Great Designs Inc

Mark was very knowledgeable and sensitive to my needs for the renovation.

Mark drew up the plans for the garage and helped obtain information from the town in order that we could plan.

From the very beginning, and throughout the entire process, Mark Michaels of Great Designs Inc was an absolute pleasure to work with as my business expanded into a new commercial space. Mark was extremely responsive and communication was always prompt and efficient. The architectural drawings he created were completed much faster than expected and the ability to view the space in 3D and do a virtual walkthrough was fantastic. Aside from creating the drawings, Mark went above and beyond my expectations as he sought out various contractors that focus on the specialized type of work I needed to have done. Also, on several occasions, Mark was sure to contact the town and other agencies to check that various codes and requirements would be met. It was a great comfort knowing that Mark was taking the time to ensure every detail was covered. This proved to be especially helpful when applying for the numerous permits. Based on my experience with Mark Michaels, I highly recommend him to anyone seeking his services and I would not hesitate to contact him the next time the need arises.

Working with Mark was easy and efficient. He talked through what we were looking for in additional space (master bedroom suite) and we worked out all of the small details. We love the old New England look of our home and he was able to capture that look in his plans while giving us the modern updates we were looking for (closets and a large bathroom). He gave us 3 versions of the overall design to choose between. Once we had chosen the design, he produced the building plans. He also coordinated with an engineer to do the engineering report. All the while, he was extremely responsive and reached out whenever he had a question about what we were looking for. I highly recommend working with him!

Mark was great. We reviewed the plans and he made the minor revisions that I wanted. He also explained to me why some of my ideas were not feasible.

Very well. Mark is extremely responsive. I had a clear vision of what I wanted to do and Mark was able to get me to a great plan with about three iterations of the plans. Also Mark's plans were approved without revision by the building department which is not easy to do where we were building.

well, no problems, professional

We choose Mark based on his Angie's List review and we couldn't be more happy that we did. He was very prompt and started on the project quickly. He was upfront about the cost and there were no hidden add-ons at the end. He spent a lot of time getting to know the house and what we wanted to do. He knew what we wanted, but was unafraid to give his opinion about what could or should be done. With a few weeks of our initial meeting we had full sets of blueprints to get our building permit. In short we are very happy with the designs, the service, and the price and would definately go back to Mark in the future.

Mark Michaels/Great Design, Inc was our first experience working with an architect and the entire process could not have gone better. Mark listened to our ideas and concerns, asked detailed questions and gave thoughtful, creative suggestions and advice about the project - all before we had even signed our contract with him. He then carefully examined and measured the property and kept us updated as the plans took form. The end result is a set of top-notch, professional plans which are currently providing the basis for an amazing renovation.

See above.  The work was professionally done, in a timely fashion.  The Computer Aided Design (CAD) program that the provider used was fantastic.  It provided the ability to rotate views, see how the construction would overlay with the first floor layout.  No problems with having our wishes incorporated into the plans. <br /> <br /> Creative ideas on how to segregate the second floor to reduce HVAC costs were excellent.

Mark Michaels is a true professional and detail orientated architect. You will welcome his friendly warm kind personality. He will be sure to help bring your vision to light through his drawings. We are happy with his attention to detail and the outcome of our two story extension and bath. This is our second time working with Mark and are currently adding on a bedroom extension. Our experience and outcome have been wonderful. <br />

We were very pleased with the process. Mark is very thorough and reliable. We trust his expertise after he redesigned our kitchen.

Mark was highly professional, patient and extremely thorough.  Our staff continued to give us ideas and feedback well into the project and Mark was able to use this information to come up with the perfect space to suit our needs.  We are now open for business and the feedback from patients and staff has been all positive.  Thanks Mark we love it!!

<p>I came across Mark Michaels and Great Designs by doing a Google search for Stony Brook Architects.  I viewed his web site and looked at the work he had done for other clients.. I was impressed so I contacted him via email with my details and received a phone call back from him later that same day.  We discussed how my wife and I had recently purchased this house and wanted to make some changes to it.  The house is on a nice parcel of land with a water views and beautiful sunsets, however it is quite unique and a bit eclectic.   The house also posed zoning difficulties as it is situated against the back of an oddly shaped lot.  Our objective was to add a first floor master bedroom and bath without losing any of the existing water views.</p> <p>My wife and I met with Mark and showed him the house.  He shared his initial thoughts and observations and we agreed to take the next step.  Mark prepared a proposal for his services which we thought were quite reasonable.  We agreed to move forward. </p> <p>Mark made several visits to the house, took measurements and made notes.  He even video taped the house.  The house has two levels but the layout is one of a kind.  There are many nooks, odd shaped rooms and changing elevations.  Mark took all this information and somehow entered it perfectly into his architectural software.  He then used these tools to illustrate how the planned addition would look and its impact on the entire home.  We were able to do a virtual tour of the inside and outside of the proposed structure.  We quickly became comfortable with the design and moved to the next stage.</p> <p>Mark prepared extensive building documents which we used to get contractor bids.  I also was able to walk into the building department and leave with a building permit on the first visit.  We hired a contractor and the project progressed smoothly.  Mark made frequent visits to the site and really took ownership of his work.  Several of the tradesmen commented to me how impressed they were with his passion for the project, his attention to detail and the integrity of his design.   </p> <p>Well, as of this writing the project is well on its way to completion.  It has been a positive experience. My wife and I highly recommend you give Great Designs a look.</p> <br />

I met with Mark once to review what I wanted in my new garage, doors/windows/electric, etc. The second meeting he had my plans with a virtual rendition. I made one or two minor changes and got my plans on my third visit. After I selected my contractor and the Town needed an additional calculation Mark turned it around in 24 hours and I was on my way to getting my building permit. The contractor didn't have any problems reviewing the plans. He felt everything was in order. I don't anticipate any problems with construction related to the plans. Mark was easy to work, he was thorough, he made suggestions. Mark turned all this around for me very quickly both times. Back in Jan/Feb when we first met and I got the plans, and then again in May when the Town required some additional information. No extra charge. Thanks, Mark!

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I give this firm my highest recommendation.  We have done a complete renovation of an older home and Mr. Michaels from Great Designs was there every step of the way.  From the original thought process, to architectural plans to design choices to the actual buildout, Mr. Michaels went above and beyond.  His vision for our home was exceptional.  Looking at the final product, you would never know an addition was made.  He blended the roof lines seamlessly.  The interior is amazing and has been put in design magazines.  He was able to blend high end details with the low key vibe of our neighborhood and create an amazing space.  He is incredibly detail oriented.  Easy to work with, patient and available.  You will not go wrong with this firm.

Was a pleasure to work with. Uses 3-d modeling to allow us to easily understand his plan. <br /> visited site to verify work was done correctly. <br /> I have used him in the past to design a media room/library, with the same results.Steven

<p>Mark drew up plans for a total renovation of a house for us.  We are house flippers and bought a house that had not been renovated since the 40's.  Mark Spent HOURS at the house taking every little measure as well as video, he quickly drew up plans for us to review and then worked with our ideas and added his own as well.  He came up with some great ideas to add closet space without affecting any of the living space.  He was reasonable, quick, and a pleasure to work with.  We will be contacting him in the future for any of our other projects that may need his services.  </p>