Architects and Building Designers in Berkeley, CA

Find the right Architect or Building Designer company, contractor, or installer for your project.

Featured Reviews for Architects and Building Designers in Berkeley, CA

Nielsen Studios

Architects and Building Designers in Berkeley, CA

September 2, 2015

“Timerie Gordon of Nielsen Studios just did the interior design for our new company store, Annieglass on Santana Row. Her ability to recreate our vision in physical form while inputting her own style resulted in a space more beautiful than we could have imagined.”

Mikiten Architecture

Architects and Building Designers in Berkeley, CA

August 30, 2014

“We hired Erick Mikiten as the project architect for a major kitchen remodel and some ancillary work on the entrance porches to the house in 1994/95. We wanted to expand the kitchen, remodel the interior to include new cabinets and an island, provide a new seating area in an addition at the rear of the house, and improve what was then an awkward connection between the kitchen and a rear bedroom. Erick came up with a very creative solution to the space constraints in the existing kitchen that resulted in a much more spacious kitchen with a larger island than we had anticipated. The addition on the rear of the house not only provided a seating area with views into the rear garden that we use on a daily basis, but included a very attractive raised ceiling and exterior architecture that continue to receive admiring comments from friends and visitors almost 20 years later. Erick's firm also recommended a new color scheme for the exterior of the house, which we adopted. Even now, from time to time complete strangers stop by to ask about the specifications of the paint colors because they find it so attractive and are considering doing something similar. Throughout the project Erick made great efforts to understand what we were looking for and present alternative options to achieve this, going through multiple iterations of the design as we refined the concept together, then producing a final design that satisfied our budget constraints. During construction, Erick visited the site on a regular basis and worked closely with the contractor to make sure that the work was being done in conformance with the design.”

studio M MERGE

Architects and Building Designers in Berkeley, CA

June 22, 2016

“Andrea designed a complete backyard remodel for us that involved extensive grading, hardscape and landscaping. The job turned out even better than expected and we constantly get accolades on the design. She chose the plants beautifully and 5 years out the yard looks better than ever and the plants have maintained and grown in even with restricted water use. I would highly recommend her and we plan to use her services again!”

Timothy J. Banuelos Architect

Architects and Building Designers in Berkeley, CA

July 13, 2020

“I have worked with Tim for 25 yrs.+ He is very thoughtful and sees the final "picture" from the beginning. He works well with me as the contractor with solutions needed for the projects. He is my 'go to architect for all my additions and remodels. Pete”

John Lum Architecture, Inc. AIA

Architects and Building Designers in Berkeley, CA

April 3, 2011

“We used John Lum Architecture for the complete remodel of ~1000 sq ft in San Francisco. John and team were fantastic to work with. Very creative yet good at listening to our thoughts and integrating our ideas. They understand how to both design a gorgeous contemporary space while still keeping it comfortable and livable. We depended on them with a lot of design detail recommendations such as fixtures, paint, tiles and they always had great suggestions that made the process much simpler and easy to manage. They are very professional, extremely responsive and timely. There were no surprises during the entire process including on deadlines and budgets. I would strongly recommend them.”

Marc Newman Architect

Architects and Building Designers in Berkeley, CA

March 14, 2021

“Excellent clear and honest communication. I look forward to working with Marc in the future. I would highly recommend Marc to anyone.”

Lorin Hill, Architect

Architects and Building Designers in Berkeley, CA

August 12, 2014

“We were terrified to finally remodel. Now we're halfway through the job, and I'm wondering how it could possibly be going so well? The answer: Lorin Hill, Architect, and his team. Ours is not a small job - we've excavated a basement; moved the kitchen, downstairs powder room, laundry room (which went from 1st to 2nd floor); and moved a lot of walls and reconfigured closets to dramatically improve our space. We didn't know where to bookend the project, and could see endless options for how to improve our home. We interviewed multiple architects - familiar names that had signs up on the best streets. It was immediately clear that Lorin was the architect for us - he took in the important character of the home (and setting/land, neighboring homes, and street), he saw how we could shape the project to make the most of our resources and opportunities, and his communication style was unmatched by larger and smaller specialty firms alike. He's insightful, funny, has decades of experience in his craft, and (this is where Lorin really hits it out of the park) his design eye is so excellent that he is saving us from hiring a host of other professionals to make our finished result truly sing. In some ways I'd love to keep Lorin Hill our little secret - I can count on only one hand the service providers that so exceed my expectations that their fees don't seem high enough for what they provide (note the design comment above, and he's smoothed enough husband/wife remodel debates - helping us each see logic - that we'll happily enjoy our home for years to come, marriage intact). If you're lucky enough to find Lorin Hill with a space in his schedule that fits your project, grab it. If we ever win the lottery and have unlimited funds, we'll be back to take up all the rest of Lorin's time.”

