*The Angi rating for Architectural Service companies in Los Alamitos, CA is a rating based on verified reviews from our community of homeowners who have used these pros to meet their Architectural Service needs.
*The HomeAdvisor rating for Architectural Service companies in Los Alamitos, CA is a rating based on verified reviews from our community of homeowners who have used these pros to meet their Architectural Service needs.
Last update on July 18, 2025
Opulent Design Build is Orange County's premier design-build company. We take the complicated process of home design, building and remodeling and make it an experience that you will love! There's no need to fear the design and construction process. We personally handle every aspect of the design, permitting and construction project process. Opulent Design Build is truly a one-stop design-build company.
Opulent Design Build is Orange County's premier design-build company. We take the complicated process of home design, building and remodeling and make it an experience that you will love! There's no need to fear the design and construction process. We personally handle every aspect of the design, permitting and construction project process. Opulent Design Build is truly a one-stop design-build company.
Building More Than Homes, We Build Legacies: A Family Tradition 15 Years Strong For over 15 years, D2A Construction hasn't just been a construction company - it's been a family legacy. Founded by B. Ben-Or, he poured his heart and expertise into building not just structures, but places where families could thrive. Today, that same passion burns bright in the next generation, carrying forward the tradition of exceptional craftsmanship and genuine care. We understand that building a home is more than bricks and mortar. It's about creating a safe haven, a space filled with laughter, love, and memories that will last a lifetime. That's why we approach every project with the utmost care and dedication, ensuring that your dream home is built to the highest standards and reflects the unique character of your family. We are licensed, bonded, and insured, but what truly sets us apart is the family guarantee. We treat your project as if it were our own, because in a way, it is. We're invested in your vision and committed to making your dream a reality, together. Let us help you build not just a house, but a legacy for generations to come. Contact us today and experience the D2A Construction difference.
"Our backyard remodel with D2A Construction was a fantastic experience. Dani was our point person and made everything so easy. He was professional, patient, and made sure we were comfortable with every decision. The crew worked quickly but never rushed, focusing on quality and details. From the new patio stones to the outdoor kitchen area, everything was executed perfectly. Communication was excellent, and we never felt out of the loop. The site was always clean, and the whole process felt seamless with no hidden fees or surprises. Definitely recommend them for anyone looking for quality and professionalism!"
Lance C on July 2025
Building More Than Homes, We Build Legacies: A Family Tradition 15 Years Strong For over 15 years, D2A Construction hasn't just been a construction company - it's been a family legacy. Founded by B. Ben-Or, he poured his heart and expertise into building not just structures, but places where families could thrive. Today, that same passion burns bright in the next generation, carrying forward the tradition of exceptional craftsmanship and genuine care. We understand that building a home is more than bricks and mortar. It's about creating a safe haven, a space filled with laughter, love, and memories that will last a lifetime. That's why we approach every project with the utmost care and dedication, ensuring that your dream home is built to the highest standards and reflects the unique character of your family. We are licensed, bonded, and insured, but what truly sets us apart is the family guarantee. We treat your project as if it were our own, because in a way, it is. We're invested in your vision and committed to making your dream a reality, together. Let us help you build not just a house, but a legacy for generations to come. Contact us today and experience the D2A Construction difference.
"Our backyard remodel with D2A Construction was a fantastic experience. Dani was our point person and made everything so easy. He was professional, patient, and made sure we were comfortable with every decision. The crew worked quickly but never rushed, focusing on quality and details. From the new patio stones to the outdoor kitchen area, everything was executed perfectly. Communication was excellent, and we never felt out of the loop. The site was always clean, and the whole process felt seamless with no hidden fees or surprises. Definitely recommend them for anyone looking for quality and professionalism!"
