DRAMS INC.

I worked with Al, Lyn & Daniel at Drams Development. They are easy to work with, on time and well priced.

Reviewed on Yelp

Great team to work with, from the initial call to finishing the project, they help my parents to do their project very smoothly

Reviewed on Yelp

Great team to work with, from the initial call to finishing the project, they help my parents to do their project very smoothly

Reviewed on Yelp

DRAMS Architects and Construction played a pivotal role in the remodeling of our salon, ensuring every aspect of the process, especially permitting, was smooth and hassle-free. Their dedication to excellence was evident as they went above and beyond to guarantee that the construction finishes were not just up to par but truly exceptional. Their attention to detail and commitment to quality made a significant difference, and the results speak volumes. Highly recommend for anyone seeking reliable and outstanding architecture & construction services. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

DRAMS Architects and Construction played a pivotal role in the remodeling of our salon, ensuring every aspect of the process, especially permitting, was smooth and hassle-free. Their dedication to excellence was evident as they went above and beyond to guarantee that the construction finishes were not just up to par but truly exceptional. Their attention to detail and commitment to quality made a significant difference, and the results speak volumes. Highly recommend for anyone seeking reliable and outstanding architecture & construction services. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

I would give 100 stars if I could. Al and his team is awesome Very much trustworthy, easy and flexible to work with. They dealt with me with emapathy and made my project an easy brezzy for me. Very professional, yet caring and has cutting edge technology to create AutoCAD drawing. Reasonable price and you save lot of time because they are good and use technology to save time for us and them. You will feel so good by working with such a high quality people. I don't write reviews unless someone exceeded my expectations. Hire them...You will be glad you did. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

I would give 100 stars if I could. Al and his team is awesome Very much trustworthy, easy and flexible to work with. They dealt with me with emapathy and made my project an easy brezzy for me. Very professional, yet caring and has cutting edge technology to create AutoCAD drawing. Reasonable price and you save lot of time because they are good and use technology to save time for us and them. You will feel so good by working with such a high quality people. I don't write reviews unless someone exceeded my expectations. Hire them...You will be glad you did. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

I have used DRAMS services for two of my projects. Al is great Architect and has a wonderful service mindset team. They understand your needs accurately and go above and beyond to meet your expectations. Al and team offered creative ways to solve issues we had during the process. I would highly recommend their services for all your architectural needs. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

I have used DRAMS services for two of my projects. Al is great Architect and has a wonderful service mindset team. They understand your needs accurately and go above and beyond to meet your expectations. Al and team offered creative ways to solve issues we had during the process. I would highly recommend their services for all your architectural needs. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

We engaged Al Drams for a 500 sq ft home addition, and the experience was outstanding. From the initial design phase to the final blueprint, Al demonstrated a keen understanding of our vision. The attention to detail and creative solutions truly set them apart. The project was executed seamlessly, and the end result exceeded our expectations. Highly recommend Al Drams for top-notch architectural services. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

We engaged Al Drams for a 500 sq ft home addition, and the experience was outstanding. From the initial design phase to the final blueprint, Al demonstrated a keen understanding of our vision. The attention to detail and creative solutions truly set them apart. The project was executed seamlessly, and the end result exceeded our expectations. Highly recommend Al Drams for top-notch architectural services. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

Al is a very responsive architect and is always using the best technology to get the job done right. He has great insight and is always looking out for my interests and I really appreciate that about him and his team. His plans are very detailed and clear. It has been a pleasure working with Al on my project. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

Al is a very responsive architect and is always using the best technology to get the job done right. He has great insight and is always looking out for my interests and I really appreciate that about him and his team. His plans are very detailed and clear. It has been a pleasure working with Al on my project. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

Al and Daniel are phenomenal architects, they were really easy to work with and offered reasonable prices!

Reviewed on Yelp

Al and Daniel are phenomenal architects, they were really easy to work with and offered reasonable prices!

Reviewed on Yelp

Super nice and responsive. Very professional and thorough. Would highly recommend. Al Dram and his team at DRAMS Architects took a great care of our new construction permits in San Francisco. We found out Al is a planning commissioner himself which with his knowledge our use permit process was very smooth. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

Super nice and responsive. Very professional and thorough. Would highly recommend. Al Dram and his team at DRAMS Architects took a great care of our new construction permits in San Francisco. We found out Al is a planning commissioner himself which with his knowledge our use permit process was very smooth. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

I'm working on an addition for my house and Al Dram and crew created the drawings to be used for the addition. My wife and I made many changes as we went along during the year and Al and his techs were extremely patient with all our changes! I can't say enough for all his help and tons of work they put into design changes we asked for. Storage was one of our biggest issues and they helped resolve design changes with us and the city. Thanks Al! Our next major design changes to the front of the house, we will go back to Al and group! More...