Steve Swearengen, AIA | the Architects office

Architects and Building Designers in Berkeley, CA

July 8, 2014

“Steve Swearengen is one of the best architects I know. As a business consultant I've worked with hundreds of architects over the years. Steve understands construction better than most and certainly works well with contractors and clients to get their dreams fulfilled. I highly recommend him to any contractor or homeowner who wants it a great job at a reasonable price.”

Ogle Design

Architects and Building Designers in Berkeley, CA

April 18, 2017

“Consistently refreshing creative architectural designs. William is a unique architect that understands deeply how to create highly functional buildings that are both efficient and gorgeous. Great work and extremely professional. Highly recommend.”

Design Draw Build

Architects and Building Designers in Berkeley, CA

November 7, 2016

“The Design Draw Build team, headed by Tyler Kobick, gave me the confidence to move forward with my SF-based kitchen/bathroom remodel. Not only have they been creative & transparent from day 1 around design, trade-offs and pricing, but their communication throughout the process has been extraordinary. If you're searching for a partner to guide you through the process, one that is innovative, cost effective, and works on your behalf as a fiduciary, look no further than Design Draw Build! Pre/post pictures to follow!”

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Is the scope of your home design project beyond simply replacing countertops or flooring? It’s the responsibility of a Berkeley home architect to transform human needs and desires into visual concepts and habitable structures. When you hire an architectural designer, you are not only hiring someone for their architectural services, but also to manage and coordinate other parties involved in the project. As you search through local Berkeley, CA architectural firms and designers, keep in mind the following tips to help you choose the perfect one:

How do I find the best Berkeley residential design architect for my project?

It is best to hire a home architect who will be involved in all phases of the design process, from the initial concept to the completed construction. They are often the first person you will hire for your project, and it's common for architects' contractors, or subcontractors, to prefer working with one another, which means better relationships and smoother work on your home. Interior architects are also involved in negotiating contracts for all involved participants, from builders, to engineers and even landscapers. It is for these reasons that it is extremely important for you to have a good relationship with the Berkeley residential architect you hire. He or she can be the tie-breaking vote between you and the general contractor and can be your biggest advocate during the construction process. Different residential architecture firms in Berkeley, CA provide different services, so the scope of the work can span from pre-design environmental impact studies to selecting furniture and finishes, depending on what your specific needs are.

What sort of process can I expect from a residential architect?

As far as the process goes, the architecture firm or individual that you choose will start with concept drawings and finish with construction drawings and documents. Some firms even design with 3D renderings and videos, but that should not be assumed. There should be plenty of meetings between you and your building designer until you have agreed upon a design that you are completely happy with. Always keep in mind that the designer will have building codes to follow, and likely pre-existing design limitations when dealing with a remodel, so while they might not be able to execute your exact ideas they always have your safety and aesthetics in mind. One of the most important duties of a residential architect is to serve as managers and supervise most aspects of construction, as well as facilitate communication between all other contractors, so you can expect them to be present throughout the entire building process to ensure everything is executed as planned.

It is very important to hire the right professional for the job. Remember that the most well-known or established designer might not provide the best architectural services for your needs. It all comes down to the individual project. Research and ask people whose work you like for recommendations. It's important to have somewhat of an idea of the style of house architecture that you prefer, as well as the amount you would like to spend. Residential architect's companies in Berkeley, CA are typically filled with employees that are natural problem solvers. They will assess the entire situation and help you to solve your problems too. Don't settle for a single company too early. Call and interview a few. Make sure that you feel like your personalities will mesh well and that you like their professional perspective.

Questions to ask prospective Berkeley interior architects:

What is your fee structure?
What does the cost include?
Do you have professional liability insurance?
Can you handle my special requests (ADA, LEED etc.)?
What types of renderings (3D, video, illustrative) will you produce?
What is your experience with similar projects?
When do you expect to start and be finished with the project?
What do your services include? (It's best that the services are until construction is completed.)
What happens when the cost exceeds the budget?
Can you provide me with references?
Would you say your work has a defining style? (This is important in case the architect's personal style will interfere with your vision.)
Will you help with hiring a general contractor and subcontractors?
What do you estimate the cost will be?
What will I need to provide?
Are there any complications you foresee with this project?

Find local architecture companies in Berkeley, CA on Houzz. Narrow your search in the Professionals section of the website to Berkeley architects. You may also look through photos of California projects to find interior architects and building designers who have worked on a project similar to yours.

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Before you hire an architect or building designer in Berkeley, California, shop through our network of over 6,141 local architects and building designers. Read through customer reviews, check out their past projects and then request a quote from the best architects and building designers near you. Finding architects and building designers in my area is easy on Houzz.