House Plans Services in Saco, ME

“We highly recommend architect Bruce Butler of By Design. He has been wonderful to work with, and we are delighted with our new home. We had never built a house before--nor did we think it was in the cards for us to do so--so we were complete novices when we began. Bruce was very patient with our lack of knowledge and did an excellent job of educating us on the process. Based on information he gathered from us, he presented us with an initial plan that matched our vision! After that, our discussions with him were primarily regarding materials and finishes. Our dealings with Bruce were done from a distance as we lived a half-dozen states away from our building site. Regardless of this, the process was seamless. Bruce also effectively acted on our behalf with the town Planning Board and Code Enforcement Officer. Without making a single change, they signed off on our plans the very night he presented them. He also participated in our meetings with prospective builders and made field trips to see their work. Additionally, he was very proactive on pursuing cost- and energy-saving options. We interviewed other architects before selecting Bruce. After the fact, one of the other firms asked us whom we selected. We told them and they said, "Bruce does great work, I think you'll be in good hands." There’s no question that we were!”

“We used Lauren for a complete remodel including kitchen, multiple bathrooms, playroom, and bedroom. We used her for complete architectural and interior design. She was with us from start to finish of the project and we owe the success to her. Lauren has great design skills which is completely obvious by viewing her portfolio. The equally as helpful (and likely more important) skills that she brings to the table are her attention to detail and her perseverance in dealing with the contractors. She is there at every meeting to crack the proverbial whip and is very responsive (NYC responsive ;) to email/ phone/ text. I have and will continue to recommend her without reservation.”

“We have worked with Rob for over 10 years and always been beyond impressed with his attention to detail and quality of work. We know when we work together with Rob that the project will ultimately be stunning!”

“Knowledgeable. Resourceful. Pragmatic. (And they produce great designs, too.) Richard Renner Architects transformed our home. We hired Richard Renner Architects (RRA) with two objectives in mind. First, we wanted to live in a Net Zero home, which produced more total energy than it used. And second, we wanted to make our home a lot more attractive. In the end, we got more than we bargained for. For starters, our home’s energy total consumption (and attending carbon footprint) dropped by about 70%. When we add solar panels next year, our home will actually produce more total energy than it uses, putting us firmly into what the energy geeks call Carbon Negative territory. Along the way, our home went from ugly to handsome. Every time I look at the “before” and “after” pictures, I’m delighted. Especially when I consider how cost-effectively RRA managed to achieve the transformation. Most of our project budget went to energy conservation, leaving architect and builder with very little money to make things beautiful. You may never see our home in Architectural Digest, but it makes me smile every time I walk up the driveway. And now, to the “more than we bargained for” part of the story. Thanks to the design and construction methodology RRA drove, our home isn’t just a little more comfortable–it’s radically more comfortable. On the coldest winter day, every room feels cozy and warm. On a 100-degree summer day one can sit in my attic without breaking a sweat (even without the central air-conditioning running). The basement isn’t damp anymore. And the indoor air quality improved dramatically. Richard Renner Architects assembled a rock-star team. They say it’s not what you know, it’s who you know. Sometimes it’s both. Richard and his team have deep knowledge and terrific design instincts. But they’re not builders. Fortunately, they seem to know “all the right people” when it comes to getting the job done. Richard helped us assemble a rock-star team of builders and engineers (with all the skills and none of the attitude). Right from the start, it was obvious that everyone on the team enjoyed working with Richard. He did a terrific job of managing our project–especially through the inevitable bumps in the road. On time and on budget. No, really. After suffering one “start-up” delay (our new windows arrived late) the project ran on time and on budget. And, remarkably, we’re still friendly with everyone who worked on our project. Full-disclosure. I don’t work for RRA and I never have. I’m a real, live customer. If you’ve decided to work with RRA, ask Richard to put us in touch if you’d like to hear more. Good luck with your project.”

“Graham Architects designed our beautiful and unique home. Mr. Graham was always professional, friendly, reasonable, and worked with the builders to help reduce building costs. He was flexible, patient and helpful with our changes. He has a nice even temperament and is quick to smile. Most helpful during the stress of building your home! While compatibility is very important, also is the architect's eye. Mr. Graham designed a beautiful and interesting roof line which respected our goal of honoring the Shaker style of clean simple lines. We are amazed how he could see this and put it to paper. Mr. Graham visited the building site regularly and if we were concerned about something, he visited promptly and met with the building contractors. He has designed many beautiful buildings and existing home improvements in our area.”

“Mark did a wonderful passive solar home design for us. We are off the grid in an area that has plenty of nature around it that we did not want to compete with. He worked with us to meet our wishes for a small footprint structure with all the essential living space on one floor with doorways and spaces that could accommodate a wheelchair if the necessity ever arises. He generated floor plans, elevations (interior as well as exterior) and renderings of the exterior so we were able to see exactly what we were getting. It was an excellent set of construction documents completed on schedule and on budget. We are extremely satisfied.”

“Kristi Kenney is a talented architect who knows how to get a project done. I have worked with Kristi for over 5 years on a variety of projects. We always look forward to a project with KW Architects.”

“Stefanie did a great job designing our 1400 SF addition to our home. She created all of the plans and specs and helped pick all of the materials. She also performed construction inspections for the draws. We were very pleased with her work. The project delivered on time and in budget thanks to her diligence.”

“We were referred to Leslie as we already deep in the permitting process of a small but still complex garage rehab (into office + living space). Having cobbled together some form of a design halfway between a napkin drawing and a not-to-scale artistic rendering using our own resources, we asked Leslie to think about what made the most sense for our space- oh, and btw, could she do it very quickly. Many architects would have laughed us off at that point saying it was too late in the game and that we couldn't possibly get it done. But Leslie didn't flinch. Within a week she had drawn up new plans that detailed some cool options for flow through our fairly tight space. She even added elements that made the carpenters love her- like where to hide vents and piping etc. Every detail was thought of. In the end, we love the building and the design that Leslie put together. It's bright, open, and fits a lot into a small space. Leslie is a charming, honest, and extremely knowledgeable individual. She is an excellent architect and an even better person- we can't recommend her enough for projects big or small.”

“I would highly recommend Margaret Innes at Studio E Architects. I really appreciated her breadth of knowledge and her willingness to listen. She had some really great ideas for my challenging kitchen that I was able to incorporate in my kitchen remodel about 8 years ago. That's why I hired her again to help with my master bath remodel. It was important to me to try to stay green and energy efficient as much as possible. She is LEEDs accredited but was very forth-coming in letting us know whether certain products or changes made sense for us in terms of return for our investment and house. Margaret is very organized and professional Architect and worth every penny. -Anita”