How is Prentiss Balance Wickline Architects rated?

Prentiss Balance Wickline Architects is currently rated 4.7 overall out of 5

Prentiss Balance Wickline Architects

Q: What services does Prentiss Balance Wickline Architects provide?

Prentiss Balance Wickline Architects provides the following services: Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), Architectural Design, Architectural Drawings, Attic Conversion, Barn Design & Construction, Basement Design, Basement Remodeling, Bathroom Design, Building Design, Custom Homes, Deck Design, Energy-Efficient Homes, Floor Plans, Garage Design, Green Building, Guesthouse Design & Construction, Handicap-Accessible Design, Home Additions, Home Extensions, Home Gym Design & Construction, Home Remodeling, House Plans, Kitchen Design, Kitchen Remodeling, Landscape Plans, Laundry Room Design, Modular Home Additions, Mudroom Design, Multigenerational Homes, Outdoor Kitchen Design, Pool House Design & Construction, Prefab Houses, Space Planning, Staircase Design, Sustainable Design, Universal Design, Construction Drawings, New Home Design, Custom Home Design, Remodel Design, Home Remodeling Design, Bathroom Remodel Design, Kitchen Remodel Design

Q: Where does Prentiss Balance Wickline Architects provide services?

Prentiss Balance Wickline Architects provides services in the following areas: Bainbridge Island, Ballard, Beacon Hill, Beaux Arts Village, Bellevue, Bothell, Bryn Mawr-Skyway, Burien, Clyde Hill, Eastgate, Fairmount Park, Gatewood, Hunts Point, Indianola, Inglewood-Finn Hill, Kenmore, Kingsgate, Kirkland, Lake Forest Park, Manchester, Medina, Mercer Island, Mill Creek, Newcastle, North Beacon Hill, Rainier Valley, Redmond, Renton, Riverview, Rollingbay, Seattle, Shoreline, South Colby, Southworth, Suquamish, Tukwila, White Center, Woodinville, Yarrow Point, Nationwide, Methow Valley, Winthrop, San Juan Islands, Friday Harbor, Mazama

15 Reviews

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Architects

2 Hires on Houzz

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About Us

31 years in business

Eco-friendly

14x Best of Houzz winner

Seattle Architects - Finding Balance Between Beauty & Utility

We design with the belief that nothing is impossible, and temper it with good old-fashioned pragmatism, embracing both big ideas and intricate details. Taking into account location, context, and other inherent attributes of a specific project, we strive to create a balanced whole, integrating the structure and the environment. We consider the interplay between inside and outside, light and shadow, aesthetics and utility, carefully selecting materials that harmonize with nature, prioritizing efficiency and sustainability. Most importantly, we look for opportunities to bring joy and unanticipated delight into the spaces we create as well as into the process that gets us there. This should be fun— after all, we are building dreams.

Services Provided

Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), Architectural Design, Architectural Drawings, Attic Conversion, Barn Design & Construction, Basement Design, Basement Remodeling, Bathroom Design, Building Design, Custom Homes, Deck Design, Energy-Efficient Homes, Floor Plans, Garage Design, Green Building, Guesthouse Design & Construction, Handicap-Accessible Design, Home Additions, Home Extensions, Home Gym Design & Construction, Home Remodeling, House Plans, Kitchen Design, Kitchen Remodeling, Landscape Plans, Laundry Room Design, Modular Home Additions, Mudroom Design, Multigenerational Homes, Outdoor Kitchen Design, Pool House Design & Construction, Prefab Houses, Space Planning, Staircase Design, Sustainable Design, Universal Design, Construction Drawings, New Home Design, Custom Home Design, Remodel Design, Home Remodeling Design, Bathroom Remodel Design, Kitchen Remodel Design

Areas Served

Bainbridge Island, Ballard, Beacon Hill, Beaux Arts Village, Bellevue, Bothell, Bryn Mawr-Skyway, Burien, Clyde Hill, Eastgate, Fairmount Park, Gatewood, Hunts Point, Indianola, Inglewood-Finn Hill, Kenmore, Kingsgate, Kirkland, Lake Forest Park, Manchester, Medina, Mercer Island, Mill Creek, Newcastle, North Beacon Hill, Rainier Valley, Redmond, Renton, Riverview, Rollingbay, Seattle, Shoreline, South Colby, Southworth, Suquamish, Tukwila, White Center, Woodinville, Yarrow Point, Nationwide, Methow Valley, Winthrop, San Juan Islands, Friday Harbor, Mazama

