Ballard & Mensua Architecture

We just finished a spectacular custom home project in McLean, VA and we are so very grateful to Seth Ballard and his team! If you are considering hiring his firm, look no further. There can be no better architect in the DC/VA/MD area – and his pricing is more than fair. We first picked Seth because we loved his architectural style and heard that he had a reputation for ensuring that his plans are executed with impeccable precision and attention to quality. Also, his references were stellar….without exception, his former clients offered glowing praise for his talent, diligence, and follow-through. And now that we are former clients, we understand why. We always knew we were going to have a gem of a home with Seth at the helm. What we did not fully appreciate at the beginning was his proven ability to help us STAY ON BUDGET and his deep bench of connections with first-rate contractors and subcontractors who were prepared to bend over backward to meet Seth’s exacting standards. Here are just a few highlights from our experience: CONCEPT PHASE: During the initial meetings at our home, Seth went the extra mile to learn all about our lifestyle, future needs, architectural likes/dislikes, and budget. During this stage of the process, he would effortlessly make freehand drawings to help us visualize potential styles and layouts. We ultimately elected to go with a craftsman design, with lots of wood features inside and out. PICKING THE RIGHT PROPERTY: Seth joined us for car rides through the local neighborhoods, helping us to scout out the property that was best suited for our construction plans – free of any potential HOA or permitting snafus. DESIGN: With Seth’s guidance, we iterated on different design options. The design phase was high-tech and highly visual. Lots of 2D and 3D elevations, plus 360-degree videos. At each step, Seth clearly identified the estimated construction cost, and we would make decisions about what to dial-up and what to dial-down. For example, we elected to go with a cheaper asphalt roof (rather than slate), but with a more premium window. There were literally dozens of choices like that, and Seth did a superb job of helping us to make the right trade-offs and to “value engineer” the house. PICKING THE RIGHT CONTRACTOR AND SUBS: One of the things that distinguishes Seth from the competition is that he works closely with a handful of contractors and subcontractors who have already been “pre-screened” for excellence. Seth connected us with a general contractor who was not only honest and diligent, but whose carpentry was truly “artisan grade.” Seth also drew upon a stable of outstanding subcontractors – in areas such as HVAC/plumbing, electrical/lighting, structural engineering, cabinetry, tile, drywall/paint, countertops, hardwood flooring, landscaping, etc. It was perfectly clear that these subs were striving to deliver the highest quality and exemplary service. Why? Because Seth was an important source of repeat business for them. This made them extremely responsive. BUDGETING: Seth developed detailed spreadsheets estimating costs for every aspect of the project, as well as options for “enhancements.” Once we made our choices, he was instrumental in securing a FLAT FEE CONTRACT with the builder (inclusive of subs) for everything we wanted. To provide even more control over the cost, the agreement specified that certain items would be “owner provided, contractor installed.” This meant that, regardless of whether we bought pricey appliances or tile or flooring, it would have no impact of the builder’s fees. To his credit, Seth’s estimates were quite accurate, and the project stayed on budget. ARCHITECT FEES: We negotiated a flat fee for Seth’s architectural services, and got way more than we bargained for. We had no idea Seth would stay so engaged throughout the project -- micromanaging every detail, and even offering interior design suggestions (e.g., stains and paints, cabinet and window designs, furniture layouts, etc.). It became clear that, regardless of how much we had agreed to pay in fees, Seth was “all in,” and was committed to ensuring that the end result was perfection. To be sure, in any large construction project, there will be some hiccups. But this was yet another area where Seth shined. Rather than being indifferent, or pointing the finger at those who were actually at fault, he would step up to “own the problem” and take charge until the issue was resolved. In one such case, he developed a design tweak that saved us money and produced a more beautiful result in the process. We never had to stress too much, because we knew Seth was 100% engaged and we could trust that the final work product would be a treasure of a home. One final thought. While Seth’s tremendous talent is obviously perfect for large custom projects, we have no doubt that he can deliver outstanding value for smaller home renovations too. When we did kitchen/bath renovations in our prior home, we naively thought that a “design-and-build” firm would deliver the best solution. With the benefit of hindsight, we could have done so much better hiring Seth as the independent architect and separately hiring a builder who would be accountable to the architect. The result would have been better quality construction, a better value, and far less stress. So whether you are about to embark on a modest remodel or getting ready to “dream big” with a new custom home, look no further than Ballard Mensua Architecture.

