they had done and loved it. Design elements include maximizing space utilization, minimizing hallways, lots of light and windows, beautiful wood accents, high quality trim and attention to detail all appealed to us. During our first meeting when I complained about not finding any good lots for sale, Peter pointed out a few, including one particular lot that was not yet on MLS. The location was perfect for us and I ended up buying it 7 days later. The take home is that Peter has contacts in the area that give his clients access to info not always publicly available. We interviewed many architects and came back to Topos. I didn't like how some wanted to deliver a set of plans and walk away, leaving the builder to struggle with implementation. I also didn't like how some were 'out-dated' - I wanted computer-based models so I could visualize my home before it was built. As an engineer type, Peter and Topos were a great fit. I also wanted a firm who would help oversee the process from start to end and not and not pass the potato as soon as things went wrong (without paying through the nose for a personal assistant). I knew from previous contractor experience that building a home wasn't a cake walk and I wanted someone with integrity who I would work with through the entire process - Peter gave me that impression. Perhaps most of all, I wanted to know I was paying a fair price. I hated the standard fixed bid way of building houses where you're always combatting the general contractor over quality and price. I wanted complete transparency. Topos was prepared to offer this and had multiple previous projects to illustrate how this could be done and what I should expect. I want to address some of the negative comments in one review on this site directly. Building a house is not like Extreme Makeover where you go on vacation, return home and say 'Move that Bus' and have the house of your dreams. It is a process with literally thousands of decisions and over a dozen sub contractors. Mistakes are going to happen. Some people are going to do poor work some days. The city is probably going to say you can't do something essential to your design. Some tiles look great in the store but don't work in your house. Bad things happen. If you don't like a design element, it isn't Peter's fault, it is your fault. What you want on your team is someone that will work with you to effectively manage these things, prevent them when possible and deal with them when unavoidable. I can't imagine Peter and Topos doing a much better on this front. I'm willing to bet the negative reviewer never gave Topos a chance to fix what bothered her. In our case Peter and Topos were very up-front about what services they offer and where we might consider augmenting with our own consultants. Many people hire a lighting designer, interior designer, landscape design, etc.. We only hired a landscape guy and did the rest with Topos to save money. It is up to you. Look at previous homes and see what meets your standards and what doesn't. Oh, the comment about not working hard is absurd. Peter is there 8-7 most days. And, when things do go wrong, Topos stands behind the job. In our case a tile sub messed up the master bath. Peter made them tear out thousands in tile and redo it from scratch. While the sub provided the labor, Peter paid for all the tile out of pocket claiming they should have caught it earlier. This is someone who admits a mistake and takes responsibility for fixing it. For a bonus-factor, Peter is an amazing diplomat. He worked with some frustrated neighbors to make them advocates for our project, he worked with the city to find a way top get our gutters and design approved, and most of all he worked with me (which is no easy task) for 18 months to build a beautiful home. One other thing I'll add - in retrospect I undervalued the importance of working with subs that are beholden to the general contractor for their next job. While Topos let me select which contractor to use, there is an advantage to going with ones that they have used in the past and will use again. Because Topos builds a number of projects each year, many of the best subs work from one project to the next (provided you elect to go with them). Because of this dependence, they are incentivized to finish through 110% on your project. There were a few cases where a sub has had to come back many times (often fixing someone else's problems) and they have done so without complaint and without additional 'change orders'. They do it because it is right and they want to stay on Topos' good side.

I recently had the pleasure of working with Eyal. He demonstrated incredible skill and expertise…read moreand went above and beyond to deliver an outstanding result which got me access to an over the counter permit with SF's building department - which saved a lot of headache! His attention to detail and ability to understand and translate my vision into reality was truly remarkable. He took the time to listen to my ideas and requirements, and then used their expertise to create a design that got though the approval process without any delay. Throughout the entire process, he maintained a high level of professionalism and communication and kept me informed every step of the way Eyal's work truly speaks for itself, and I loved working with such a skilled, talented and reliable architect!

Working with Prestin Ravid Architects on our home addition and renovation has been amazing…read more Navigating the City of Palo Alto's complex permit process could have been stressful, but Eyal and his team made it smooth and enjoyable. With Eyal's extensive experience, his strategic, efficient approach and clear communication helped us get our permit in about half the expected time. His designs are thoughtful, detail-oriented, and perfectly balance aesthetics and practicality. Highly recommend!

My family and I are very happy that we went with the Golden Gate Group to remodel our family home…read moreand an ADU addition. We found them because they did two of my neighbor's home in Campbell. They were very knowledgeable of the area which made working with the city very efficient. They helped me with the design to be within my budget and added their artistic & practical flair which was needed since we never went through a remodel before. Everyone they brought to my home was very respectful and they updated me throughout the whole process and there were never any surprises on what they did. My budget was tight, and I appreciated them making every decision work out for me; I can tell that they're in the business of building a home and not just a structure to add on a property. They have great vendor suggestions and if I did work with an outside vendor, they always provided me the needed information to complete my transaction. I am grateful for Masoud's professional and empathetic acumen and Mehdi's meticulous eye to detail. I am still working on landscaping ( next project) so I will update as we furnish and finish the outside!

