Engelhardt Architecture

We engaged Bill Engelhardt in 2014 to help us add a second floor to our craftsman home in the Rockridge district in Oakland. The previous owner had informally improved the attic and it was a space we grew to love but we wanted to bring it up to code. Bill developed three options for us to consider, generated rough cost estimates for each and he helped us find a group of contractors for a competitive bid. Adding a second floor in Oakland normally brings with it a large and costly foundation upgrade. Bill brought a structural engineer on the project and he was able to prove the foundation work was unnecessary which was a big cost savings for us. We engaged Bill throughout the construction and on numerous occasions he was able to keep the contractor on track and on budget. It was a great experience for us and we have Bill to thanks for a large part of the success.

A few years after we bought our house in the Richmond Annex, we decided we were ready for a major renovation project. We didn’t really know what we wanted — we knew the bare minimum of what we HAD to do, and we knew all the crazy pie-​in-​the-​sky things we’d dreamed of doing since we bought the house, but we didn’t know what was legal and what was affordable to do in reality. That’s why we decided we needed to hire the best architect we could find, who could listen to what we thought we wanted and then come up with a number of doable designs than ran the spectrum from simple to extravagant.
Bill Engelhardt came highly recommended from friends of ours, and the moment we met him for the interview we knew he would be a great fit. He was the perfect combination of relaxed, funny, and friendly yet incredibly knowledgeable, skilled, and professional. Not only did we get 4 great design options for him, but we were impressed by how he helped us go through the options and come up with one final design that was perfect for us. It was a fun and painless process to get that far.
But really, the place where Bill earned every penny was once the construction started. That process was NOT fun and painless — it was a «4 to 6 month» project that ended up lasting 10 months. We lived through it all while in the house with a 4-​year-​old, a decimated yard, and no kitchen or laundry for 5 of the 10 months. We were not pleased with many of the things that happened with the contractor — and through it all, we always knew that we could call Bill for help. Bill is really the one thing about the project that always went right, and it kept us sane. Most of the time, we called with questions like, «The contractor is saying such-​and-​such, does that seem right to you?» But sometimes we called in a panic, such as «The contractor is in the middle of installing those really expensive countertops and it just doesn’t look right, I think it’s all getting screwed up… help!» And lo and behold, Bill was at our door in under 20 minutes, butting right in there to make sure everything turned out OK. (We hid in the living room with our fingers crossed until he came out and reassured us that disaster had been averted.)
When it comes down to it, we absolutely could not give a higher recommendation for Engelhardt Architecture. Hiring Bill was the best choice we made on the entire project. Now that the renovation is behind us, we are grateful for our «new» home every single day — and we love inviting people over to show off the work! They can’t believe that it’s an addition, since the work matches the old house completely and the shift is seamless. The design is simply gorgeous. We’re thrilled. Do yourself a favor and hire Engelhardt Architecture for your project. You’ll be glad you did.

When I bought my house in Upper Rockridge in 2011, it was a 2 bedroom, 1 bath fixer, with lots of remodeling needed. There was a clear opportunity to turn the house into a 3 bedroom, 2 bath and increase its value, but I really wanted the work done to code and all fully permitted. I needed an architect and luckily I knew Bill Engelhardt from my former neighborhood. I’d seen the work Bill had done on his own house, and on his website, and really liked his aesthetic — I knew it would work for my home.
Bill did such a great job for me and continues to be a fantastic resource to this day. The space was quite a challenge — the house is small, and the space we were trying to fit a full bedroom and a full bathroom into was tiny. There was an existing landing and stairs area that was a particular headache — it was critical to have an architect who understands Oakland’s codes perfectly. It took some really creative thought to make that space work! Many details of these spaces were down to the quarter inch to meet code requirements. There were bumps along the way, as a new foundation was poured for part of the area and a structural engineer needed to be brought in (a friend of Bill’s and a great guy, very reasonably priced), and all the various unforeseen issues that arise during a major construction project.
Bill not only designed a beautiful, elegant space, and a surprisingly lovely bathroom area, he made sure it worked with the rest of the house and has provided ongoing help with the kitchen and other areas that also need work. He was extremely hands on at all times, checking the work of the construction people every few days and catching many small issues, and basically lifting so much stress from me. There is no doubt in my mind that Bill’s attention to detail saved me a great deal of money and time, and allowed us to pass every inspection on the first try. He worked very well with all the construction people — I will say he is a bit of a threat to construction crews … They look sharp when they know Bill’s dropping by! I loved my construction team too, and the lead guy told me many times that Bill was a true expert who helped him do the best job he could do, and that Bill’s detailed oversight also saved him time and money in errors that were caught quickly, before they became nightmare problems.
I have come to completely trust Bill’s excellent sense of aesthetics and his deep knowledge of CA codes, and would be delighted to use him again for future projects.

We did a major remodel when we bought our house that included knocking down walls, building a staircase to the basement and creating an entire floor with three bedrooms and a bath in the basement. Our contractor recommended an architect who had recently moved to Oakland from the East Coast where he had been doing a combination of commercial and residential.
His name is Bill Engelhardt. We instantly hit it off with him. He was thoroughly professional but has a great sense of humor and a very clear and easy way of explaining what he thinks should be done and why.
Our first clue that he was the right guy was that he instantly saw where we could build the staircase after several other people had been confounded by the problem, considering our relatively compact floor plan. His idea was bold and surprising — and it totally works. He is a fast and reliable worker and his rates seem completely in line with local standards. Most important, we really liked working with him and found his ideas to be tasteful and intelligent.
Highest recommendation.