Mark A Cuellar, Design + Build

My family recently had the pleasure of working with Mark to remodel my home, and let me just say, the experience exceeded all of our expectations. From start to finish, Mark and his crew showcased professionalism, expertise, and a genuine commitment to transforming our space into something truly amazing. First and foremost, communication was impeccable. He promptly responded to all of our inquiries, ensuring that we were kept in the loop throughout the entire process. He took the time to listen to our ideas and vision, providing valuable insights and recommendations along the way. It was evident that he genuinely cared about bringing my family's dream home to life. When it came to the actual remodeling work, the craftsmanship was simply outstanding. From the smallest details to the larger projects, no stone was left unturned. He flawlessly executed each task, taking great care and attention to ensure that everything was perfect. We were particularly impressed with his ability to seamlessly blend functionality with aesthetic appeal, resulting in a space that not only looked beautiful but also served its purpose efficiently. His team was an absolute pleasure to work with. Each member displayed a high level of professionalism and skill, working diligently to complete the project within the agreed-upon time frame. They were respectful of my home, maintaining a clean and organized work environment throughout the entire process. One aspect that truly stood out was his commitment to quality. He used top-grade materials and employed the latest techniques, leaving no room for anything but excellence. The end result was a home that surpassed all of our expectations, exuding a sense of luxury and sophistication that we had always envisioned. Not only did he deliver an extraordinary final product, but he also proved to be trustworthy and reliable. Throughout the project, he kept me informed of any necessary changes or adjustments, always seeking our input before proceeding. This level of transparency and accountability instilled complete confidence in his work. In conclusion, hiring Mark for our home remodeling was a decision we will never regret. His unmatched professionalism, exceptional craftsmanship, and commitment to excellence transformed our house into a true dream home. We wholeheartedly recommend Mark to anyone seeking remodeling services, as he will undoubtedly exceed your expectations and leave you in awe of the incredible results.

Mark Cuellar has been excellent to work with! Not only does he always makes himself available to answer my questions, but he also has been a big help with design considerations for our new home addition and remodel project. I would recommend him to anyone that is looking for a knowledgeable Architect and Design professional to work with.

If there was an option to provide a higher rating I definitely would! Mark was a phenomenal architect to work with right from the beginning. He listened carefully to what we're were trying to achieve and provided feedback based on his expertise. I admired Mark's courage to challenge us in the design process and back it up with logical reasoning (and data where applicable). Our project entailed a remodel of an old home and due to the size, city code constraints and budget, Mark had to be very creative as to how he designed our home considering the limitations. It was evident that Mark was up for the challenge and Mark's work reflected that he had analyzed various solutions for our project. We were guided through the design process step-by-step and Mark was very prompt in responding to our questions - again, a characteristic that I appreciated because who likes waiting for a response? There aren't many professionals who can provide both a high caliber customer service AND subject matter expertise! If you're reading this review you should stop "shopping" for another architect and just contact Mark immediately! Take my word for it - you won't be disappointed!

Mark Cuellar is a brilliant architect, a joy to work with and a consummate professional. He has impeccable taste and exactly the clean, modern aesthetic we love. Working with Mark we were able to design a total makeover of our cramped and dark 1950 California Bungalow that transformed it into a light filled, modern loft like space - increasing our usable square footage and creating great flow without expanding the footprint. He’s basically a wizard We live in a Wildland Urban Interface Zone, which has many building restrictions. Mark navigated our town’s incredibly complicated code and permit process with great skill and patience, submitting drafts quickly when changes were required by the building department. He coordinated with structural engineers to get our dream project through a meticulous, fine tooth comb permit review, implementing structural framing upgrades and fire sprinklers that make our house the safest in the neighborhood (as well as the best looking). We so appreciated his sense of humor and steady presence when we decided to change contractors in the middle of our project - Mark calmly helped us through the transition and made sure no information was lost in translation. Mark is just great to work with. He was available every time I had a question and is super collaborative. I’m very interested in design and took a very active role in the project. Mark was skillful at both helping me decide between competing ideas in my head and introducing me to things I hadn’t considered. He has a great eye and I knew I could trust his choices. He always kept both our vision and the ultimate property value / future resale viability in mind, helping us make choices that would result in a house we love and also a house we could sell someday. Whether it was deciding on tile and finishes, explaining things we didn’t understand, giving smart design advice (like advocating for including a coat closet in our entry for future resale, that we now so appreciate putting our own coats in!), or graciously listening to our inexpert ideas and interpreting them beautifully in the plans, Mark always made us feel heard. I couldn’t be happier with our beautiful, new space. We love our house so much and our neighbors are blown away! I cannot recommend him highly enough - he is literally the best.

Mark is an extremely talented and collaborative architect. Throughout the process of designing our new home, Mark took the time to sit with us and understand how we would use the structure and grow in to it so we could live here for the long term. At the same time, Mark pushed back at the right times to make sure we kept the structure attractive to the outside world, preserving its value and keeping it in context with some very complex surroundings in our neighborhood. Mark has an uncommon vision for the future and was able to look at our empty square of land and "see" what the house would be like once it was finished. He designed a number of innovative features in to the building that capture unique views of the City, giving our visitors' "Oh, my God!" moments as they ascend the staircase, relax in our living room within a cantilevered corner of the building, and relax outside on numerous terraced decks. As a true testament to Mark's work, it was not uncommon for us to have 3-4 unsolicited offers to buy/rent our building in a single weekend, during a recession, and before construction was even finished!

Mark designed an addition for our house in a historic district of Chicago that more than doubled the size of the house (effectively a new house). Three years in, the house is great and we still get compliments from neighbors who believe it enhances their home values. The biggest compliment is that the rooms in the old house are delightfully furnished and have high ceilings and great windows (one, a fireplace) but we spend most of our time in the new addition - which also has high ceilings, a fireplace, a second story deck and a great first floor round-the-house deck. Thanks Mark, our loss is LA's gain. Dan & Madonna