Construction refers to any project that involves coming up with a design for a structure at a…read morecertain location, and then putting together all the different elements to build that structure. Bringing all these elements together, to be able to perceive MY DREAM & make it a REALITY, is what The Golden Gate Group executed. I had manifested this years ago. I credit Mehdi & Masoud & their entire TEAM. I will always be thankful to them for having honored what they promised. Scope of my work I added to main floor & built an ADU. Practically, the main floor is a NEW HOME. People who came to visit us after the construction drove past my house, as they could not even imagine the outcome. BTW I had met with many contractors and when I met them, I totally connected. Listing their specialities Mehdi's Eye- One can't imagine how creative and what ideas he can come up with. Masoud- His professionalism,patience & communication. Their framing crew -is unbelievable. The electrical crew -very patient and will help you with all the queries. Their fabricators- OMG!! There is much more to write so if you want, please feel free to drive by my home. Ask them for my address. Yes I have already referred them to my neighbors and will continue to. I am across 3 schools & several parents will knock at my door & compliment .That's sums it all!! Pictures for main floor & Front of the house will be available in a month. Still to finish porch & Landscaping Pictures attached are of the ADU. Our gratitude and Thanks to entire Golden Gate Group.

Malika is an incredibly talented and experienced architect with an exceptional eye for design. Her…read morework feels open, bright, and thoughtfully proportioned. On top of that, her team is professional, highly responsive, and a pleasure to work with. Highly recommend.

Worked with them on a partial interior redesign of our living and dining spaces, and I have to say…read morethey bring a rare mix of vision and practicality. From the first meeting, the team took the time to understand not just how we use the space, but also what kind of atmosphere we wanted for family dinners and evenings with friends. They proposed solutions that were modern yet warm, clean lines natural materials and lighting choices that make the space feel inviting without being overdesigned. What I really appreciated was their attention to detail. Things like flow between the kitchen and dining area, sightlines to the garden and even how the furniture would interact with the architecture, all of it was considered. Communication was excellent throughout: clear updates, quick responses and they navigated the city requirements smoothly so I didn't have to. The result feels both stylish and deeply livable. Hosting dinners now feels effortless, the layout encourages conversation and the finishes add just the right amount of elegance. If you care about design that balances beauty with functionality, this team delivers. They're not just designing a house, they're designing a home.

We are very happy with the architectural plan Open Remodel came up with for our kitchen project…read more Open Remodel is a branch of a realty company. (They also offer realty and construction services.) We interviewed another firm before finding Open Remodel on Yelp. The other company's price estimate for architectural plans kept going up and up. It was like they were feeling us out for how much we could pay. It was a huge red flag. We are willing to pay a fair price but we don't want to be taken advantage of. The quote we received from Ashish (one of the owners of Open Remodel) was fair and in line with what we'd budgeted.  The Open Remodel architect Ashish assigned us to, Ron, was also very pleasant to work with. He not only listened to our vision but also had great suggestions, including putting a window into the kitchen.  I will be a great way to break up what would otherwise be a full wall of cabinets. We'll be able to make that area into a bar (or coffee bar)--exciting. Our project was unusual because Open Remodel finished our plans just as the pandemic was starting. We put our project on hold during shelter-in-place and for a few months after that. When we finally submitted the plans to the city, Ashish was true to his word, not charging us to revise the drawings for changes the city asked for. In fact the planning department didn't have any changes other than wanting a clause added to the plans. You are in good hands when you work with Open Remodel.

Ashish and his team have been great with our remodeling needs and overall management of the…read moreproject. We have done 2 designs with him, and both have been very smooth and at the right pace. The team is easy to reach out to and has been very responsive with communication and updates. The design team is very accommodating to the needs and very knowledgeable about the latest trends in design and material options. Highly recommend them as they are providing high-quality services at a reasonable price.

We purchased an older, fixer upper on a hillside in Portola Valley with the hopes of rebuilding it…read moreinto our dream home. We aimed to generate income by converting the former primary bedroom into a rentable, attached JADU. This mean building a new primary BR on the back, downhill side of the house, along with creating a new family room, and office. The front of the house was definitely old style, and did not, in any way, match our vision of a contemporary, hi-tech, look. I had interviewed other architects who had suggested we add a new front foyer, but I wasn't thrilled about the look presented, which was basically to add a gable roof addition ("A" frame shape add-on) at at the front, that would be harmonious with the rest of the house. In my first meeting with Davide, he suggested something that changed the whole dynamic of the house. He suggested that rather than be constrained by trying to harmonize the new entry with the old architecture, we could add a new layer to the front of the house, and change the look completely. This also creates a new corridor at the front that greatly improves the flow/circulation from the front to the back. It was a genius idea! This new layer at the front of the house gives us a spectacular new front entrance, plus a new corridor with tall ceilings. He also very skillfully raised the ceiling heights in many parts of the house so it feels like the rooms were expanded (when only the height changed). I am attaching a photo of the original house and Davide's concept for the new design. I want to add that we are not demolishing any part of the old house so we are not losing any existing square footage. We are just adding and "splicing the old with the new". For the new room additions at the back, he integrated the complex siting of the hillside PBR & family room to flow seamlessly into the same level of the existing house on. I have very strong ideas of what I want in terms of design, and Davide has been very patient in working through my ideas. He uses his critical eye and design experience to guide me so I don't get off track, and we can get to where it is I want to end up. We are now in the building permit process, and I can't wait for construction to start. I will be updating this post when the house is finished with more photos, because I want to show off the dramatic transformation between the "before" and "after". If you are looking for a miracle transformation, Davide Gianella is the architect who can make this dream come true for you! I can recommend him 100%

