Client Testimonials
Below are reviews of Ben Herzog Architect that are posted on Houzz.
“We worked with Ben and his team to remodel our kitchen, dining room, entry and two bathrooms in our Victorian house in Ditmas Park. We specifically wanted the spaces to reflect the Victorian style and character of the house, and Ilva and Meredith were able to exceed all of our expectations with their beautiful designs and decor choices. The GC they found for us did wonderful work, stuck to the budget and was committed to ensuring we were satisfied with every detail. The house looks beautiful and we wholeheartedly recommend working with BHA.”
– jvswenson
“Ben and Ilva and really, the whole staff were great to work with and always available if any problems arose.”
– My Name is David
“Ben and his team helped us combine two pre-war apartments on lower 5th avenue. Their vision, attention to detail, efficiency and accessibility made our project move forward seamlessly. They worked well with our contractor and building management and have intimate knowledge of the code and landmarks issues we faced during the course of our project. I could not recommend Ben Herzog more highly, and if we do a renovation project in NYC in the future, they will be our first call.”
– nabristol
“I hired Ben to be our architect for a full gut renovation of a brownstone in a historic district in Brooklyn. He was innovative, patient, thorough and his team were excellent project managers. He is really knowledgeable when it comes to brownstones and we were in great hands when we hit a few snags with the building department. It was daunting to design a home from the ground up, but Ben and his team guided us through all of the millions of choices and helped us select a great contractor as well. We love our home so much and would recommend him and his team to anyone who is doing a renovation big or small.”
– Michelle M.
“Ben and his team were wonderful to work with. They created several design options with varying execution/build costs. It was nice to have some cheaper and more expensive options to choose from – each was really neat and would have worked great. The team was extremely responsive – they would answer questions quickly via email and always picked up the phone when I rang. The interior design work they helped us with was extremely helpful and beautiful – we used every suggestion. They sent us light fixture, hardware, countertop, and furniture suggestions. They used eloquent language when describing what they were trying to get across in the design. We will definitely use them again and would recommend them to anyone who needs an architect / designer.”
– Nadean F.
“Working with Ben has his team was a great experience from beginning. His approach was far more professional and pragmatic than other firms that we met with, specifically in regards to timeline, potential obstacles, and cost. His experience with other projects in NYC and all that comes with that (space restrictions, regulations, board approvals) was evident as he and his team reimagined our home in a way that extremely well thought-out and captured exactly what we were looking to achieve: create a space that maximizes on functionality and storage while maintaining a sophisticated look that preserves the art-deco feel of the building.
Ben and his team were responsive, creative, and a pleasure to work with. I would absolutely recommend them and hope to have the opportunity to work with them again.”
– Daniel M.
“I utilized Ben Herzog Architects for a gut renovation in Park Slope and highly recommend their services. The design work on this house was extensive as we changed the entire layout of the house and added floors and components that did not previously exist. They also brought in highly experienced structural engineers and expeditors to facilitate the project. I worked mainly with Heather Mangrum and she was extremely responsive to the many issues that arose throughout the design process and construction. She and Ben brought innovative and creative ideas to the table that helped me build a dream home. I interviewed multiple architects prior to choosing Ben’s firm and am thrilled with the decision. The rates were reasonable and the work ethic is superb. They were an amazing resource throughout the whole project.”
– Natalia T.
“We hired Ben to help us gut renovate a wood frame house in Brooklyn. We completely redesigned the layout (flipping the top and bottom apartments), replaced all interior walls and most exterior walls, added all new plumbing and electrical, redid the front façade, replaced the roof, and added a metal deck in the back.
We had a great experience working with Ben and his team. They gave thoughtful suggestions for design decisions that helped to keep us within budget and their attention to detail paid off handsomely. With their help, we were able to squeeze every last inch out of our narrow home and make it feel clean and open. We ended up with a beautiful house that would not have been possible without the creativity of Ben and his team.”