Lance C on July 2025
We are a full service Architectural and Structural Engineering family-owned company and believe that quality, honesty, and fair pricing are the cornerstones to a trusting working relationship between home owner and engineer. Architectural and Structural Engineering Solutions For: --ADU's --New Home Design & Construction --2nd Floor Additions --Decks and Patio Covers --Retaining Walls and Basements --Home Design on Hillsides --All residential and commercial needs for Architectural and Structural Engineering We are a Christian based engineering company and conduct our business with the utmost ethics. We operate our business on a lump price fee. With this price, you don’t end up paying for change orders or comments back from the city. Our lump sum fee includes getting you all the way to permit. We will provide you with clean, clear, and professional looking architectural and structural engineering plans and calculations for both your contractor and for submission to your city agency. We also serve many realtors as well providing structural engineering assessment for properties either during a pre-approval process or during their contingency period to ensure the home being purchased is structurally adequate with no major issues. We chose to work in this industry because we want our customers to obtain their dreams. Your home is your sanctuary. Make your home the way you want it and work with a company that values trust, integrity, and quality.
"Jonathon was great. We had a serious accident at our house that required a structural assessment. He responded right away and came within hours. He was knowledgeable and had great advice. He was able to bring in the right resources to get our work done quickly, which helped us out a lot."
Wyatt G on February 2025
We are a full service Architectural and Structural Engineering family-owned company and believe that quality, honesty, and fair pricing are the cornerstones to a trusting working relationship between home owner and engineer. Architectural and Structural Engineering Solutions For: --ADU's --New Home Design & Construction --2nd Floor Additions --Decks and Patio Covers --Retaining Walls and Basements --Home Design on Hillsides --All residential and commercial needs for Architectural and Structural Engineering We are a Christian based engineering company and conduct our business with the utmost ethics. We operate our business on a lump price fee. With this price, you don’t end up paying for change orders or comments back from the city. Our lump sum fee includes getting you all the way to permit. We will provide you with clean, clear, and professional looking architectural and structural engineering plans and calculations for both your contractor and for submission to your city agency. We also serve many realtors as well providing structural engineering assessment for properties either during a pre-approval process or during their contingency period to ensure the home being purchased is structurally adequate with no major issues. We chose to work in this industry because we want our customers to obtain their dreams. Your home is your sanctuary. Make your home the way you want it and work with a company that values trust, integrity, and quality.
"Jonathon was great. We had a serious accident at our house that required a structural assessment. He responded right away and came within hours. He was knowledgeable and had great advice. He was able to bring in the right resources to get our work done quickly, which helped us out a lot."
Wyatt G on February 2025
Eco Home Builders is a premier remodeling company proudly serving San Diego and Orange County, known for transforming homes with timeless design, expert craftsmanship, and seamless project management. From luxury kitchens to full-scale renovations, we handle every detail with care — and offer exclusive access to hundreds of premium finish options at our Amaro Design Center. KITCHEN REMODELING Custom kitchen remodels designed around your lifestyle — featuring luxury cabinetry, high-end countertops, layout reconfigurations, smart appliances, and flawless craftsmanship. BATHROOM RENOVATION Spa-style bathrooms with walk-in showers, soaking tubs, floating vanities, designer tile, and aging-in-place options for long-term comfort and elegance. ADU CONSTRUCTION Detached ADUs, garage conversions, and above-garage units — all built to California code for multigenerational living or rental income. WHOLE HOME REMODELING Complete home transformations with open-concept living, cohesive design, structural upgrades, and premium materials throughout. ROOM ADDITIONS Master suites, second stories, family rooms, and more — beautifully integrated into your home’s existing structure for added space and value. INTERIOR & EXTERIOR RENOVATIONS High-end flooring, windows, doors, paint, stucco, roofing, siding, and energy-efficient exterior upgrades. DESIGN-BUILD SERVICES Our in-house team handles everything — from planning and permitting to build-out and finishing touches. Clients can visit our exclusive Amaro Design Center to choose from hundreds of curated styles, finishes, and materials. Free In-Home Consultations | Personalized Design | Access to Amaro Design Center We bring expert project managers to your door — to measure, design, and guide your remodel with precision and care.