My wife and I had two great meetings with Seth regarding a potential remodel or teardown in North Arlington. Seth is knowledgeable, creative, and energetic. His knowledge and confidence about what was possible, especially in terms of permits and variances on a very small lot, took a lot of anxiety out of the process. He gave us great initial floor plan sketches and cost outlines. Our plans ultimately took a different turn, but I had full confidence in Seth to create a great result.

We first heard about Ballard and Mensua from an advertisement in a magazine in our dental office (Arlington Magazine I believe). The kitchen in the ad was beautiful and in line with what we were thinking. Following the ad, i researched the company on Angie's and their website. We chose to do the basic consultation fee for $250 and called them up. Their team was prompt in setting up the appointment with Seth (the owner) who showed up on time on the scheduled day. Seth was great. He was with us for about 2 hours and took the time to understand what we wanted to do. He drew several sketches and some great ideas. Our property is a little unique and he took the additional time to have his office call the county to make sure we could do what we would like. He also sketched out possibilities if our preferred plan was not legal, thankfully, it was. Additionally, he outlined what a low, medium and high price range depending on the materials and equipment we would like. I found this a great use of time and highly recommend contacting Ballard if you are planning a remodel.

There is no doubt that we picked the right architect for the job. As one can see from the before and after pictures ? Seth is an incredibly talented designer.  He responded to all of our needs (big and small) and was an excellent advocate for us throughout the entire project. Having completed a project of this size we now realize how important it is to have an advocate for the design as well as for the process. Seth made our dreams a reality.   

Transforming our 70?s colonial home to meet the needs of modern living would be a great challenge. We considered a long list of architects, but after meeting Seth ? we agreed that he was the right person for the job. Seth Ballard understood our vision. He was easy to communicate with and we found his fees to be reasonable. For us, Seth made the design phase fun. He always entertained our ideas, received them with enthusiasm, and, when possible, quickly incorporated our ideas into the design.  There were two existing limitations that had to be designed around ? our existing home and a county restriction on our lot. Neither of those restrictions compromised the design. The final design was beautiful and much more than we hoped for.  
The bidding phase was a necessary exercise for us, however if we had to do it again we would not have done it since there was extra time and cost ?a result of putting the project out to bid to multiple contractors.  In this process we were looking at cost and accountability.  We met with all the builders and reviewed all their bids.  All five bid proposals were within the dollar range Seth gave us before the project even went out to bid, and with Seth overseeing the project all builders would be accountable to Seth. So while we became better educated consumer through this process ? we went with the builder that Seth originally recommended.  

It turns out that Seth's relationship with the builder is what is most important.  Because our project was so complicated it required a lot of management.  We are grateful that Seth micromanaged the entire project. He made sure that his design was completed as drawn.  Unfortunately,  we had a few considerable unforeseen condition, lucky for us Seth was able to skillfully navigate a solution.  He was able to get the contractors to agree to do the repairs at their cost and incorporate an added a design element that enhanced the entire project! 

In the end we believe that Ballard + Mensua's fees were recovered by provided us with two very vital cost saving things: 1. A design and plan that was so fully developed resulting in just a few change orders; and 2. An ability to advocate for us when issues and unforeseen conditions came up. 

We love our house!  We would use Ballard + Mensua again without hesitation.  Through this process we learned that the most important qualities to look for in an architect is his ability to deliver the design ? and his ability to advocate for that design and for his client!

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After months of researching on potential architects and interviewing a few, I hired Seth to undertake a major expansion/renovation of my house. I couldn't be happier with the results. The best decision that I made for my project was to hire him as the architect and project manager. He is great architect and an excellent project manager. Seth put his personal touch on my house but let my style and preferences shine. He also did an excellent job handling the builder, any issue that emerge during construction, and making sure that I made informed decisions about the budget. The craftsmanship of my house is great. That was Seth's work on helping me to choose the builder and undertaking a hands on supervision approach. If you are looking an architect that can help you to do top quality reno  in which you want to imprint your style, Seth is sure bet. I also like his direct and honest approach to handle issues that emerged.  Seth made a potentially stressful project to go easy in terms making sure that the right decision were being made to have a solid and beautiful renovation. If I had to do the project again, I would hire Seth in a heart bit.

Very good team, Seth and Dean have been professional, smart, responsive, and I would definitely recommend. Only issue is that the initial estimates done (back of envelope) were much lower than the actual price and we've been having budget issues ever since. Make sure you get reasonable initial estimates before getting into details.