– BKLYN Homeowner
“It had been a fantasy of my wife and I to buy and renovate a nyc historic townhouse. Even before buying our house we would peruse sites like houzz to gather ideas and inspiration. We would routinely see Ben Herzog’s projects and agree that we definitely liked his firm’s style and design work. Naturally, when we purchased our home, it of course needed extensive renovation. We called Ben Herzog to pitch us his services and vision for the project. We interviewed roughly 4-5 architects before settling on Ben. The reason we ultimately decided to award him the project was two fold; he is very knowledgeable with much experience in townhouses and personable but he also had strong opinions and was not afraid to let that show, even at the first meeting. I had immense respect for the fact that he made his differing opinion known even though it was counter to what we indicated we wanted. He was right and I knew it. That sort of personality trait in my opinion is paramount to a good architect and something you want your “team members” to possess. He was not and is not a “yes guy”, if it means the project and the clients best interest may suffer. Ben paired us with a new Project Manager at the firm, Jeremy Vealy, who’s attention to detail and organization is unwavering. Ben also suggested we use a GC that he regularly works with. His opinion was that this particular GC and I would work very well together and he was right. From the first meeting to the punch list Ben and his firm have been knowledgeable, professional, and able to keep what seemed like an endless project on track and organized. Something that I need to note is Ben’s commitment to his word. Ben’s integrity really shined when this project went over budget. My particular house was unique with some unexpected challenges that were hard to account for when Ben estimated his fees. We ended up going over budget with the architectural fees out of necessity because of various reasons. However, Ben stood by his fee structure estimate and made good on the budget. These sorts of projects can be a pandoras box and things can easily get out of control, but with Ben Herzog and his team on board I never had a doubt. I would most certainly recommend Ben.”
– Chad K
“We hired Ben’s firm to be the architects for our brownstone renovation. We did a gut renovation on a four story Park Slope, Brooklyn townhouse. BHA was wonderful throughout — very knowledgable about the particulars of victorian brownstones and able to deliver a feel that was more contemporary while still retaining some of the classic feel of an old home. They were able to navigate the world of city plan approval and Heather, our project manager, was great to work with during construction. We have just moved in and we are thrilled with our new home.”
– alarikmyrin
“We hired Ben in 2013 to do a gut renovation of a Brooklyn brownstone. Hiring Ben has been the single best decision we made in this project.
Ben and our fantastic project manager Ilva have a tremendous amount of knowledge and creativity about all aspects of this process (materials, design, soliciting bids from contractors, submitting plans to DOB…) They walked us through every step of the process, listened to what we wanted, gave great guidance in the (many) areas where we didn’t know what we wanted, were patient and helpful when we went back and forth on what we wanted, etc.
When we first met Ben, we were worried that our budget was on the low side for this kind of project, but he was very encouraging and confident about what we could do with our budget. He remained sensitive to our budget throughout the process, sticking to his promised fees. Ilva really got what was important to us and where we wanted to save money, and always kept our budget-consciousness in mind when making suggestions.
Ben and Ilva always replied to our calls and emails promptly, and always with a can-do attitude, willing to help with whatever we asked, and a sense of humor. They excel at communicating effectively with the GC, and really helped us push the project along when it lagged at the end.
In a process as expensive and daunting as this, it is a tremendous comfort to feel like you are being led by people who are 100% professional and trustworthy, and that is what Ben and his team are.”
– Rachel P
“We used Ben Herzog Architects on a partial gut (2/3rd) of an already converted Brooklyn ex-industrial building. It is 3 stories tall with an English Basement and the lot measures 25×75.
I will tell you two things about my experience with Ben.
1] He listened to what we we wanted and helped us attain the best version of our needs. We were not looking for the kind an experience where the Architect treated our project as if it was his personal playground and future marketing piece. We have done that and it is not our style. He was practical as he brought the artistry of his craft to bear on our home. Great. We loved that.
2] We chose a contractor with which friends had a good experience. We did not have a good experience with this contractor, so much so that we fired him. A very unpleasant thing to do. We were nervous about this and, to be certain, out of our depth, in figuring out how to maneuver through this process. Ben and his team were with us through the experience every step of the way and helped us not only find a new contractor to take on someone else’s botched job, not an easy thing to do, they found us a good one. They worked with him and got us back up and running.
It was certainly a situation where people could have sat around pointing fingers at each other and put us in stasis for a long time. This did not happen because Ben et al helped us move forward when they could have cut and run. I appreciate his character and enjoyed him as a person, which made the process that much easier.”
– ahblank94
“Ben Herzog and his team did an amazing job helping us through all steps of our Brownstone renovation process. We added interior stairs and renovated our entire 3 floors, including the creation of two new bedrooms. They listened to what we wanted, provided multiple options, were always accommodating with requests and questions. They were creative and thorough with options and ideas and solutions. They also helped us find our general contractor and communicated with everyone throughout the process.
They were realistic about time/expenses while helping us find a way to complete what we wanted according to our budget. Our project expanded slightly (based on what we wanted) and they adjusted accordingly. They also helped us find ways to cut costs, by eliminating things that were deemed unnecessary (always with discussion and the understanding that they had recommendations but it was ultimately our decision).