"From drab to fabulous! Eco home Builders did a fantastic job on my main bathroom remodel. I'm a Real Estate Broker and have gone through countless remodels and contractors over the past two decades. Eden did a wonderful job managing the project. Always communicating and being available through the whole project was a huge plus. The contractors did an outstanding job and really paid attention to detail. A lot of large tile pieces went into this project, and I was in very impressed with their skill. We were also impressed with their cabinet maker who did a great job basically building a beautiful piece of art. The project basically went off without a flaw on time and on budget. I would highly recommend Eco Home Builders to anyone thinking of doing any sort of remodel project, I rarely give reviews, but in this case, I felt it was necessary to give kudos that are well deserved. Thank you all for a wonderful job!"
MIke B on May 2025
Eco Home Builders is a premier remodeling company proudly serving San Diego and Orange County, known for transforming homes with timeless design, expert craftsmanship, and seamless project management. From luxury kitchens to full-scale renovations, we handle every detail with care — and offer exclusive access to hundreds of premium finish options at our Amaro Design Center. KITCHEN REMODELING Custom kitchen remodels designed around your lifestyle — featuring luxury cabinetry, high-end countertops, layout reconfigurations, smart appliances, and flawless craftsmanship. BATHROOM RENOVATION Spa-style bathrooms with walk-in showers, soaking tubs, floating vanities, designer tile, and aging-in-place options for long-term comfort and elegance. ADU CONSTRUCTION Detached ADUs, garage conversions, and above-garage units — all built to California code for multigenerational living or rental income. WHOLE HOME REMODELING Complete home transformations with open-concept living, cohesive design, structural upgrades, and premium materials throughout. ROOM ADDITIONS Master suites, second stories, family rooms, and more — beautifully integrated into your home’s existing structure for added space and value. INTERIOR & EXTERIOR RENOVATIONS High-end flooring, windows, doors, paint, stucco, roofing, siding, and energy-efficient exterior upgrades. DESIGN-BUILD SERVICES Our in-house team handles everything — from planning and permitting to build-out and finishing touches. Clients can visit our exclusive Amaro Design Center to choose from hundreds of curated styles, finishes, and materials. Free In-Home Consultations | Personalized Design | Access to Amaro Design Center We bring expert project managers to your door — to measure, design, and guide your remodel with precision and care.
"From drab to fabulous! Eco home Builders did a fantastic job on my main bathroom remodel. I'm a Real Estate Broker and have gone through countless remodels and contractors over the past two decades. Eden did a wonderful job managing the project. Always communicating and being available through the whole project was a huge plus. The contractors did an outstanding job and really paid attention to detail. A lot of large tile pieces went into this project, and I was in very impressed with their skill. We were also impressed with their cabinet maker who did a great job basically building a beautiful piece of art. The project basically went off without a flaw on time and on budget. I would highly recommend Eco Home Builders to anyone thinking of doing any sort of remodel project, I rarely give reviews, but in this case, I felt it was necessary to give kudos that are well deserved. Thank you all for a wonderful job!"
MIke B on May 2025
With over 30 years of experience. Email address [email protected]. Owner operated. No subs. Cost is determined by the job. No travel charges. No service fee. Award winning.
"“Pier was everything we were hoping for and more. He had previously done a small powder room re-do, and I had kept his card. Good thing. When he came to give us an estimate on updating the kitchen, his knowledge was incredible. The end-product was more than we had hoped for. The painters & the counter-top installer were the best. Very happy with the end result.”"
CAROLINE M on April 2025
With over 30 years of experience. Email address [email protected]. Owner operated. No subs. Cost is determined by the job. No travel charges. No service fee. Award winning.
"“Pier was everything we were hoping for and more. He had previously done a small powder room re-do, and I had kept his card. Good thing. When he came to give us an estimate on updating the kitchen, his knowledge was incredible. The end-product was more than we had hoped for. The painters & the counter-top installer were the best. Very happy with the end result.”"
CAROLINE M on April 2025
Toubi Built is a professional who plans, designs and oversees the construction of buildings. They are responsible for designing buildings to create unique and well-organized structures. Their duties include meeting with clients to discuss their vision, drawing up building plans and modifying their designs throughout the building process to maximize structural integrity. We are also responsible for public safety and overseeing of projects.