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Seth Ballard has a perfect sense of design that is reflected in the interior spaces of my new home, the finishes, and materials.  He also has the construction experience that is invaluable when working with a builder - he knows how the project should go together.   Seth does not design from the outside in or from the inside out - he works with an entire vision that is constantly evolving as he works closely with his client to meet their needs and budget.  I am living in a beautiful new home that integrates the way I live inside and outdoors within my woodland and waterfront environment.   When you work with Seth you may find that he has strong ideas about design details, materials and colors.   Think hard about what you want and press for the realization of our own vision -  then listen to Seth and follow his advice !

Great. Great. Great.
As someone who has always harbored a distrust of architects, I was very happy to have found one that doesn't just have a strong design sense and a command of aesthetics. Seth very clearly combines these with a practical, hands-on understanding of construction methods, processes, and materials. He combines the very best of artistry and engineering.
Seth's approach to our project was very methodical at each and every step, from the initial concept through to execution of the work. He incorporated our thoughts and wishes while preventing us from inflicting mistakes on ourselves. He helped us select a contractor that in the end, we were very happy with (Rarco Construction). While our project was in the construction phase, I always felt like we were his most important client.
I highly recommend Seth.

In a nutshell you cannot find a better architect to partner with.  Seth's approach is truly best practice – he partners to work collaboratively and does not enforce ideas.  He is focused on quality, on the ideal state for now and the future, on the likes and dislikes of the person he is working with - he cares about the project as much as he cares about the people he works with.  He has a very keen sense of design and construction, he sees things that other architects cannot fathom, thinks out of the box to solve problems, and works to ensure that the client is elated with the outcome.  He may push you on the budget if he finds that you are compromising quality and safety for money.  You hear about the nightmares people go through with such project, ours was a walk in the park…and I kept wondering if I was missing something.  Truth was that Seth deals with the issues so you, as the client, are at peace and stress free.  It was a breeze working with Seth and in the end he created something we love coming home to, are proud of and receive rave reviews about.  Our friends and family cannot believe how he converted our old house to look the way it does now.  It takes genius and caring to do that.  Things you cannot find elsewhere.  You cannot find a better partner for your architectural needs than Ballard and Mensua. 

The project was a great success and we were really pleased with Ballard Mensua's design and attention to design details.  
We started working with Seth nearly 15 months ago.  We immediately liked his strong design skills and style (meeting notes on paper vellum including hand-drawn sketches) and understanding of life with little kids (we have three under 7).  He immediately grasped what we needed - and had specific, thoughtful and elegant solutions to the design challenges we faced.
The design process was very efficient and we quickly came to understand that while Seth appreciated our budget and was conscious of costs he was really focused on the goal of making this a more livable and enjoyable space.  And i began to appreciate that Seth, while being open minded about ultimate style choices he would leave to my wife and i, was exacting and precise about the quality and the overall design decisions.
In short, i didn't need to worry about anything in the design that was going to be sloppy or ill considered.  He was consistently one step ahead of us in terms of thinking through details.  We didn't need to ask about crown molding - it was in there.  We didn't have to worry about whether the powder room was too small - he was totally confident (and right) that it was sizable enough.   I wanted a bigger stove than I thought our budget would allow -- he preserved the space in the plans to allow for what we really wanted until we could make a better decision based on our budget.  And we ultimately were able to get the stove we wanted because of some saving he helped us identify.  
Like most good designers Seth appreciates quality craftsmanship that often comes with a commensurate price tag.  The initial design was substantially more than i wanted to pay.  But i found him to be understanding and very flexible on what was worth trimming and what was worth preserving.  He would say, "sure - let's take this cabinet line down a notch and that will effect the prices in this way." But in the same breath he would say, "but i wouldn't go below this because quality suffers and it makes a big difference."  I found it to be a helpful approach if you're interested in quality work.  And ultimately we trimmed the budget to a place where we were comfortable and he helped every step along the way.
And perhaps the greatest benefit Seth provided was that he allowed us to prioritize a number of project we were considering by creating a rationale and thoughtful budgeting and bidding process with a number of vendors.  By taking owner purchased/contractor installed items like cabinets and appliances off budget we could get a better picture of true costs from a number of bidding contractors.  
By the time construction started Seth was less involved in the day to day but he stayed closely connected, always available and was consistently our advocate through the project -- pushing the contractors, leveraging his relationships with appliance and cabinet vendors.   Today, nearly 6 months to the day construction began Seth was here, reviewing the smallest possible details of moldings, trim and paint.
At the end of the day, we couldn't be happier with the project and found Seth to be real pro.  I particularly liked his approach to bidding and pricing projects.  It is a very transparent and straightforward.  We recommend him highly.

