Allbright Bullock Architects

We asked David Bullock to help us with a total renovation of our waterfront house and are very pleased with his eye for design and attention to detail. He listened carefully to our design and functional desires while working to finalize and tweak our design. His knowledge of the building codes and structural requirements helped us sail through the permitting process without any delays. We also asked David to help with periodic site inspections and review of the contractor's work during the construction phase, which was money well spent. We love that he was always available and responsive if we had questions or concerns throughout the project. On a personal basis, we found him to be professional, friendly, down to earth and truly interested in the success of the project. A pleasure to work with.

We could not be happier with the expertise and service from Allbright-Bullock Architects. They are a full-service architectural firm but with a very hands-on touch and exceptional responsiveness. Probably most importantly, they listen to their clients and do an amazing job of interpreting their desires/demands into something sophisticated yet cost effective, helping to make those trade-offs that result in the best bang per buck in terms of style and buildability. They also work very well with the trades and provide excellent project management support for the homeowner as a very effective check and balance on the general contractor and/or subcontractor. We did our first renovation (tighter budget and time frame) with them over a decade ago, and had our choice of firms during the most recent renovation. We could not be happier with our choice to continue with them. They have an amazing range of design capability and styles (customize for each site and customer/no specific style that brands a home per so), and are able to combine their knowledge of construction code requirements, structural engineering constraints/concerns and design criteria effortlessly. Besides all that, David and Kirk are just great people, and an absolute pleasure with which to work!

We found Kirk when we were trying to make our mid-60s colonial fit our lifestyle. We love our neighborhood and didn't want to move but needed sheltered outdoor living space and a lot of updating inside. I wasn't sure that Kirk would be interested in our project as it seemed different than the type of his work I was seeing in magazines, but Kirk explained he had completely remodeled his own home and enjoyed these types of projects. We invited him to come over and take a look and he walked through the house with us and then sat down and really listened to how we live and what we wanted in a home. Kirk designed a large screened porch for us, removing a bay window and replacing it with French doors and side windows to keep lots of light on the back side of the house. He reconfigured the bedrooms, turning the old master into a large office (I work from home several days each week) with French doors that open onto a new deck. The small master bath became the guest bath, with a new access from the hallway. We also added new windows throughout the house and updated the kitchen wiring and lighting. Kirk also designed a new master suite with master bath and two walk-in closets. He worked with our budget and helped us break the construction into two phases that made everything -- from paying for the work to living in the house during construction -- very manageable. He also handled all the permits and helped us select a contractor -- the excellent Matt Ellison Custom Homes. We love coming home to a space that works for us. I say often that there is nothing I would do differently -- I'm still thrilled one year after phase one is complete!

We have worked with Kirk and David on two occasions, the first time for a front elevation/kitchen remodel in 2008/9 and the second time for a second story addition in 2012/13. We initially met in person to discuss ideas, scope, and budget. We then managed communications by email. Kirk and David readily answered our questions within a short amount of time and made modifications to plans within the time frame they advised. We greatly enjoyed the collaboration. Kirk and David contributed many architectural details that have enhanced our home and were also open to our ideas in terms of design and functionality. Kirk was also very helpful when it came time to bid the project, and together with the contractor our new kitchen was awarded an Award of Excellence by the Maryland Home Builders Association.

David Bullock provided architectural services for full interior renovation of our 1950s vintage Cape Cod style home. Our design goals were met, opening the house to an open floor plan. He designed beautiful interior details, columns, finish trim. The architectural details, scale and proportion preserved the character of the home, while adding a richness that wasn't there originally. It no longer looks like a mass produced tract home. We added a degree of sound proofing to isolate the owner's suite from the main living spaces. This design was done with a keen attention to the budget. The transformation was amazing. The energy envelope was also improved with advanced air sealing and additional insulation cutting our heating and cooling bills to a very low level thanks to Bullocks LEED knowledge. Unfortunately, the scope of the project needed to be reduced for budget reasons. However, the very detailed plans and specs will guide further renovation phases as funds become available. The detailed plans and specs allowed for good communication with the general contractor and also provided for smooth construction. There were few unknowns going into the project. There were very few change orders needed, which also saved us considerably. We had a tight budget and David's attention to detail helped us to get a quality project.

We had just purchased a very prominent corner lot in the Historic District of Lewes, DE. While looking through magazine after magazine, we came across an award feature displaying a house designed by Kirk Allbright. After seeing the house he had renovated for himself in Severna Park, we knew we had the Architect to design our cottage. Kirk and David carefully listened to our thoughts on how we envisioned our new home, and our budget requirements, and simply hit the ball out of the park. The result was a home that has been featured in both House and Christmas Tours in Lewes, and lives like a dream.