Jeffrey Lees, Architect

Jeffrey provided us with architectural plans for a major renovation to our home in Baltimore County. In essence we turned our tiny sow's ear into a little unicorn with more than a nod to the Not-So-Big House concept, which we brought to the table. Jeffrey listened carefully to what we wanted, then used his expertise to give us great architectural plans and also to guide us through the process, which included a hearing with the zoning commission. He kept in touch, by prior arrangement, with our contractor, throughout the construction process, making himself available for on-going consultation. We have been extremely pleased with our reconstructed home, as have our guests.. We can't recommend Jeffrey highly enough!!! And, yes, he does wear a bow tie.

We hired Jeff when my husband and I decided to update our kitchen and den in a home built in the early 70's in a layout with both rooms well-defined and separate. Our goal was to combine these two rooms to make a space that was bright, open and one large living space. Jeff's expertise in removing walls, inserting windows and maximizing existing space brought a vision to the project that was perfect. He listened to our thoughts and made many contributions. It was fun working with him. It's so important to know when working with a contractor that there is an architect involved to assure that all new structures are safe and properly built. Thanks to Jeff, we are confident that our project is well built and are extremely happy with the results. I highly recommend Jeff.

Jeff Lees is a master at creating modern spaces while retaining the integrity of an old house. I've done half a dozen rehabs and used other architects, but not one have demonstrated Jeff's level of insight and creativity. The finished product exceeded my high expectations.

My wife and I hired Jeffrey Lees to design a house for us on Ocracoke Island. We wanted the house to be in keeping with the island's early architecture. He listened to our request and provided suggestions to maximize space and natural light and also recommended materials. His suggestions enhanced the lighting and storage in the house while increasing the size of the living space. He was always available for questions throughout the design and building process. The final design drawings were delivered at the quoted price. We are very happy with the finished house and overall design. We have received many compliments on the house and would recommend Mr. Lees to others.

Jeffrey Lees is a wonderful architect. I started with a house plan I had found online. He altered it to include my "must haves" and gave expert advice regarding things I had questions about. I would employ him again if I ever need to have anther house designed.

Jeffrey Lees is always very professional in his work and attitude. He worked with us to create a unique design that solved some complicated issues and gave us the beautiful home we always wanted. He was always available with a smile and can do attitude. I would highly recommend Jeffrey Lees to anyone wanting to build a house, addition, barn or any residential project.

I hired Jeffrey Lees to develop design and construction drawings for an large single car garage+ceramics studio+utility basement structure. (This new structure was intended to replace an existing single car garage+carport that was too small and did not address additional needs for creative, utility and storage space.) From the initial consultation through development of concept, and finalizing drawings Jeffrey was helpful, flexible and provided significant insight, and thoughtful response to my questions and concerns based on his extensive experience. I recommend Jeffrey Lees, and will consult with him on any project I do in the future.

Jeff was the consummate professional at every step of the way as we brainstormed solutions for putting an addition on our 1920's bungalow - a herculean task, given the many needs and desires we had for the project. Given that he lives in the same neighborhood, he demonstrated thorough knowledge of bungalow architecture, but unlike many architects, he also showcased a creative approach in designing an addition that blended old and new. What's more, he really understood "us" and his designs reflected our family with a sensitivity and artistry that wowed us time and again. His drawings alone were superb, but so were his solutions to some very serious space issues we faced. Communicative, thoughtful, and extremely precise in his plans, Jeff designed a house that really felt like a home. He was extremely patient as we weighed our options, offering different versions of the designs and talking through our "wish list." He was honest, he gave us as much time as we needed in meetings, he immediately responded if we called with a question, and he met our needs tenfold. I would not hesitate to recommend Jeff for his professionalism, his talent, and his genuine warmth. Working with him is a true partnership, and my husband and I feel eternally grateful to have a design for our bungalow that is EXACTLY what we wanted.

When Jeff lees asked me if I would fill out an online reference forum my immediate response was that I would be more than glad to do so. Jeff was the architect when I built my house,a wonderful residence that never would have happened without his efforts.He was the the central figure in the process and was an invaluable asset in the project. The house was built on a large lot well off the road set in a pine woods.With that in mind I asked Jeff to create a house that would combine some modern as well as traditional elements. I was thrilled with his ability to be artistic and creative in combining the above elements with a plan that fitted our needs. In addition to floor plans and sketches Jeff also built a very intricate and accurate scaled model that showed exactly what our house would look like.I was amazed at this model because it made it very clear that Jeff was very invested in planning our home..a trait which carried on well after the house was completed His attention to detail and getting right what I thought were minor details at the time really paid off later. The longer I lived in the house the more I appreciated Jeff's skills as an architect.

When we bought the oldest house in Elizabeth City, NC (ca. 1798, individually listed on the National Registor of Historic Places), we decided to use the services of an architect for our additions and renovations to the house in order to use the house as a bed and breakfast. We chose Mr. Lees because he showed great enthusiasm for the job, and he was eminently qualified, since he specializes in historic renovations. He was very sensitive to the guidelines set forth by the U.S. Department of the Interior in designing us a new entry way, sunroom, and master suite, plus addiing a new bathroom and redesigning both the kitchen and an existing bathroom. The proof of his expertise: we won a Gertrude S. Carraway Award of Merit, Historic Preservation Foundation of North Carolina, Inc., in 10/ 2009! We highly recommend Mr. Lees as an outstanding architect. We now own the Grice-Fearing House Bed in Breakfast and have been featured numerous times in newspapers and magazines for our renovation efforts.

From referrals my wife and I received, we hired Jeff to design the rehab of our newly purchased "handyman special" home. Jeff's general experience in this type of project including pre-planning, pre-budgeting, design including modifications, scheduling, contractor oversight, proved extremely beneficial. We subsequently hired Jeff later to design a bedroom addition. This project, design and construction, was completed most satisfactorily as well. My wife and I are now enjoying the fruits of the skills and professionalism that Jeff brought to the table on both projects.

We hired Jeff to develop a design for the remodeling of the downstairs of our then 80-year-old house. He did a superb job of designing a new entry, rearranging the flow of the house, and integrating the best aspects of the house's existing features, Jeff was attentive to our needs and desires. He as also cognizant of our budget. Our neighborhood organization has an annual contest that awards prizes for the best designed home improvements, and Jeff's redesign was selected as the best for that year. We subesquently had Jeff design a replacedment garage and then design the remodeling of our upstairs rooms. On all our projects, Jeff was involved from the design to the construction supervision. He did a fabulous job, and we would recommend him highly.