Seth Ballard was referred to us in March of 2010. During the initial interview we went over all of our goals with Seth including construction of a new kitchen, new appliances, new siding, new insulation, renovation of both bathrooms and a solution for our water problem. Seth provided some preliminary designs for us within two weeks. Soon afterward he brought Gerry Staley of Gerald C. Staley Builders and Antonio Correia of AVC Construction over to our house as references for the construction and a complete discussion of our requirments. We decided to hire the two contractors that Seth recommended. Over the next 3 months we were provided with estimates, timelines, payment schedules, solutions for water drainage and drawings for our review and approval. In addition, Seth and my wife began a series of trips to vendors in order to select products. Excavation began in July 2010 and proceeded very quickly. Framing began several weeks later. The entire project was completed in January 2011. We are very happy with the results. We have a new kitchen, new bathroom, improvements to a 2nd bathroom, a beautiful new patio, new front stoop and entry walk, new siding, insulation and last but not least a compete drainage system that fianally solves our longstanding water problems. Seth did an outstanding job providing designs, product selection recommendations, construction references and overall project management and we are very satisfied with his work and the end result.

We contacted Seth to help us expand our 1950's "cottage" in Falls Church.  We had seen several examples of Seth's work and loved the Craftsmanesque look of some of his projects.  We had attempted a project about 5 years before with another architect but ended up firing him and cancelling the contract because he could not control costs.  Needless to say, cost control was a high priority with Seth.

Seth worked with us to select a contractor who could perform the defined scope of work for the price.  Between Seth and the contractor they were able to complete the project almost exactly on budget.  The completion time stretched out a bit but the project was substantially completed close to schedule.

We did not want to make our house into a McMansion, we just needed some more living space.  We also wanted to open the house up to the yard by adding parches on the front and back (which also required adding a new door on the back).  Seth opened our eyes to a number of possibilities we had not considered.  The addition was not huge but it added space in all the places we need it.  The addition/remodel encompassed the master bedroom, master bath, kitchen, dining room and living room.  In addition to the addition, we changed the look and feel of the entire main floor by adding new trim and doors on the inside and new windows on the outside.  We also had the repair of numerous deferred maintenance items rolled into the scope of the construction work (replacing the entire roof, new siding, and new gutters).

Now living in the "new" space I have to say Seth got it right.  The new space just works.  Everything fits, it feels spacious yet it is not really very large.  The look of the exterior is exactly what we wanted.

Seth Ballard and his team are top notch! Every single client that we have referred to Seth and his team have raved about their service.  I even have received stellar reviews from a client of mine who manages billion dollar commercial projects for a living, and that's not easy to do!

Seth is both talented and a total professional.  He met all our goals and helped us create a much needed addition on our home.  We are not the only ones pleased with it -- Our neighbors comment often on how great it looks, and repeatedly remark how well it fits with the home.  We have a 1905 Queen Anne style home that has had many renovations over time, some obviously done with great care.  Thanks to Seth, we were able to keep within the style and tradition of this home, while meeting our needs for accessibility and more living space.  One of Seth's strengths is that he is a great listener.  By listening to us, and watching how we lived in the current space,  he was able to craft a wonderful plan to meet our needs.  He understood and respected our budget as he translated our visions and needs into construction plans.  He then worked with us to finish the home with perfect detail.  He was our advocate-- working with us and our general contractor, and other building professionals.  There are several items that we would still regret if Seth had not stepped in and told us, "Yes, you are correct.  That needs to be fixed."  He took over, and the issues were quickly resolved. I can not imagine working on our home and investing like we have (and will again) without such a total professional.   He helped us find this home, develop a long term master plan and get the critical phase 1 done - making our home more comfortable for our family.  Our enlarged family room with a coffered ceiling is amazing, and our master bedroom, bath and walk-in closet are beautiful and "fit" with the character of our home.  To say he is Five Stars is an understatement, he is simply the best and great to work with.  There is no question that Seth will be our architect of choice for the next phase of our renovation and into the future.