Emails were answered quickly and meeting times were never changed unless it came from us. No decisions ever felt pressured or rushed, timetables were given based on what we could handle, always with flexibility and discussion.
Everyone was friendly and professional, easy to talk to and helpful. They have extensive knowledge about materials, vendors and regulations, which helped as our building is landmarked.
We recommend Ben Herzog to anyone in search of a quality architect.”
– adam545
“Ben and his team are the perfect set of skills one should look for in an architect. They have immense technical knowledge, which is extremely important when embarking upon a NYC renovation. To this end, they partner with great engineers and expediters as necessary. Ben also has a great design aesthetic; he is very thoughtful about general spacial relationships, layouts and materials used and was also extremely thorough when it came to some of the finer details of our project. The one regret we have is not using Ben for the construction admin portion of our project as we do believe this would have kept our timing more on track and would have eliminated some very avoidable snafus.”
– nycbrook
“We found Ben through Houzz and immediately liked his style. He finds a way to bring modern conveniences to a townhouse (central AC, modern kitchen, open spaces and family rooms) while maintaining a traditional look.
The work consisted of renovating a 4 story brick townhouse in Brooklyn. Close to gut of the parlor with major structural work that required steel beams and steel columns to be dropped 2 stories onto the foundation of the house. We also did mechanical work throughout with all new plumbing and electrical, added central AC and replaced the forced air heating system with radiators.
Ben and his team were a joy to work with from the beginning. They managed the process from a to z, always offering helpful ideas or suggestions drawing on their long experience working in Brooklyn. We ended up picking a contractor Ben works with often and couldn’t have more pleased. It is refreshing to find professionals who take pride in their work and are not looking to cut corners. Ben pushed several times for small changes that in hindsight made a big impact on the design of the project and which easily get lost in the rush to finish. For example he always made sure the lights and other ceiling fixtures were aligned between the different spaces which now make for a pleasing aesthetic. He also pushed for the contractor to maintain original details wherever possible, and even restore them when needed.
Highly recommend working with Ben and his team and will gladly use them again for any future work!”
-braiq
“My husband and I found Ben Herzog through Houzz.com and hired his team to turn a dilapidated 3-unit apartment building into a new, single family house. From the beginning we were so happy that we chose Ben. He came up with lots of great ideas, and took time to help us nail down what we wanted. As total newbies to renovating a house, we especially appreciated his knowledge of estimating costs, choosing a contractor, and the whole crazy NYC permitting process. The project ran smoothly and he and his team always showed up very prepared (and on time) to meetings and were quick to address issues that came up over the course of the project. We never felt like we weren’t being taken care of in every way. On top of all this, he is a really nice person to work with over the course of then project! We highly recommend him and his team and would absolutely use his company again if we ever had to do another renovation.”
– brooklyn_townhouse
“We had a terrific experience working with Ben and his entire team. We actually found Ben through Houzz, having fallen in love with photos of his work on a previous project. The original state of our home made us a bit apprehensive about whether or not our final outcome could approach the level of the inspiration project, but we needn’t have worried: the final result has completely exceeded our expectations. Our home is warm, inviting, luxurious, and most importantly, absolutely functional for our family and our lifestyle, and we owe Ben and his team a great debt for their efforts and contributions throughout the process.
How do you codify the work of a great architect? They are part designer, part brainstorming partner, part devil’s advocate, part hand-holder, part task-master, part code enforcer and part freely-speaking trusted friend; Ben and his team were very deft in all areas, and we know our project sailed smoothly because of their effectiveness. Always calm, always on top of things, always willing to do whatever needed to get done when challenges arose, we had a real advocate and a partner in Ben Herzog, in Ben Herzog Architecture and in all of the corollary personnel on our journey with us (many of whom had been recommended by Ben).
It can be hard to visualize the end result when you are starting a full gut renovation or even a smaller project, and selecting a team to guide you through the process is of course the most important step; we were so grateful throughout the process to benefit from the expertise, creativity, practicality and calming influence of all of the architects at Ben Herzog Architecture. We are thrilled to offer them our highest recommendation.”
– Julie theoperadiva
“Ben Herzog Architects worked on a complete gut renovation and top floor addition of our turn of the century brick townhouse. They we’re incredibly professional and knowledgeable about the entire process and helped immensely with managing with all the various trades and professions. Ben has a wonderful sense of design and is very open to exploring all the option a new home owner needs to obsess over. I’d highly recommend Ben and his team.”
