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.

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.

We've been working with Andy for the last several months on our 3rd and 4th story addition project…read morein upper Noe Valley. Communication: Andy is organized, efficient, and clear in his communications with us. He was also upfront with us from the beginning about the potential challenges our project would face, from city building regulations to neighbor considerations, but always presented solutions to the issues. Design: Andy has been able to take our high level requirements and turn them into an elegant and practical design that is above and beyond what we originally imagined. His in-depth knowledge of the city codes has also been reassuring - we really appreciate his focus on the goal of making this a smooth, low drama process. Process and Cost: Finally, Andy's wealth of vetted and reliable industry contacts has helped us determine a working budget early in the process - this has been invaluable for ensuring we're comfortable with the major changes to come. Andy and his contacts have all provided reasonable pricing, considering the scale of the project we are undertaking. We're really happy working with Andy, and wouldn't hesitate to recommend him for any projects in SF!

We've just completed our 2nd Major Remodel with Andy after having the pleasure of working with him…read moreseveral years ago on our 2nd story addition. Our 2nd project with Andy included the main level Kitchen, Family area, Mudroom and Powder Room. We were so impressed with Andy's design talent the first time, that we were certain we wanted to work with Andy to tackle the design challenges for the second go round. Andy again was integral to the success of the project. After receiving an initial estimate from a contractor we had worked with in the past that was higher than expected, Andy was able to offer another contractor more in line with our budget. After listening to our thoughts and concerns, Andy offered several design options, and again we were really excited with the finalized approach. Andy was able to incorporate some specific design details we wanted, and then build upon them and make them a unique feature for our project. When we were facing technical challenges with the millwork detail we incorporated into the project, Andy suggested a solution that the millworker went with to solve the problem. Andy again was great to work with through the design, both listening and offering design options we hadn't thought of. His attention to design detail really made the project. His knowledge of construction and cost were such a great asset to making our project a success. He followed through with the project from beginning to end. We Hired Andy 2x as our Architect, we highly recommend him for your project!

My husband and I highly recommend Martinkovic Milford Architects! Blake, Amanda, and Amelia were…read moreour brilliant team of architects overseen by Brian Milford. They designed our dream home and also monitored the construction/renovation process in addition to recommending a great contractor to build our home.

Disappointed by my experience here. I got more value from a 15 minute phone conversation with a…read moredifferent architecture firm than I did from my interaction with this firm, which involved multiple hours of billable research.

Andre was the architect for the gut-renovation of the main floor of our Sanchez Street (Noe Valley)…read morehome. It included structural work, removing load-bearing walls, full kitchen renovation, and a bathroom addition. It was our first home, a fixer-upper, and we had no idea what we were doing. Hiring Andre was hands-down the best decision we made. He started by listening -- how we live, how our family functions, what we needed the space to do for us. He was patient with our budget and never made us feel like our questions were dumb. We'd give feedback, he'd come back with something better. When we had no ideas at all, he'd come up with ones we never would have thought of. We ended up with a plan we were ecstatic about! The attention to detail, turnaround time, and reliability were all excellent. He helped us run contractor bidding, then showed up at the site throughout construction to make sure things were built to plan and catch issues before they became expensive changes (his communication with our contractor and engineer was excellent). Andre came up through construction before becoming an architect, and he's practiced in San Francisco long enough to know permitting cold. Both saved us real time and headaches. There's nobody else we'd call for future projects.

My first experience with Andre was over 25 years ago when he led a major remodel, including a…read moresecond-story addition, of my Day Street (Noe Valley) home. Every aspect of my experience at that time was positive. Andre worked to skillfully retain the exterior flavor of the 1924 Marina-style 2/1, as we developed a taller 4/2.5, with a comfortable and functional interior. Long before any of these other reviews were written, Andre was exercising the excellent listening skills, inventive design, and superior aesthetic sense you'll read about from others. His ability to work with permitting and review processes instilled confidence as did his good relationships and communication with contractors and subs. He was tactful but clear in gently guiding me away from bad ideas I came up with myself or with friends. Invaluable. Long story short, Andre spearheaded efforts that resulted in a substantial increase in home value, enabling me to relocate comfortably in preparation for retirement. I am working with Andre again, this time for more modest projects to remodel the kitchen, add a deck, and expand the downstairs suite. Delighted he's still available, nothing has changed except his expanded experience and a great new location in Dogpatch! Andre is still easy to work with, professional as can be, super-responsive, and gives amazing value. Very happy to be working with him again.

We used Outerlands to do a full renovation of the interior and exterior of our house and loved the…read moreresults! They were professional, timely, and thorough. I would recommend them highly for any project, big or small.

