Alexander Butler | Design Services, LLC

Right from the start, working with Alex felt like having a pro on the team. His skills and dedication were top-notch, which was a big deal, especially with all the curveballs thrown our way thanks to the ongoing Covid situation. But you know what? Alex stayed cool, stayed adaptable, and made sure our project progressed as best as it could considering the situations we had to overcome as all renovations will. It's not every day you find someone so professional yet easygoing, and that made a world of difference for us. What initially caught my eye about Alex and his firm wasn't just the fantastic aesthetic they're known for, though that was definitely a major draw. It was something refreshingly different – his payment structure. I mean, I never understood why the brand of my fridge and faucets would have anything to do with an architect's fee? Alex's approach resonated with me; he aligns the cost with the size of the space he is working on, not the amount spent on fancy appliances and finishes. It's this kind of innovative thinking that made me confident in choosing him for our project. What truly stood out was how Alex handled unexpected changes – like when life or conditions behind the walls threw us a surprise, and we had to tweak our plans. It wasn't some overly polished process; Alex just made it work. He adjusted things seamlessly, as if he'd seen it all before. What I really appreciated was that, unlike some architects who can be rigid in their vision, Alex understood the need for function over aesthetics. When plans needed to change to fit our family's specific needs, he was flexible, realizing that a home should not just look good but also work well for those living in it. His willingness to prioritize functionality added a whole new layer of satisfaction to our project. Alex's attention to detail is seriously impressive. His drawings are like works of art, meticulously crafted and, I must say, invaluable during the chaos of the bidding process and construction phase. It's like he had a blueprint for success (no pun intended). What really blew me away was his experience with NYC co-ops shining through. Alex didn't just wait for issues to pop up; he anticipated potential objections like a seasoned chess player making strategic moves. The result? Plans that were not just aesthetically pleasing but ready for the nod of approval. In conclusion, I wholeheartedly recommend Alex Butler to anyone in search of a skilled, detail-oriented, and adaptable architect. Working with Alex was a pleasure, and I'm sincerely grateful for the remarkable transformation he brought to my family's apartment. Choosing him was one of the best decisions I made for my home.

We discovered Alex Butler through his impressive portfolio, which showcased his remarkable attention to design and detail. Required to work closely with our local contractor, Alex, typically selective about project locations, made an exception for our project, situated two hours from his base. Initial Impression: Alex's thoroughness was evident from the start. His structured approach encompassed everything from layout planning to interiors, and even billing. His transparent and fair process was a refreshing deviation from market norms (which are often a winding/confusing path). Professionalism: Trained in prestigious firms (Sensitive Information Hidden) and Yale's architecture school (UVA undergrad), Alex's background justifies his premium. His professionalism and meticulousness were apparent in every aspect – from minor meetings to the project as a whole. He did this while being consistently approachable, always working to make time for us. We were consistently impressed. Project Management: Throughout our intensive project, which involved a complete overhaul (including the removal of all interior walls and a centrally located fireplace), Alex managed to keep everyone on budget and on schedule, and never lost cite of the client goals. He efficiently handled surprises (personally helping bridge communication and ordering gaps), thoughtfully incorporated various re-design options while returning reviewed documents promptly. Conclusion: Detail-oriented yet deeply understanding of our project's essence, Alex combined professionalism with a friendly demeanor. His resilience through the project's ups and downs was remarkable. We would eagerly collaborate with him again and recommend him without reservation.

Alex and his team did an amazing job in designing and delivering on a gut renovation of a 2000 sqft Madison Ave apartment. He managed the project from inception to completion and was extremely detail oriented. He also handled all procurement. We actually found him thru Houzz and are happy we did. NYC is not our primary residence so we needed someone who could be onsite and be our eyes and ears. He was always available for a call or onsite visit and was onsite regularly. Also, extremely patient and has continued to follow-up after project completion.

We worked with Alex on a gut renovation in NYC. He was a wonderful partner throughout the entire process. Before we had officially engaged Alex, he accompanied us on numerous visits to decide which apartment to purchase for our project. He was instrumental in helping us find the 'shell' for our future home. Alex was extremely quick in understanding our vision, and he was also great in pushing our boundaries a bit so we ended up with something design-forward and beautiful. He understood our lifestyle, and specifically our needs related to having a young and growing family. He was conscious of our budget, and very willing to help us understand tradeoffs we had to make to stay within our limits. He was also extremely creative when it comes to achieving a look we wanted for less money. We were extremely happy that our project did not go over budget. Alex managed our general contractor, and was our key point person across the entire process which made it feel seamless. Our super loved working with him, which made the entire process of working with our coop easier, too. Alex is incredibly responsive and also helpful when you run into any issues - he is an advocate for you as the client. We are so appreciative to Alex for helping us create our dream first home!