Awards

79 Projects

Boathouse

Wallingford

Seattle, WA

1950s brown one-story wood house exterior idea in Seattle with a shed roof and a metal roof

Wildflower

Winthrop, WA

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Business Details

Business Name

Prentiss Balance Wickline Architects

Phone Number

(206) 283-9930

Website

www.pbwarchitects.com

Address

224 W Galer
Seattle, WA 98119

Followers

1,576 Followers

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Featured Review

Ballard Cut owner

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15 Reviews for Prentiss Balance Wickline Architects

Newest first

4.7|15 reviews

Work Quality

4.4

Communication

4.2

Value

4.2

David and Patti Wessner

Working with PBW was a total value added experience. The process was professional and fun and the results were beyond our expectations. Our appreciation of the design of our home is only growing with time.

June 8, 2023

stillwaterproject

Balance Associates (now merged into PBW) designed our house in Montana and supervised its construction. They have continued to support small associated projects on the property. The house is beautiful, functional, and energy efficient. PBW is always responsive. We couldn't be happier with our experience with PBW.

June 7, 2023

Chun Ng

Tom Lenchek and Kelby Riegsecker were my architects on the remodel. Ten years later, the house works as well for us as it did when it was first completed. Tom and Kelby listened to our family's needs and designed the perfect home for us by hearing our ideas and input. They were responsive and we felt we were the most important clients they had. The amount of oohs and aahs we've had over the past ten years from visitors are uncountable. Small design details become apparent and greatly appreciated after we have lived here and enjoyed the house.

June 1, 2023

Kim Leatham

Was a complete pleasure to work with PBW! Easy to communicate, always on the same page. They totally got our “program “ of living in this space and then exceeded our expectations at that! Their projects speak for themselves Ours is a masterpiece , or as someone said, a “jewelbox”(small and perfectly beautiful!) Their website has fabulous photos of this project

May 24, 2023

SCL

Between 2022 and 2023 I spent about a year and around $160k with PBW to be told that our Seattle area residential new construction project was going to be 50% (at least) over the budget we had discussed when I began working with them. If I had gone through with the project, I estimate that I would have had an asset worth around 2mil less than what I had paid for it in total, unless the real estate market were to go to the moon again like 2020-2022, but that's purely speculative. Thankfully I cut ties with them before any physical work had been done, and for my money I now have a few worthless design pdf's. I realize construction costs have taken off in recent years, and this is certainly not PBW's fault, but I never would have anticipated such blatant disregard for a budget. I can't be alone in my experience with them, and I tip my hat to those with the kind of wealth it would take to shrug their shoulders in such a situation, pull out their checkbooks, and say, "well, whatever it takes." In a place like Western Washington there are absolutely enough people who fit this description to keep PBW going well into the future, but for the rest of us - be warned. I'm not sure how I could have protected myself from being in this situation prior to beginning work with PBW. Architecture firms have ballpark estimates for cost per sq ft they will discuss with you, but they will tell you that they can't give you a specific quote for a project until they design it. Unfortunately, this process is very costly and time consuming, and in the end the firm certainly has no contractual or financial incentive to stay on budget. I leave this review as a warning to anyone considering working with them in the future.

May 21, 2023

Comment from Prentiss Balance Wickline Architects:

Balancing scope, desires, and budget is an important and challenging aspect of our job. We have a long history of successfully considering all these aspects in our work across a wide range of budgets and program requirements. During the time of this project, however, a volatile construction market with unprecedented increases in construction prices made it difficult for everyone in the industry to predict costs. On the occasion that a builder’s estimate is different than expectations we go through an exercise to identify places where a project can be scaled back to achieve similar results with less expense. In a situation such as this one we would offer those services at no cost to find a way forward. We remain open to this possibility. Our expectation is to see all our projects to completion, and we too are disappointed in this outcome. Please reach out to us if you would like to talk further.