I reached out to Davide about two or three months ago to see if I could hire him to help design my…read moreremodel. He was really polite and so friendly and VERYYYY transparent that he was inundated with some work at the moment and that he gives his all to 1-2 projects at a time, so that they get the best out of him. He then gave me a suggested timeline, which unfortunately didn't match with what we had in mind - but no worries! I enjoyed the interaction and his work is beautiful, and I truly appreciate the communication and friendliness that transpired in our conversations.

When we move to the house, we new it will need some remodeling. The house has L-shaped floor plan…read more The L-wing was a separate studio, with no direct connection to the main house. On top of that, the main part of the house was divided into number of smaller rooms/spaces. The wished was to have more open space type of the floorplan, with center of a living oriented to backyard, which has nice view. After some time self planning and sketching variations of modified floorplan, decided it is time for a real architect's help. We talk to several architects and after awhile narrowed down to two. Eventually we selected Studio S Squared Architecture, with Eugene Sakai as a lead architect. The main requirement for the remodeling was to do the open space type floorplan, with seamless connection to then L-wing separate studio. The solution should look as if the house was build from the beginning that way, not having visible artifacts of remodeling. The Studio S^2 Architecture delivered the ideal floorplan, as this house was meant to be built. The house got the great room, with almost whole glass wall toward the backyard, perfect connection to the L-wing and additional bathroom and an easy-flow floorplan flow. The L-wing became the main master bedroom, and old master bedroom became an additional mini-master bedroom. Perfect floorplan, without changing external walls foot print! Eugene presented us with sketches of three different floor plans. We did not spend more than 5 minutes to select the "ideal" one. Almost as he saw how the house should have been designed and built in the first place. Eugene has vision of the new space, producing perfect solution. If one wants to get maximum from a given space, Eugene and Studio S^2 Architecture is the right place to go. We highly recommend him. J & D

We have hired Eugene (president of Studio S Squared Architecture) to help with a home remodel in…read moreLos Gatos, CA. Our realtor convinced us to purchase a fixer upper that would require some remodeling work to address some of the functional deficiencies of the home. While we were in contract, we interviewed about 5 designers/contractors to get their recommendations and possible budget before we actually purchased the home. Eugene was the only architect who came and brought one of his builders, C.W. Wright Construction to discuss options as well as to verify the costs of each one. During our discussion, he was mindful to listen to the functional problems which we wanted to address and he agreed to come up with a proposal. The next day, we received a very detailed spreadsheet outlining the costs of everything and it all seemed to fall into our budget. Based on their recommendations, we decided to proceed with the purchase the home. The design process was a very fun and enjoyable experience. Both Eugene and his junior associate, Catherine listened to our "wish list" and presented a final design that we absolutely loved. We appreciated their "vision" to see the possible options that lay before us that were not so readily seen by us or other architects. Studio S Squared Architecture's flat fee system also encouraged a lot of back and forth dialogue with the revisions. We never had to worry about costs or expenses as it was all included. He has a rapid response time via phone and email and because everything is done in CAD, we had design revisions waiting in our email inboxes almost with a same day turn-around. We are currently in the middle of building our home, but we could not speak any more highly of the professionalism, attention to detail and breadth of knowledge of Studio S. Squared Architecture during the design process. Because of this, we trust wholeheartedly that he will deliver a wonderful home for us.

Marta is the best! She's very fast to communicate and has great ideas. She helped us with our large…read moreaddition and came up with some amazing ideas to make the most of our space for our busy family. She worked tirelessly with the city to get our permit approved, and I'm so glad we had her by our side during this process. I've been recommending her to everyone! Can't wait to see the vision we created come to life.

We hired Cal Design Studio to build an ADU (guest house) at our property in Willow Glen. They were…read moreextremely reliable, delivered high quality work, and in a timely manner. Cal Design Studio handled all the plans, permits and inspections, hired licensed subcontractors, and the project manager was responsive and insightful. What I like the most about Cal Design Studio is their pragmatic approach -- they are not trying to "sell" you anything. They listen carefully to what your need is, and offer a creative and practical solution through their design plans. They have a great network of suppliers and subcontractors, which means you get a very high quality product. They built the ADU from the foundation all the way to the final touches. We also hired Cal Design Studio to install a new roof in the main house on the property. We will hire Cal Design Studio for any and all future work.