After interviewing over 10 architects and design/builders we felt Seth offered the most holistic approach. For renovation novices like us, Seth was the perfect guide and a great collaborative partner. He was able to take our goals and budget and work within the limitations of a cramped Cape to create a truly stunning, but simple design. We really appreciated his involvement in every aspect of the project from start to finish: his concern for the quality of work, no matter how small the detail, his availability throughout, and how he really advocated for us. Seth was very conscious of recycling/repurposing materials when possible, which also helped our budget. We began construction in June 2009 and lived in the house through the project, which was completed on schedule in December 2009. Would we use Seth again? Absolutely! We're looking forward to working with him again on Phase 2 very soon.

My wife and I discussed the renovation of our house early in 2010. Both of us had ideas about what was needed to renovate and improve our home in order to prepare for our retirement years. My wife wanted to focus on expanding and renovatng our kitchen and purchasing new appliances. In addition, she wanted to remodel the upstairs bathroom since it was so old and the fixures were outdated. My priority was to address water issues that threatened our house plus replace old insulation and siding. We knew that we needed the expertise of a good architect in order to plan a renovation that satisfied all of our needs within a budget we could handle. Seth was a referral from a friend and we called him to set up a meeting. Right from the start we knew that Seth was the right person for the job. He worked with us to come up with a good design for the kitchen that would be modern, functional and pleasant to the eye. Seth introduced us to contractors who provided outstanding work and addressed our needs at a cost that remained within a reasonable budget. The work began the first week of July and was completed within 6 months. We were able to live at our home while the work was accomplished. All of our goals for our renovation were accomplished with very few change orders or re-work. The completed work is beautiful and the house is now more energy efficient and water resistant. The kitchen has a lot more room, is pleasing to the eye, and provides a much more pleasant and efficient place to prepare meals. The bathroom has been ugraded and modermized. Our home is more comfortable for us to live in and a much better place to enterntain friends and allow for visits from family than it was before. Our renovation goals were acomplished due to Seth;s outstanding customer service, expertise in design and recommendations for products and contractors to perform the work.

The work on the projects mentioned above, were performed by three different contractors, and we had three different experiences as a result. The continuity we found throughout the experiences was Seth. He had good working relationships with these contractors, but he had a better working relationship with us. He responded to us, he advocated for us, and he was unwavering.We felt that he represented us in all situations, and believe me there were some hairy situations that arose. Who out there who has done work on their house has not encountered a nightmare or two? Our first contractor went Chapter 7, and despite that, we got our project finished on time and under budget. Why? Because Seth advocated on our behalf, thought outside the box with regard to the situation we were in, and the options we had. He guided us through and we came out very well indeed. And not to be discounted, was his concern for the workers who lost their jobs as a result of the bankruptcy. Everyone made sacrifices, including Seth. The other two projects were smaller in scale, and lower in budget. We were happy with the innovative suggestions he made with regard to space planning, and the low cost, high impact suggestions he had for our space. His familiarity with the contractors we worked with allowed him to know whether or not the work we were asking them to do was within their capability, and if not, he suggested someone else that could help us. I would not hesitate for a minute to recommend Seth to anyone, and I have done just that for family and friends. It is risky to engage in a working relationship with a friend or a neighbor, but we were confident doing just that with our initial project after meeting with him and understanding his approach to doing business. Today, 7 years later, we remain good friends and good neighbors. I respect his talent, his work ethic and his customer care.

Seth is the original Flim Flam Man.

The best part of his engagement was his overall design. His electrical and mechanical layouts were lousy, as was his choice of General Contractor (GC).

Seth continually favored the GC in any conflict, even though we were paying Seth.  He allowed substandard workmanship and quality to go unchecked.  He required immediate payment for Upcharges, while deferring credits until they became so jumbled that no one knew for sure how much was due to whom.

Seth's design cost us tens of thousands in unnecessary expenditures, starting with his HVAC design.  He converted our perfectly adequate single system into a dual system, thereby doubling the installation and operating costs, while reducing the comfort level.

He allowed a substandard concrete slab to be poured for the carport, which would not pass county inspection until $4,000 worth of retrofitting was done.

His specs for gutters were for 6 inch to us and 5 inch to the contractors, costing us several thousand dollars to remedy.

Seth never took responsibility for his own errors and mistakes to the point of asking us to pay for some materials which he had left over to repair his design error on the stairs.

Our construction contract contained a no smoking clause, which the GC completely ignored.  After a few attempts at enforcement, Seth simply gave up.

And the list goes on . . .

End any engagement with Seth after he finishes the Construction Drawings. Hire and use your own Contract or Project Manager to represent your interests with the General Contractor rather than using Seth.  Even better: find another more professional and competent architect.