Get matched with top architects in Belcamp, MD

"?Evolution Drafting has been very difficult to work with. I have been passed from employee to employee, with unreturned calls and missed appointments. I am still waiting on a meeting to review the changes we want, yet I keep getting emails with their own concept of our project instead of a proper Teams or Google meeting. I was even sent an email to schedule a ?revision if needed,? which makes it feel like I am being blamed for not accepting a design we have never discussed in detail. My time is as valuable as theirs, and the lack of clear communication and follow?through has been extremely disappointing.? I understand that things happen in life, but I also know they have a phone, and a simple call, text, or email would prevent me from wasting my time waiting on them. I have already paid, and it appears I will not receive the final product until after Christmas and New Year?s. I am disappointed.? "

"I would highly recommend Annlynn Best. She is extremely knowledgeable and professional. I am so pleased with my new kitchen. It absolutely exceeded my expectations. I will be utilizing her talents for future projects."

"I am not please with this company in multiple ways. But I will only address the management. Had my light switch replaced to newer white switches during kitchen remodel. Light were replaced, but the first day the switch was wired incorrectly. Mr Raul was very professional and replaced them and showed my son they worked but the same box was connected to my Reese light which were never turned on. So when I got home I turned on the Reese lighting and we heard a big boom. Of course I thought maybe the breaker went out and went to reset but the lights still didn't come on. So I sent a text to the team to inform them on the situation and asked Raul if he could send over a Master Electrician. The next Morning I received a call from Management they wouldn't be able to send someone out and it was technically my problem. I explained we just purchased the home and it went through a full inspection including error they found and fixed before we purchased the home. Also we had the VA do another ins"

"I have reached to ZeroDraft to have an energy audit and understand the pain/major concerns in the house. All throughout my journey, the response from ZeroDraft was handled in a professional manner. I was updated in every stage right from scheduling to in-home consultation. The Energy Consultant arrived on time and explained the process. It took some few hours, and I was explained the issue like: Air leakage in the attic, poor insulation in the basement, aged electric water heater etc. I also, took their proposal to replace the old 50-gallon electric water heater to state of the art: Hybrid electric water heater pump which has a better energy rating. I am very happy with the service, and I am recommending "ZeroDraft" to all al my online friends and will surely utilize their service in any point of time."

"Excellent company to work with; The owner and his son listened our needs and helped us design a functional space that was perfect for our family. Workers were all prompt, reliable, communicative, friendly and worked very hard during cold times. Thanks DD for a great first experience and we look forward to many more."

"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."

"Good submitted project ideas and nice designs were provided"