"This company was very professional and I used their services to produce construction documents for an ADU. He got us a permit and we were able to meet our project requirements."
Shy r on June 2024
Toubi Built is a professional who plans, designs and oversees the construction of buildings. They are responsible for designing buildings to create unique and well-organized structures. Their duties include meeting with clients to discuss their vision, drawing up building plans and modifying their designs throughout the building process to maximize structural integrity. We are also responsible for public safety and overseeing of projects.
"This company was very professional and I used their services to produce construction documents for an ADU. He got us a permit and we were able to meet our project requirements."
Shy r on June 2024
FREE estimates and 10% off for Angi's List members! A.G.A Construction, Inc. is a licensed, bonded and insured, full-service construction company. We offer services in both residential and commercial remodeling including, but not limited to, new construction, room additions, kitchen and bathroom remodeling. Our mission at A.G.A Construction is to provide excellent customer satisfaction and top-quality work. We work hard to maintain high standards of exceptional customer service and superiority that has become expected of us over the years. Whatever your remodeling needs are, we take the necessary time to discuss with you the wide variety of options, products, styles, specification and your desired budget available in order to make your vision a reality. When working with our team you can be sure that your remodeling project will exceed your expectations. With any remodeling job, a project is only as good as its foundation. The same is true for our company, which is built on a foundation of trust and strong relationships with our clients. As our saying goes “When we are done, you will be happy, and until you are happy, we are not done.”
"We started the process of building our detached ADU at the beginning of 2022. We hired an Architect, who drew up a plan to build a 1200 sq ft, 3 bedroom 2.5 bathroom house. After 14 months of waiting and addressing revisions required by the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety we got our permit in “Ready to Issue” status. While waiting for city approval, we all started looking for a fair, reliable and honest contractor who would do good/solid construction. We started the process of interviewing contractors and getting bids for the job. After several meetings and several bids, we met Micky Kanian with “AGA Construction”. We found Micky on Yelp. One of his references took us thru an ADU that Micky and team built for his elderly mother-in-law to live in. This family could not say enough good things about Micky and team. They took us thru the property and explained their experience in great detail. We saw another beautiful AGA project, a 5k sq ft + project that was in progress and really knew that day that we’d found our contractor. We weren’t quite ready to pull the trigger for personal reasons, so we put the project on hold. Meanwhile, we continued to collect a couple of other bids that were already in progress. During this process, AGA kept in touch with us. They checked in every few weeks or so, without being pushy or intrusive. After a delay of about 9 months, we decided to move forward with AGA construction. No one is a tougher critic than me. I was dreading this project because of the amount of stress that I knew we’d be under. Both financially and mentally. We’ve all heard and/or lived thru the horror of a construction project gone wrong. I won’t bury the lead any further. We love our ADU!!!!! We started the project on Jan 31st of 2024. We were told that the project would take 6-8 months. We lost the first 6 weeks or so with the heavy rains from last year, but even with that delay, we were mostly done with the project by the middle of August. We ran into the “expected” unknowns and surprises – all dealt with fairly and quickly by Micky and team. I would like to call out Joachin who was amazing. We always felt like we were in the best of qualified hands during this entire process. All inspections were signed off, the last checks were written, and we now have a gorgeous new home behind the main house on that property. We were so happy with the project and trusted Micky and Joachin so much, that we immediately launched a second project of gutting and renovating a very large master bathroom for my In-Laws. That job started on September 23rd and was done the first or second week of November as promised. It would’ve been done sooner, but we had a little “client indecision” that cost us about a week or two. All in all, I would highly recommend Micky and his crew, and we plan to use them for as long as they are in business or until my family and I run out of projects."
howard w on February 2025
FREE estimates and 10% off for Angi's List members! A.G.A Construction, Inc. is a licensed, bonded and insured, full-service construction company. We offer services in both residential and commercial remodeling including, but not limited to, new construction, room additions, kitchen and bathroom remodeling. Our mission at A.G.A Construction is to provide excellent customer satisfaction and top-quality work. We work hard to maintain high standards of exceptional customer service and superiority that has become expected of us over the years. Whatever your remodeling needs are, we take the necessary time to discuss with you the wide variety of options, products, styles, specification and your desired budget available in order to make your vision a reality. When working with our team you can be sure that your remodeling project will exceed your expectations. With any remodeling job, a project is only as good as its foundation. The same is true for our company, which is built on a foundation of trust and strong relationships with our clients. As our saying goes “When we are done, you will be happy, and until you are happy, we are not done.”