-dennispotami
“We did a complete renovation of the first floor of our brownstone, including the kitchen and one bathroom. Not only were we very happy with the end result (which finished as scheduled, on time) but the process as well. Ben and all of the contractors he recommended were excellent and a real pleasure to work with.”
– melanielbutters
“We purchased a pied a terre in NYC. It was estate quality same owners since 1959. We live in Arkansas. We have 40 plus years of experience in building, but with the distance Mr. Herzog made this an easy project. He was detailed oriented, the apartment was a “gut” renovation. His design was modernistic as we asked, but original! We did travel to NY, he accompanied us to different venders viewing tile, paint and stain, ktichen appliances, bathroom fixtures, doors, molding, etc. Ben was prompt with his design work and always in touch by email, telephone, or fedex. His estimate of cost was within his projection, we had no surprises. We also worked with a young general contractor and workers; Ben worked well with them.
I might add that we interviewed multiple architects and general contractors. Ben’s design and character stood out from others!
We would recommend him without reservation!”
– dbbur
“We had a project set to go with Herzog Architecture. We were thrilled with the plans. Ben’s eye for detail–whether it’s capturing space and using it maximally, or simply having the foresight to test his ideas before the plans were put in motion (he had our ceiling probed way in advance to make sure the staircase scheme would work)–he is meticulous. He is as good with built-in design as he is with structural function. We ended up moving, but they are working with us on our new project as well. Ben, Heather and his team gracefully and graciously rolled with the new situation. Ben has an easy going disposition which makes collaborations with contractors, designers etc. go very smoothly. He is the consummate professional and very fair. I highly recommend him.”
– jkomitee
“We recently completed a 3 story brownstone renovation in Brooklyn with Ben Herzog as our architect. We had a really wonderful experience working with Ben and his associate Sophia. We first learned about Ben through neighbors who had also renovated their house with him. Seeing their space was great because it was so beautifully done and got us excited about all the potential that our drab house had. We knew we wanted to hire this guy too!
Besides having a good eye for design and spatial layouts, Ben is also very easy to work with and pays attention to details. He has a very calm and steady demeanor and communicated well with both me and our contractor. Everyone knows that a good architect has good design skills, but what’s also equally important are the architect’s people skills and organizational skills. Through the highs and lows over the course of our renovation project, Ben consistently provided a steady presence. The amount of paperwork to be filed with the DOB is overwhelming and Ben, along with the expeditor, was always on top of all the details.
I was especially impressed with Ben during our bidding process to find a contractor. He was very thorough with the bid package he put together for the 5 contractors we considered. He analyzed the numbers carefully and was in constant contact with the bidders for clarifications and updates. During this process, he helped us get our numbers down by advising us about what line items to cross off and what to keep in terms of priorities. He also managed to get the contractors to lower their bids. Ben’s attention to detail at this early stage was critical in helping us stay close to our budget and not have too many surprises down the road.
He was also very respectful about our budget and helped us balance what we should do now vs. what we could put off till the future.
We have been living in our new house for a month now and are absolutely thrilled with how the renovation turned out. I think Ben is awesome and highly recommend him.”
– Anita Lin (former client, current BHA Project Manager)
“We had a great experience working with Ben Herzog on a bathroom/laundry in the basement of our brownstone. He was recommended by our long-term contractor, John Kemp, and they worked well together. We started with a single concept, a Moorish tile influence, and Ben researched it thoroughly and made great recommendations for tile stores, designs and accents. There were some tricky mechanical issues fitting in the works for a steam shower, exhausts, etc. in the limited space of a brownstone, but Ben solved every problem. He clearly explained his billing practices and we stayed pretty much on budget. He was helpful in giving us the contact person at the tile stores, so we had great service. On finishing touches, he was artistic and even brought a color expert to select the paint best for a low ceiling and space. See his website for the finished result, “Moor is More”.”
– rmysliwiec
“I found Ben Herzog Architects while browsing Houzz.com. I would add photos to my ideabook and discovered that most of the projects were done by Ben! Ben has been great helping us decide how we can maximize space in our 1917 Brooklyn row house. We have decided on a more open floor plan, new wood plank floors, high hat lighting, a bit larger kitchen space with higher ceiling and an island, a shallow broom closet and banquette seating in our dining room. The demolition began 9/5/12 and as a result we have discovered that we can open up the doorway openings even more than planned! Ben is happily revising his drawings and I can’t wait to see the changes! Ben and his team are easy to work with and very helpful with design and product ideas while keeping our budget in mind!”
– nellmhd