While my wife was in charge of 99.9% of the project, in my interactions with Alex, I found him to have impeccable manners. He was thoughtful, engaging and caring of our hopes and dreams for our apartment. He was trustworthy and honest. He was so passionate about this project and his enthusiasm was palpable. He miraculously stuck to budget during a global pandemic. There were just so many setbacks and delays that were out of his control and yet he saw this through. We are incredibly proud and happy with our home. The project exceeded our expectations.

I worked with Alex for the design of my classic 8 apartment on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. He was extremely thoughtful about the design and potential for the apartment. I highly recommend Alex!

We had a phenomenal experience working with Alex throughout our design phase. He was knowledgeable, patient, and creative! As we worked out different options for our layout, Alex not only was able to think outside the box, but incorporated our suggestions and preferences. Although our project remains ongoing (due to Covid-related delays), Alex continues to come to each meeting as both a sounding board and a person who offers objective, practical ideas. We feel so lucky to have worked with Alex throughout this process and will be reaching out to him again, for future projects!

We worked with Alex for the renovation of a 2-bedroom apartment in the Soho during the pandemic. He was a joy to work with and helped make the very complicated process of plan approvals with a coop & the city feel easy and less stressful. He has great taste/vision and transformed the space from a closed in, oddly configured 1960s apartment to a bright, open and airy space. The biggest improvement was in the master bath where he recommended reconfiguring the space to enlarge the bathroom and add double doors and a double vanity - you’d hardly believe the bathroom is in NYC! My favorite part of the experience was working with Alex on finishes and materials for the space - he was so detail oriented and always had great recommendations - from big choices like the flooring to little ones like knobs and door handles - we really enjoyed seeing how he’d designed the space and how the details came together creating a cohesive look. We’re so pleased with how the apartment turned out and encourage anyone considering Alex to work with him on their project.

Alex helped me with some early scoping for a large project in my home. In addition to being impeccably responsive and professional from the beginning, he was warm and human with me throughout. He walked me through what to expect in the process, and provided some very valuable frameworks for approaching the work. While we didn't end up going with him (as the timing didn't work out), he added immense value to our thinking for this project, which we'll certainly be carrying forward.

We found ABDS here on Houzz in early 2020 when looking for an architect for our gut renovation. Our project with Alex completed a few weeks ago, and we have been looking forward to sharing our positive experience here again. Alex impressed my wife and I from the beginning, and we selected him from a pool of ~5 architect options. His design vision as well as project management style was a great fit for us. Ultimately, the apartment came out amazing and we could not be happier with the final product! That's clearly the most important thing, but also we felt like he made the project easier for us to manage (which during COVID with an NYC co-op is no small feat). Alex also suggested an excellent GC who was able to fit our budget and deliver great quality work. This isn't to say that the project went off totally without a hitch (I don't think that's possible) - but Alex was fair and helpful along the whole process. (again even when COVID slowed us down)

We recently completed a full gut renovation of a Soho loft with Alex Butler / ABDS. This is the third time we have worked with him in New York, but this one was by far and away the biggest project. The total timeframe of the renovation was supposed to be 15 months, but took almost two years, none of which was Alex's fault, and mainly a result of delays by the Co-Op and New York DoB. However, we could not have been more pleased with the end result. Our vision for a modern, clean apartment was met perfectly with Alex's engagement throughout. We worked very closely together, and he was open to input and changes throughout the design part of the project. During construction, he took ownership of the process of managing the GC, and elevated key issues (not the minutiae) to me quickly and as appropriate. He was clear and forthright in communicating change orders and delays, and all-in, we were extremely satisfied with his design, professionalism, and of course the final product.

We were referred to Alex by a friend who renovated their apartment in NYC. We own a home in San Francisco and were doing a full renovation of our kitchen and adding a mudroom + laundry room. Alex was very thorough in his proposal including highlighting for us the pros/cons of being remote. He gave us a number of different paths to consider including different numbers of onsite visits to check on the project status. We are thrilled with how the kitchen came out. It was a gut renovation including removing a wall to make an open living space. Alex attention to detail was very valuable throughout the project. Alex coordinated with our local Contractor to make sure things were moving along smoothly onsite. He was very responsive to our questions and always had quick recommendations for the details that can take hours to make final decisions. He very quickly got a good sense for what we were looking for and was able to make recommendations that were consistent with what we wanted.