"We started the process of building our detached ADU at the beginning of 2022. We hired an Architect, who drew up a plan to build a 1200 sq ft, 3 bedroom 2.5 bathroom house. After 14 months of waiting and addressing revisions required by the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety we got our permit in “Ready to Issue” status. While waiting for city approval, we all started looking for a fair, reliable and honest contractor who would do good/solid construction. We started the process of interviewing contractors and getting bids for the job. After several meetings and several bids, we met Micky Kanian with “AGA Construction”. We found Micky on Yelp. One of his references took us thru an ADU that Micky and team built for his elderly mother-in-law to live in. This family could not say enough good things about Micky and team. They took us thru the property and explained their experience in great detail. We saw another beautiful AGA project, a 5k sq ft + project that was in progress and really knew that day that we’d found our contractor. We weren’t quite ready to pull the trigger for personal reasons, so we put the project on hold. Meanwhile, we continued to collect a couple of other bids that were already in progress. During this process, AGA kept in touch with us. They checked in every few weeks or so, without being pushy or intrusive. After a delay of about 9 months, we decided to move forward with AGA construction. No one is a tougher critic than me. I was dreading this project because of the amount of stress that I knew we’d be under. Both financially and mentally. We’ve all heard and/or lived thru the horror of a construction project gone wrong. I won’t bury the lead any further. We love our ADU!!!!! We started the project on Jan 31st of 2024. We were told that the project would take 6-8 months. We lost the first 6 weeks or so with the heavy rains from last year, but even with that delay, we were mostly done with the project by the middle of August. We ran into the “expected” unknowns and surprises – all dealt with fairly and quickly by Micky and team. I would like to call out Joachin who was amazing. We always felt like we were in the best of qualified hands during this entire process. All inspections were signed off, the last checks were written, and we now have a gorgeous new home behind the main house on that property. We were so happy with the project and trusted Micky and Joachin so much, that we immediately launched a second project of gutting and renovating a very large master bathroom for my In-Laws. That job started on September 23rd and was done the first or second week of November as promised. It would’ve been done sooner, but we had a little “client indecision” that cost us about a week or two. All in all, I would highly recommend Micky and his crew, and we plan to use them for as long as they are in business or until my family and I run out of projects."
howard w on February 2025
So Cal Builders & Design have been helping the homes throughout California look perfect one nail and brick at a time! With the best prices and highest standard of service, we can deliver the kitchen or bathroom of your dreams on time and on budget! Our staff of trained technicians will build your addition or remodel to your specifications; using only the finest quality materials and the most up-to-date building procedures. We also have in house masonry service as well as perform a number of other services such as plumbing, lighting, painting, patios, and much more. Because we do it all ourselves, we eliminate miscommunication, stress and down time. We don’t use outside contractors or fancy gimmicks to get our customers. We combine new and modern building practices with tried and true hard work to deliver a work of art every time and that is why our customers make us #1. Request Your Free Estimate Voice Star: (888) 284-9122.
"I got their name from a friend who was very happy with their kitchen remodel. I hired them to remodel a rental home. They ripped out the entire kitchen, removed two sliders and closed the opening and added large windows, replaced the entire floor throughout the house, remodeled the 2 bathrooms and fixed a leak in the roof that turned out to be a bigger fix than a quick patch. I was very happy with the entire job. David handled everything and was very communicative throughout the entire project. I travel a large amount for work and my biggest concern was to have to be involved in the project. Besides going to that has to check on the process the took care of the entire thing including receiving all of the new appliances. If you want a stress free , great job I would hire them in a heart beat."
