Z+ Architects, LLC

Can’t thank Mary, Mike and the entire team enough for completing our project- especially during COVID-19. They’re renderings allowed us to really envision the end result. They met with us after hours several times as the project changed…sorry but thanks!!Helped us manage through some challenging borough issues. Our contractor, whom they provided through a multi contractor bid process, told us they routinely reached out to Mary for structural questions and challenges that they only discovered when they opened up the walls. It’s nice to have a local team to lean on when you have a ton of questions. Thanks Z+!!

Z+ Architects designed our brand new beach house starting in Fall 2019. They came highly recommended by a local contractor. We worked closely via face to face meetings then shifted to Zoom meetings once the pandemic hit. They worked very efficiently through phone calls, emails, and text messages. We broke ground in August 2020 and moved in this July 2021. We are extremely happy with the design and how it all came together quickly and with only minor tweaks. Mary and her crew were very open to listen to our ideas and changes. They also worked very closely with a local builder who was able to execute the plans extremely well. We now have a beautiful home that we can't wait to share with friends and family. If there's a negative, and it isn't really a negative, people stop and stare at our house every day. It's almost embarrassing how much attention it has garnered in town. Z+ should be very proud of their work. We love it!

Picture you have an idea for a dream home in mind but that you and your significant other have different style preferences. Z+ was able to take our different ideas and blend them into a design that in the end completely exceeded both of our expectations. The interiors team completed the project, making an equally challenging process smooth and rewarding. I cannot express how delighted we are with the entire experience and would highly recommend Mike, Mary and the team at Z+. If you’re looking for something unique and for a team of people who are meticulous and care as much as you do, look no further.

Really disappointed with Z+ on my project. First, Mike and team scheduled a call 3 weeks after signed contract and then pushed out another 4 weeks to show our first 2 Initial set of SD drawings in Mid Jan 2021. Once we received the initial drawings we quickly realized that everything we discussed 2 months ago Mike and Team had forgotten including positioning of the front door on the lot. Both set of drawings were not useable and we requested they fix the orientation like we discussed many times and the site plan also stated. Finally, after another 3 weeks we received 1 drawing and not the 2 stated concept drawings in the contract. We continued the project to let Z+ know exactly our amendments and they continued to drag their feet item by item. When we almost completed our list of items sent on our first review they again sent us 2 hand drawn sets without any dimensions. We were confused and started to again send them feedback of all the work we already did to revert back to nearly finished SD phase and that’s when new invoices started to come in for additional services that we never asked for. That’s when I realized Z+ is using the drawings to pad the invoices under the “Additional Services” section that includes verbiage of change in scope (which never happened from our side). I had lost all trust now that the project was not within time or within budget with Z+. Also, they never returned the retainer. As stated various architects in the area - Both parties should always agree to the work performed under “Additional Services” section before work starts. I hope Z+ stops this unethical practice.

Z+ Architecture (Mike & Amanda) designed an amazing ground up new build home for exactly the way we wanted to live. My wife and I were both very happy with the experience of working with Z+. We also hired Z+ Interiors and they worked seamlessly together. More detail below but in summary we highly recommend them. In terms of choosing Z+, after meeting multiple architects and visiting homes they designed, we went with Z+ because we not only liked their exteriors, we really liked the flow of the houses they designed. We also felt comfortable we could work well together and we did. Mike helped set expectations, got the process started, and leveraged his experience. Amanda was great about distilling from our inspiration photos to some of the architectural details we were drawn to. Each wave of the plans we got even more excited about what we were seeing. We gave clear direction at the outset about what we wanted and they did a great job incorporating those needs. They gave us options along the way and they explored one or two variations in areas where we weren’t sure which direction made the most sense. That allowed us to confidently make those decisions. Z+ Architecture was great to work with. The architectural work cost what they said it would. Be clear about wants/needs/uncertainties. When needing advice it was helpful to ask Mike if it were his house, what decision he would make. We LOVE our house and strongly recommend Z+ Architecture. Z+ Interiors was also A+!

Z+ has an eye that not many architects have. Their homes catch the eye of anyone who passes them. I had the pleasure of working on a commercial project with them, and will soon have them do my home. Their team works effortlessly together to accomplish your goals. In addition their eye for design is top notch.

We had the challenge of turning a 1960's non-descript home into a New England style charmer. We met with Mike and instantly felt like he understood our vision. We had a rather quirky time line (due to personal circumstances) and had to do the project in multiple phases. Mike and Amanda were patient with our frequent changes and supported us throughout all of the phases of our project. They offered several options and helped us make great choices based on our budget. They also helped us navigate the variance process. Mary also supported us with structural questions throughout the construction process! We are so thrilled with the end result!

Z+ was the first architect we met with when starting our project, which was initially a remodel and later became a whole new construction. We hit it off immediately with Mike and never even bothered to meet with another. As mentioned, our project started as a remodel of a modular home. Mike and Amanda brought a ton of creativity to the job, dealing with the nuances of modifying a modular build and also significant zoning constraints. We were excited with the final design and were about to submit the plans when another new construction opportunity came up. Now we’re in progress on the new build and couldn’t be happier with how it’s turning out. Mike and Amanda have guided us through a litany of decisions. They seem to always know what we’re looking for and can explain trade offs really well, particularly for novices like us. We’ve also enjoyed the support of Mary for interiors. Initially we thought we’d handle that on our own but we’re quickly overwhelmed by the magnitude of decisions we needed to make. Mary was very flexible on how we could work with her, which allowed us to remain very involved in picking things out while having her guidance throughout. We’re excited to see the project completed. Would highly recommend the team at Z+.

We found our way to Z Plus after seeing a renovation that they did on a house in Allendale that was part of the annual Ridgewood House Tour. I loved the originality and high quality of the details and thought Mike Scro would be useful to speak with about our project. We had a ground up project and had never built a house before. Mike was able to really hear what we were after and deliver our true dream house. After the plans were set, he helped us find our way to an excellent builder who we have recommended several times since. An important part of our experience was hiring Mary Scro and Ioana to help us design the interior. The thoughtful, collaborative process was a true pleasure and we felt that their attention to detail as well as their good instincts and responsiveness made for an excellent overall experience. I would wholeheartedly recommend Z Plus (and have:)!

I am a custom home builder/developer and have worked with the Z+ team on a number of projects. The team's ability to work collaboratively with clients and design team professionals (engineers, designers, landscape architects, etc.) has been a tremendous asset to all of the projects we have worked on together. They have a unique ability to listen and understand their clients' goals and desires, and create designs that coordinate the visions of all involved, particularly those of the client. We've worked successfully together on some very difficult properties requiring unique design solutions. I would not hesitate to recommend Z+ to anyone looking for an architect with the ability to listen, provide creative designs and work through both the design and construction phases of a project as a true team member.

I’m a builder in Bergen County and I have now built 2 complete homes with Z+. We wanted to build homes with a more contemporary exterior aesthetic, with great flow and space internally. We achieved both those goals and the process from beginning to end was both enjoyable and seamless. We look forward to many more successful projects working together and highly recommend Z+ Architects.

BCUW Madeline Housing Partners has completed several senior, veteran and special needs housing developments with Z+ Architects. They understand the needs of the individuals with disabilities that we serve and have used innovative designs to meet those needs. We look forward to continuing to work together to create more ground-breaking housing for people facing challenges to living independently. I highly recommend Z+.