Quantum Windows & Doors

The team at Prentiss Balance Wickline Associates Architects continues to send projects our way, each one more unique, challenging and fascinating than the next! We are blessed to have them in the Pacific Northwest as they contribute significantly and consistently to our design community. A truly inspiring group of professionals, and we are delighted to have a long standing, solid working relationship with the team at PBW.

March 6, 2015Last modified:September 19, 2016

dschooler

My wife and I own Wolf Creek Cabin. The design fits our tastes and needs exceptionally well. Everyone at Balance listened carefully listened to what we wanted and the styles we liked. Our home is simple, beautiful, practical and easy to maintain. Its placement takes excellent advantage of the site and, in part because of that, little of the site was disturbed during construction. It has great views and takes advantage of sun angles. The specifications were very detailed and the Balance architects paid exacting attention to construction. Balance Architects is the best combination of creativity, detail and follow-through I have ever experienced.

November 6, 2013Last modified:December 26, 2013

petric1

I am just completing a new house project in Ketchikan Alaska, designed by Geoff Prentiss. The house has surpassed my expectations significantly; Geoff has an extremely keen design sense matching the structure very well to the site , climate, and my needs. Was able to incorporate much local wood that I supplied; this was key for me. (I cut siding, beams, decking, interior slabs, and interior trim.) Contrasting of local traditional materials with modern alternatives came out looking great, to the surprise of the builders.

July 23, 2013

gcozette

Wow, when the first sketches arrived from Balance Associates several months after we completed the architect's questionnaire, we were blown away by how completely Balance Associates fulfilled our dreams and aspirations for a cabin in northern Michigan. The Balance design team created a light, airy, compact cabin that interrelates closely to its natural surroundings. The more time we’ve spent living in this cabin, the more we’ve grown to appreciate its functional utility, handsome birch finishes, black steel railings, certified sustainable ipe deck, and open spaces that reach into nature. Despite a building footprint of only 22’x24’, the top floor living/kitchen/dining area extends through glass windows on to a broad cantilevered deck, with sight lines extending still further across the treetops, lake, and hills beyond. As one travels through the open stair case that links the three floors, each turn offers views into surrounding nature through thoughtfully placed windows. Consequently, movement between the floors awakens the senses to intrinsic beauty both within and without. This Balance cabin is a wonderfully livable space from top to bottom. An essential partner in this project was Luke Gingerich of Golden Rule Construction, whose skills as a craftsman general contractor brought the Balance Associates design to life. With 2,000 miles between Balance in Seattle and the builder in Michigan, the builder attributed a smooth construction process to Balance's highly professional blueprints, internet and phone contact the Balance project architect to solve occasional problems, and a pre, mid, and post-construction site visit by the Balance Associates principal.

July 22, 2013Last modified:July 22, 2013

falenleaf

When we decided to build a cabin on the Olympic peninsula we researched architects thoroughly. We interviewed some of the finest architects in Seattle (and there are many) and decided unequivocally on Tom Lenchek and his firm, Balance Associates. The experience was thoroughly enjoyable and professional throughout. We had tough county restrictions which severely limited our building footprint and Tom shepherded us through the variance process. We then had various mitigation factors thrown at us by the county and Tom once again handled all the hoops we had to jump through. We had delays caused by Federal and local government as well as Tacoma Power and Tom stayed with us, always committed to the project. His design of the house was everything we had hoped for and more. There is a wow factor with the home that is unmistakably Tom's. His firm worked hand in hand with the contractor, it couldn't have been a better relationship. We trust his skill and artistry, his judgement and integrity. We are thrilled to have a Tom Lenchek home.