Olivier B on June 2025
So Cal Builders & Design have been helping the homes throughout California look perfect one nail and brick at a time! With the best prices and highest standard of service, we can deliver the kitchen or bathroom of your dreams on time and on budget! Our staff of trained technicians will build your addition or remodel to your specifications; using only the finest quality materials and the most up-to-date building procedures. We also have in house masonry service as well as perform a number of other services such as plumbing, lighting, painting, patios, and much more. Because we do it all ourselves, we eliminate miscommunication, stress and down time. We don’t use outside contractors or fancy gimmicks to get our customers. We combine new and modern building practices with tried and true hard work to deliver a work of art every time and that is why our customers make us #1. Request Your Free Estimate Voice Star: (888) 284-9122.
"I got their name from a friend who was very happy with their kitchen remodel. I hired them to remodel a rental home. They ripped out the entire kitchen, removed two sliders and closed the opening and added large windows, replaced the entire floor throughout the house, remodeled the 2 bathrooms and fixed a leak in the roof that turned out to be a bigger fix than a quick patch. I was very happy with the entire job. David handled everything and was very communicative throughout the entire project. I travel a large amount for work and my biggest concern was to have to be involved in the project. Besides going to that has to check on the process the took care of the entire thing including receiving all of the new appliances. If you want a stress free , great job I would hire them in a heart beat."
Olivier B on June 2025
We are a leader in providing value-added construction services through Long Beach, Orange & So. Los Angeles Counties for over 30 years. We have a full time highly trained crew and our subcontractors are skilled, licensed tradesmen. Our pledge is to achieve a high level of satisfaction and to establish lasting relationships with our customers by providing quality craftsmanship, attention to detail, and earning your trust through exceptional performance throughout the construction process…. This is the cornerstone of all of our projects.
"Good customer service and quality work."
Tyanne P on January 2024
We are a leader in providing value-added construction services through Long Beach, Orange & So. Los Angeles Counties for over 30 years. We have a full time highly trained crew and our subcontractors are skilled, licensed tradesmen. Our pledge is to achieve a high level of satisfaction and to establish lasting relationships with our customers by providing quality craftsmanship, attention to detail, and earning your trust through exceptional performance throughout the construction process…. This is the cornerstone of all of our projects.
"Good customer service and quality work."
Tyanne P on January 2024
Horizon Construction & Remodeling has been operating in the construction industry for the past 15 years. Our company specializes in new construction projects as well as remodeling assignments. We have vast knowledge in many aspects of remodeling such as: developing new interior or exterior design, custom kitchens, bathrooms remodel, additions, stucco, roofing, flooring, electrical, plumbing, carpentry, windows, doors, patios, sunrooms, railing, fireplaces, decks, fences, driveways, garage conversions and entire home remodeling. We believe in providing a delightful experience to the customer. Fulfilling the needs of the customer is the prime objective of our company. Our Mission is to deliver high-end quality service to customers in order to build their dream project. We work in a dedicated manner according to the interests and demands of the customer. The Philosophy of Horizon Construction & Remodeling states that the benefit of the customer will lead to the growth of the organization. Thus, with the help of expert team work we continually work to provide the best quality services to the customer. Horizon Construction & Remodeling is committed to providing you best building services with the superior remodeling of your home. To us, your construction and design experience will be hassle-free, satisfactory, and enjoyable. We are your friendly contractor! And a reliable destination for all your remodeling and construction needs. If you are looking for a home with perfect space utilization and a fresh look contact Horizon Construction & Remodeling
"We had a fantastic experience with Horizon Construction and Remodeling. Every worker on the team was friendly, punctual and professional. They kept the work area clean and always cleaned up before leaving for the day, which we really appreciated. We were satisfied with the quality of the work and the final results. Our project manager, David Eskin, truly understood the look we were going for and brought our vision to life perfectly. It was a pleasure working with everyone involved. Highly recommend."
