After owning our first home for a little over 2 years, we felt ready to kick off a structural remodel to modernize all of our living areas: our kitchen, dining room, living room, entryway, and laundry/bath. We interviewed several architects and firms, and quickly found that Jim and Caroline at Cline Architects were the perfect fit for us. We wanted to work with architects who were thoughtful, organized, meticulous, and known for great work — while also being grounded and realistic in terms of working with our space and budget (which was generous, but not unlimited!). We found a perfect match for all of that in working with Cline Architects. They thoughtfully listened to our goals for the remodel, and incorporated ideas and feedback into each round of designs. Throughout the process, we enjoyed how they were just as excited about our project as we were. Communication was a breeze and it really felt like we were all collaborating together as a team. With this being our first remodel, we also very much appreciated their guidance throughout the entire process. They never made us feel silly for not knowing how something in the process would work, and they were a huge help in vetting and selecting good suppliers and contractors. Like another reviewer here mentioned, our permit drawings were quickly approved, and our contractor had no issues building to spec -- all a testament to the meticulous thought and attention to detail that Jim and Caroline put into every step of our project. We're so pleased with how our renovation went that we already can't wait to start another project with the same team (how often do you hear that? :). We feel so fortunate to have found Jim and Caroline, and can't wait to recommend them to friends. Thanks again for a dream project!Read More

Experienced, talented, knowledgeable, creative, responsive, efficient, and personable…these are some of the words that I ascribe to Caroline and Jim at Cline Architects. Caroline and Jim were a pleasure to work with on our home addition/remodel. The scope of our project was addition of two bedrooms and complete renovation of the existing structure. We decided to contact Cline Architects based on the recommendation of friends who had a good experience working with Caroline and Jim for renovation of their home. During our initial meeting with Caroline, she gave us a very clear description of the entire process from design, permit application, finding a contractor, to build. After providing a rough description of what we wanted, Caroline brought up some excellent suggestions and recommendations that we had not considered. The drawings that Caroline provided after our initial meeting were right on the mark. Caroline very creatively incorporated all of the key elements we had requested within the inherent limitations dictated by the size and shape of our lot. Caroline also introduced many new features and design elements that we had not previously considered but found to be very appealing. We appreciated that Caroline made an effort reduce costs by retaining as much of the existing structure as possible, while still creating a very different home from the existing home. After a few iterations, Caroline and Jim generated a final set of drawings that we really loved and were ready to submit for the permit application. Caroline managed the entire permit application process, which went very smoothly. Caroline and Jim were able to quickly address the minor comments we received from the building department without making any significant changes to the design of the house. The fact that we received only minor comments from the building department speaks to Caroline and Jim’s knowledge and experience. Caroline worked very well with our contractor throughout the entire build phase. The periodic site visits from Caroline were very useful for ensuring the build went true to plan as well as providing opportunities to discuss finish and fixture details that we had deferred making decisions on. Whenever we or our contractor reached out to Caroline with questions she reliably responded the same day and typically within an hour. Since completing the house and moving back in, we are very happy with the final product. The home is very comfortable and fits our life well. We are grateful for Caroline and Jim’s work. If you are considering a remodel or renovation of your home, we recommend that you meet with Jim and Caroline at Cline Architects to discuss your project.Read More

We worked with Cline Architects in the Spring of 2014 to create plans and pull permits for our home renovation in West Portal (shown in their projects portfolio). James and Caroline were great at listening to what we wanted for the house and were efficient in coming up with several design options that opened up the upstairs layout, developed the empty garage space on the lower floor, and managed to fit a wider (and safer) stairway between the floors. Once we selected a layout they were quick to produce plans for the city and also negotiated well with DBI when we went to pull permits. We got a design we were happy with and we quickly able to begin building. During the construction process we made a few design changes and Cline was responsive in helping us modifying our permits. Once we completed the structural portions of our project we hired Cline for additional design services to help us pick tiles, paint color, and other finishes. They made the process easy and one year after completing our house we are still very happy with the outcome. I would hire Cline again when we need architectural services. They are real professionals and know how to work intimately with their clients.Read More

Honest opinions provided, expectations explained, clients needs addressed or modified. Both Jim and Caroline are extremely professional yet personable. They were always on time and respectful of client's time. Would recommend to my friends.Read More

my wife and I found Cline Architects on houzz and had met several other architects to consider a 3rd floor addition and roof deck. Immediately they stood out from the rest! We found Jim and Caroline incredibly helpful, thoughtful, and detail orientated.They listened to our needs and respected our opinions. They made the permit process in San Francisco hassle free. Our friends and neighbors were all shocked how smooth the process was for us! I would not hesistate to work with them again in the future!Read More