Why hire us?
- City reviewWe take care of permitting & meeting city requirements.
- HOA approvalYour HOA may have more requirements than the city. We take care of that too.
- County permittingOutside city limits, review runs through the county. We are very familiar with the process.
- Soils and foundationSugar Land soils swell and shrink with the season. We work with geotech engineers to design the foundation that lasts.
- EngineeringStructural engineering on every project. MEP engineering when the home calls for it. Coordinated, not an afterthought.
- Interior designWe help you pick materials, finishes and fixtures. So that your house feels like home.
Neighborhoods we design in:
- First Colony
- Sweetwater
- Riverstone
- Telfair
- Sugar Creek
- New Territory
- Greatwood
- Avalon at Riverstone
- Imperial
- Sugar Lakes
- Venetian Estates
- Lake Pointe
- Commonwealth
- Covington Woods
Frequently asked questions
Do you only design new houses, or additions and remodels too?
All three. Sugar Land is mostly built out already. Most of our work here is adding to an existing home or remodeling — a second story, a primary suite, kitchen, bathrooms, opening up a floor plan.
Do I actually need an architect, or can a builder or drafter draw the plans?
A drafter gets you drawings. An architect gets you a home designed around you, your needs & your lifestyle. Think Corolla versus the latest Mercedes. Both get you there. Only one is a pleasure to be in every day.
How do architects charge, and what will the design cost?
Three common ways: a percentage of construction cost, a fixed fee, or hourly. Which one fits depends on your scope.
What does it cost per square foot to build a custom home in Sugar Land?
Roughly $175 to $300 per square foot. Where you land depends on how much work is involved — the foundation, the structure, the types of windows, the level of finishes.
Do I permit through the City of Sugar Land or through Fort Bend County?
The city, if your lot is inside the city limits. That includes Greatwood and New Territory, annexed in 2017. Outside the limits it is the county — different office, different rules. Give the city a call to confirm whether or not you are within the limits.
Does the HOA review happen before or after the city permit?
HOA always goes first. The city will not approve the design without HOA approval. The city primarily checks code requirements, while the HOA enforces architectural guidelines and deed restrictions. We start with the HOA all the time.
Who submits the permit application — you, me, or my builder?
We prepare the permit set and answer the reviewer’s comments. Who files depends on your builder agreement. We settle that early so finished drawings are not sitting around waiting.
Can I tear down an older house and rebuild on the lot?
Yes, and it happens often in the older neighborhoods. Read the deed restrictions before you buy, not after. Setbacks and height are usually fixed there.
Can I bring a plan I already like and have you modify it?
Yes. Know that adapting a plan drawn for another lot is often more work than starting fresh — the foundation, orientation and elevations usually change anyway. We will tell you which is cheaper for you.
Do I need a survey and a geotechnical report?
For a new house, yes. The survey sets your boundaries, easements and elevation. The geotech tells the engineer how your soil behaves. Both cost far less early than they do late.
Do you handle the structural and MEP engineering too?
Yes, through our consulting engineers. You get one coordinated set of drawings instead of three sets that disagree with each other on site.
What do I need before the first meeting?
An address or a lot, a rough construction budget, and a sense of how you want to live in the house. That is enough to start. We will tell you what else you need.
How long does the design take?
It depends on scope and how many approvals you face. A remodel with no HOA review moves quickly. A new house in a master-planned community does not. We give you a preliminary schedule after the first meeting.
Can you work with a builder I have already chosen?
Yes, and it goes better when the builder joins early. Pricing feedback on paper costs far less than redesigning after bids come back high. No builder yet? We can talk about what to look for.
Tell us about your project
A few details about your lot and what you have in mind is enough to start.
- 01 You share a few details about your project
- 02 We look them over and get back to you
- 03We meet to discuss your site, your vision & your budget.