Mary H on April 2025
Horizon Construction & Remodeling has been operating in the construction industry for the past 15 years. Our company specializes in new construction projects as well as remodeling assignments. We have vast knowledge in many aspects of remodeling such as: developing new interior or exterior design, custom kitchens, bathrooms remodel, additions, stucco, roofing, flooring, electrical, plumbing, carpentry, windows, doors, patios, sunrooms, railing, fireplaces, decks, fences, driveways, garage conversions and entire home remodeling. We believe in providing a delightful experience to the customer. Fulfilling the needs of the customer is the prime objective of our company. Our Mission is to deliver high-end quality service to customers in order to build their dream project. We work in a dedicated manner according to the interests and demands of the customer. The Philosophy of Horizon Construction & Remodeling states that the benefit of the customer will lead to the growth of the organization. Thus, with the help of expert team work we continually work to provide the best quality services to the customer. Horizon Construction & Remodeling is committed to providing you best building services with the superior remodeling of your home. To us, your construction and design experience will be hassle-free, satisfactory, and enjoyable. We are your friendly contractor! And a reliable destination for all your remodeling and construction needs. If you are looking for a home with perfect space utilization and a fresh look contact Horizon Construction & Remodeling
"We had a fantastic experience with Horizon Construction and Remodeling. Every worker on the team was friendly, punctual and professional. They kept the work area clean and always cleaned up before leaving for the day, which we really appreciated. We were satisfied with the quality of the work and the final results. Our project manager, David Eskin, truly understood the look we were going for and brought our vision to life perfectly. It was a pleasure working with everyone involved. Highly recommend."
Mary H on April 2025
While you might think that architects only draw blueprints for buildings, they are much more involved in the overall construction process than you might realize. While they aren’t the ones swinging the hammers, architects do the following:
Communicate with the homeowner on the project request, including assistance when exact plans aren’t known
Develop computer-aided models and blueprints of the requested design
Ensure that the design incorporates form, function, and safety features
Provide the contractor with the agreed-upon design
Supervise the general contractor and any subcontractors throughout the project
Communicate any needed changes to the project with the homeowner and draw new plans accordingly
Before settling on and hiring an architect, it’s beneficial to you as a homeowner to ask some questions to familiarize yourself with their work. After all, you wouldn’t want to spend time and resources on a professional that doesn’t specialize in exactly what you want in a house. Some questions to ask your architect include:
How do you charge for services? Is it on an hourly basis, based on square footage, or based on project size?
How do we work together to stay on budget for this project?
Do you anticipate any future challenges with this project? How are these communicated?
What is your project management style? If you are not handling the day-to-day details, who is my point of contact?
Can I see previous similar projects that you’ve completed?
Do you have any specialty experience, like working on historic homes or using sustainable building materials?
The average cost to hire an architect for your home project ranges between $2,200 and $10,500. However, depending on location and project type, you might end up paying as little as $600 or as much as $45,000 or more. For example, the average cost of hiring an architect in North Carolina is between $1,800 and $2,000, but in California, that price tag jumps to $3,600 to $15,200.
The price you pay for your architect also depends on their experience level. For example, a principal architect, the firm's owner, typically charges $150 to $250 per hour. However, an intern architect with three to five years of experience usually only charges $45 per hour.
After you’ve spoken with your contractor and agreed on a project, they’ll draw up blueprints, or plans, that the construction crew will use. The blueprint process can take between four and six months to complete. While this can seem like a long time, remember that the architect must communicate with your municipality to determine codes, communicate with you as the homeowner with any changes or adjustments, and coordinate with the construction crew.
If you simply remodel your home or add an addition, the time to draw up the plans will be shorter since fewer permits and surveys are required. Even still, it’s best to plan for a few months for the architect to complete this part of the project.
Knowing if you need an architect for your project can be tricky, especially if you've never worked with one before. In general, small remodeling projects like replacing fixtures typically don't require the expertise of an architect. However, larger projects, like moving walls or adding an addition to your home, should include an architect to ensure the project is structurally sound.