June 24, 2013Last modified:July 22, 2013

Ballard Cut owner

We had our beautiful contemporary home built by Prentiss Architects. We build a home on a bluff that takes advantage of the water views from every room. With the second floor on a different angle than the first floor, the view from every room is different. We have a wonderful green/sedum roof over the garage which I can walk onto and view from my office every day. Prentiss asked us to write up our dream home at the beginning of the project - when we reviewed it upon completion, it was exactly what we asked for. When you hire an architect, you better like them because they will become part of the family - Geoff is now considered very much part of our family. We had a wonderful experience. Geoff has a keen eye for colors and making the inside go out and the outside come into a room. He helped us with our landscaping plans as well as all of the interior planning....we used milestone on the floors and countertops in the kitchen and bathrooms which we absolutely love. Once construction started, we were done in the 12 months promised within budget - Dovetail, our contractor and Prentiss worked really well together to tie up loose ends as they were discovered over the course of the project. These two companies had never worked together before so I give them both lots of credit to get the job done on time and in budget.... I would include some pictures but I don't know how .......

April 30, 2013Last modified:May 1, 2013

R B

Prentiss Architects remodeled our home five years ago. The square footage only increased about 300 feet yet it feels it increased by 1000 feet. Most of the work was done on the top floor where the living room, kitchen and dining area are located. But, by making small changes on the other two floors Geoff unified them with the top floor giving the entire house a new and more contemporary look and feel. He made recommendations on innovative yet reasonably priced materials . For example we covered the exterior of the house in cymbonet, a rain screen and we have end cut bamboo cabinets. We love the work Geoff Prentiss did on our remodel and would used him again.

April 29, 2013Last modified:May 1, 2013

Ross Yearsley

Prentiss Architects took my low ceilinged, drab, 70's era basement and re-imagined it into a delightful, modern light filled living space. The remodel is anchored around an open shower contained by a stunning glass wall. I love the fact that Prentiss was able to play new high end elements against existing features, such as the way they designed a bamboo folded staircase set against an old concrete wall. Exposed 100 year old beams play harmoniously with white sheet rocked walls and nuanced overhead lighting. I've got everything I need! Master bedroom, master bath and media room, plus cleverly concealed existing storage behind a seamless barn door. Prentiss Architects is able to solve problems quickly, pragmatically and harmoniously! I would recommend them to anyone looking to enhance their living space no matter how big or small, whether it is a kitchen remodel or your new dream house!

April 26, 2013Last modified:May 1, 2013

orcashome

There is magic that happens when a firm can combine a design aesthetic built on personality, knowledge and listening skills along with care, creativity and communication. Prentiss Architects designed our San Juan Islands retreat from site selection to house-warming weekend! They did such a fantastic job we asked them to work on our Seattle house remodel - which we (and our neighbors who point to how it retained the neighborhood feel) absolutely love!

April 8, 2013Last modified:May 1, 2013

shaunalice

Professional, friendly, skilled, clever -- that's how I would describe the experience of working with Prentiss Architects. In any design project, problems come up, but it is how the problems are solved that is telling. We walked away happy. We are proud of and are still in love with our house in the San Juan Islands, 10 years later.

March 20, 2013Last modified:March 22, 2013

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480 Comments

Commented: Brand and stain color for soffits/ceilingHello! This is a clear finish rather than a stain. Unfortunately the formula for the product used on this project changed and we no longer see these kinds of results -- there have been a number of cha...

May 17, 2023

Commented: Flooring IdentificationHello Dylan, thanks for the question. Because of the nature of our partnership with Method Homes, we aren't typically involved in the selection of interior finishes like flooring; however, it looks li...

April 9, 2023

Commented: Floor wood and finish?Hello Dylan. Unfortunately I don't have great records for this project available, but the initial selection for this flooring was oak. Most likely this is what was installed (or something similar).

April 9, 2023

Commented: is the wood faux or a species?Hi Eric, if you're referring to the soffits, that is fir (matching the interior ceilings). If you're referring to the siding, that's clear cedar. Both are real wood -- we do not use faux wood products...

March 22, 2023

Commented: What kind of wood panel is this?Hello, thanks for the question. These are 1x4 fir boards, same as the interior ceiling.

February 22, 2023

Commented: do you climb over the bed to make it?Sorry we missed your question at first! The end of the bed is against the wall, yes, but the head of the bed is open -- sort of the reverse of what you might traditionally see. The whole thing is buil...

February 18, 2023

Prentiss Balance Wickline Architects