DRAMS Architects

Al Dram and company did a great job with the architectural drawings for our bathroom renovation. Al advised me on whether we needed full-house vs bathroom-only drawings based on the changes we were making, and shared reasonable quotes for each. Because he uses LIDAR to take interior measurements, the quoted turnaround time was 2 months faster than many other local architects, and he actually shared the first draft of the drawings 1 month earlier than I expected. I was impressed by how accurate it was just from that initial scan. He was also very responsive in making modifications as we adjusted our renovation plan, and advised me on small changes that would suit the space better. Finally, his company was really helpful in getting the permits finalized, explaining which forms the county needed and ensuring their part was done quickly. Overall I would highly recommend these architects.

I am so glad we decided to go with DRAMS architecture for our first home in West Oakland. We shopped around quite a bit, and were impressed by the personal attention and obvious eye for design they showed. Al and his team were always incredibly responsive, forthcoming about any potential issues, and reassuring throughout what would have otherwise been a much more stressful process of obtaining our permits. He gave us numerous design options and was knowledgeable about cost differences and the likelihood certain aspects would be allowed by the city. I was concerned that with our somewhat narrow property it would be difficult to find a design I could fall in love with, but it was honestly amazing seeing Al's mind work around the space issues in real time and come up with creative and aesthetic solutions. The office was family friendly and let our kids draw while we were presented with our options. They were always timely in their correspondence with the city, and kept us apprised of any progress. They set realistic expectations and exceeded them every time. Most importantly, I feel certain our home would not have the intuitive and inviting feel I imagine it will have if it weren't for Al and his team. Definitely worth every penny!

If you are doing an architecture project in California, I think you are making a big mistake if you go with anyone besides DRAMS Architects. I interviewed 9 different architects in-depth, and I initially did not choose DRAMS because they were the only firm using a fully 3D digital capturing and BIM modeling workflow. Since no one else we interviewed used that, it seemed risky. After wasting time with someone else for a year, we fired our first architect and started over with DRAMS Inc. It has gone so much better, and I wish we picked them in the first place. The first architect we tried (not DRAMS) was well-reviewed. 5 stars on all sites, great communicator, great portfolio, seemed very expensive but we were willing to pay for quality. But the drawings he generated had mistakes (e.g. side view not matching the front view), and when we asked for a set of changes, only half of them would actually get made. DRAMS Architects team scanned our house with an automated scanner. The model they built of our existing structure includes not only the walls and cabinets but even the wall switches and electrical outlets. They emailed us a link where we could see the whole house in 3D, and even walk through it like a videogame. This works for both the as-built and the new plans. Because the level of detail is so high, we are able to save money by reducing rework. For example, we wanted to add a closet to an existing room. DRAMS put the wall of the closet in a place that looks slightly strange from a top-view. But it looks great from the in-person view, and it reuses our existing light switch. Because DRAMS Architects uses technology that captures these details, we can tell the electrician to completely ignore this room, rather than needing to redo the light switch. Unless you're using a workflow with the DRAMS Architects level of detail, it's not possible to notice these things ahead of time. Our first architect definitely did not, and from my 9 interviews, DRAMS Architects is the only architect near San Francisco working from in-house laser scans. The other big difference with DRAMS Architects is that they used BIM modeling for the entire process. With our other architect, we were using just 2D drawings. It didn't emerge that the different levels of the house didn't match until we had already paid a structural engineer. The engineer figured out beams to cantilever one level out over the other, but the whole thing was an accident due to the manual process. With DRAMS' fully 3D digital BIM workflow, those mistakes never happen. Because Al Dram is so responsive, and the BIM model makes it easy to visualize the design, we ended up at a design which is far more useful, far more beautiful, and *way* cheaper to build than we were able to achieve with our first architect. 6 stars out of 5, DRAMS Architects is using the workflows of the future and we are thrilled with them.

DRAMS Inc. supported me to get my Accessory Dwelling Unit through zoning and building at the City of Oakland, which is no small feat. Now, the hammer is raised and in 5 months, I'll have turned my single family home into two units. Al was especially responsive to all my communication: He replied to my emails promptly. He almost always picked up the phone, and if it went to voicemail, he called me back almost always on the same day. Al was very patient and supportive as he guided me through a process I've never been through before. I enjoyed learning from Al and will bring more insights into the next project I develop. Thank you Al and your amazing team.

Al and I worked together on an addition recently. His responsiveness and turn around time are exemplary. We connect first one day, and he was onsite with us the next. He hit every deadline, from quote to deliverable to edits! Moreover he was extremely flexible, working closely with my builder to get the final plans to the shape we all wanted. Even more importantly, he got my wife comfortable with the whole effort. I highly recommend him, and will use him again.

Am impressed with Al’s professionalism, high quality of work, prompt four-day turnaround. I won’t hesitate to recommend him & US Drafters to friends and will likely work with him again on other home renovations and improvements.

I worked with Al on a total gut rehab of my three level row house in Downtown Oakland. Al was an integral part of the team through every phase of the project from pre-construction design, construction management, and final inspections. Al was very responsive to our questions/needs and he felt more like a partner then a hired trade. Also, Al's calm persona came in handy and helped defuse any disputes that came up with our contractor. All around, Al was a pleasure to work with and his work speaks for it self! I can't wait to work on my next project with US Drafters.