I wish Yelp gave every user account a one-time greater-than-5-star rating to use, because this…read morewould be mine. Outerlands converted our lower-level unfinished garage into 500 sq ft of living space + finished garage + outdoor patio in a job that involved significant excavation work. I can confidently say Outerlands was a cut above the competition because the other bids (we talked to over 20 contractors) had significantly longer timelines, told us certain aspects of the project would not be possible (or within budget), and told us there was no way we could stay in the house during construction. Outerlands kept us in the house with minimal disturbance, finished on time / on budget, and made the whole process rather enjoyable. It was clear throughout that Outerlands has a very experienced and cohesive team. From design, to engineering, to permitting, to foundation work, to all the other subs, everything was seamless. In the 5 months of work, there were virtually zero non-productive days. Kelly ran the project with a real sense of ownership, keeping things moving, suggesting improvements, and problem solving through the unexpected (we found a massive muni pipe while digging). He's a true craftsman (take a look at his cabinets or stairs) with an eye for overall aesthetic. Sara turned our vague interior style preferences into a coherent plan, developing all kinds of options we hadn't considered, sourcing the finishings, and ultimately creating a space that we love. Taking on this kind of project to our residence was a major financial and lifestyle decision, but we couldn't be happier with the look and feel of the finished product, and we are so grateful to Outerlands being such a wonderful partner to work with.

We had the pleasure of working with Jill Finn of TANGERINEdesign LLC when our longtime designer was…read moreunavailable -- so she walked into a situation where we were already feeling a bit off balance. But from day one, Jill exceeded our expectations. The project involved tearing down an old, dilapidated screened-in porch that had never really worked for us -- too cold in the winter, too hot in the summer -- and transforming it into a usable interior room. We wanted to keep the light and airy feel of a porch while gaining insulation, comfort, and year-round usability. We also wanted ideas for built-ins: maybe a window seat, maybe bookshelves -- we weren't quite sure. Other contractors over the years had taken one look at the porch and declined to get involved due to its age and condition. Not Jill. She had ideas right away. Jill brings so much energy, creativity, and practical knowledge to the table. Even while juggling big personal commitments (like her son's graduation across the country), she delivered several strong design ideas within a few weeks -- and they were fresh, inspiring, and budget-conscious. She collaborated easily with our civil engineer, adjusting her drawings quickly to meet his needs. She also understands our local codes and regulations really well, and met directly with our contractors to make sure her designs were realistic and executable before we got too far into the process. On top of all that, Jill has a fantastic personality. She made the experience fun and engaging, and she brought a sense of momentum and confidence that really helped us move forward. I can't recommend Jill highly enough -- her creativity, responsiveness, and enthusiasm make her a true gem. If you're considering working with TANGERINEdesign LLC, you're in excellent hands. Karen & Greg Marriner 6/22/25

My fiancee and I met with Jill to explore building an ADU in our backyard from the ground up along…read morewith a home expansion. We were glad that we chose Jill; she brings with her a wealth of knowledge in all facets of the construction phase, and she was very friendly and easy to talk to also! Most of the time we would ask her a question, then just let her talk, as she was very detailed with all of her answers and did a great job teaching. We also appreciated that Jill also has no problem telling you if your idea is a bad idea, but will provide the context and reasoning why. Lastly, we loved tapping her creative mind; she has the ability to look at a space and give you plenty of ideas for it that you might not have even thought of! We would definitely recommend her and would work with her again.

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).

I've engaged Shawn at Create Interior Design 3x now... and there's a good reason - he's excellent…read moreat what he does. His work is excellent, his process from design , approval, supplies selection & delivery, etc. is well thought out and executes well. Shawn's relationships with suppliers alleviates stress and frustration .... and questions are handled very promptly. Your ideas and his suggestions blend seamlessly - it's something you don't have to worry about - you won't be sorry to engage his services.

I am just starting to think about a remodel & addition and do not know where to start. Plonowski…read moreresponded right away on a Sunday morning and gave me a wonderful consultation over the phone. I am not quite ready to start, but I have good idea on next steps to prepare a budget and guidance on decision making. Based on the great conversation and online assessment of my property, I would definitely consider working with Plonowski once I am ready

While working on a backyard remodel project, it became necessary for us to file for a building a…read morepermit with City of San Francisco for a deck we were replacing. We tried doing it ourselves, but the city required a structural diagram of the deck to be built, incorporation of firewalls (SF lots are often built up property line to property line), and sign off of some forms by a licensed architect or engineer. Sounds like a lot, but honestly, it is a pretty small job...so small, most architects and engineers weren't interested. Not Jeff, however. He managed to squeeze in our smallish architecture job into his busy schedule, created all the drawings and designed the firewalls and foundations the city required. He even went down to the permit center and brought back the permit whereas previously, we'd gone ourselves and came back with more comments from the inspector. In the process, Jeff also recommended some changes to our design to improve efficiency and the look. So, thank you Jeff for getting our project moving again.

Jessica has been an amazing partner during our remodel journey. She worked with us through the…read morestarts and stops of the process and helped us realize the vision for our remodel. She was incredibly informative and communicative during the permit review process, turning what we had heard could be a nightmare into a fairly smooth process. Jessica and her team were always responsive and ready with answers to our many questions. We would not hesitate to recommend Jessica and the JSD Architecture team to anyone looking to remodel their house.

We are so grateful for Jessica's help in getting a permit for our addition. It's been a long…read moreprocess which she forewarned us about. We've never worked with an architect before so we didn't know what to expect. Jessica is a great listener. She actually listens to her clients and makes recommendations based on that. We highly recommend Jessica! We look forward to the completion of our project. Thank you Jessica and your team!