Reviewed on Yelp

I'm working on an addition for my house and Al Dram and crew created the drawings to be used for the addition. My wife and I made many changes as we went along during the year and Al and his techs were extremely patient with all our changes! I can't say enough for all his help and tons of work they put into design changes we asked for. Storage was one of our biggest issues and they helped resolve design changes with us and the city. Thanks Al! Our next major design changes to the front of the house, we will go back to Al and group! More...

Reviewed on Yelp

The owner has a brilliant mind and the architects that work there are the perfect compliment to a perfectly located easily accessible business

Reviewed on Yelp

Al Dram and company did a great job with the architectural drawings for our bathroom renovation. Al advised me on whether we needed full-house vs bathroom-only drawings based on the changes we were making, and shared reasonable quotes for each. Because he uses LIDAR to take interior measurements, the quoted turnaround time was 2 months faster than many other local architects, and he actually shared the first draft of the drawings 1 month earlier than I expected. I was impressed by how accurate it was just from that initial scan, as was our contractor! He was responsive in making modifications as we adjusted our renovation plan, and advised me on small changes that would suit the space better. His company was also really helpful in getting the permits finalized, explaining which forms the county needed and ensuring their part was done quickly. Highly recommend. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

The owner has a brilliant mind and the architects that work there are the perfect compliment to a perfectly located easily accessible business

Reviewed on Yelp

Al Dram and company did a great job with the architectural drawings for our bathroom renovation. Al advised me on whether we needed full-house vs bathroom-only drawings based on the changes we were making, and shared reasonable quotes for each. Because he uses LIDAR to take interior measurements, the quoted turnaround time was 2 months faster than many other local architects, and he actually shared the first draft of the drawings 1 month earlier than I expected. I was impressed by how accurate it was just from that initial scan, as was our contractor! He was responsive in making modifications as we adjusted our renovation plan, and advised me on small changes that would suit the space better. His company was also really helpful in getting the permits finalized, explaining which forms the county needed and ensuring their part was done quickly. Highly recommend. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

Al Dram and company did a great job with the architectural drawings for our bathroom renovation. Al advised me on whether we needed full-house vs bathroom-only drawings based on the changes we were making, and shared reasonable quotes for each. Because he uses LIDAR to take interior measurements, the quoted turnaround time was 2 months faster than many other local architects, and he actually shared the first draft of the drawings 1 month earlier than I expected. I was impressed by how accurate it was just from that initial scan. He was also very responsive in making modifications as we adjusted our renovation plan, and advised me on small changes that would suit the space better. Finally, his company was really helpful in getting the permits finalized, explaining which forms the county needed and ensuring their part was done quickly. Overall I would highly recommend these architects. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

I am so glad we decided to go with DRAMS architecture for our first home in West Oakland. We shopped around quite a bit, and were impressed by the personal attention and obvious eye for design they showed. Al and his team were always incredibly responsive, forthcoming about any potential issues, and reassuring throughout what would have otherwise been a much more stressful process of obtaining our permits. He gave us numerous design options and was knowledgeable about cost differences and the likelihood certain aspects would be allowed by the city. I was concerned that with our somewhat narrow property it would be difficult to find a design I could fall in love with, but it was honestly amazing seeing Al's mind work around the space issues in real time and come up with creative and aesthetic solutions. The office was family friendly and let our kids draw while we were presented with our options. They were always timely in their correspondence with the city, and kept us apprised of any progress. They set realistic expectations and exceeded them every time. Most importantly, I feel certain our home would not have the intuitive and inviting feel I imagine it will have if it weren't for Al and his team. Definitely worth every penny! More...

Reviewed on Houzz

Al was super helpful and helped get my sketch done in a timely manner, definitely give him a call if you are looking for architectural work!

Reviewed on Yelp

Al was super helpful and helped get my sketch done in a timely manner, definitely give him a call if you are looking for architectural work!

Reviewed on Yelp

I called Drams one morning to get architectural "as builts" completed for a commercial warehouse, and an hour later they came with a scanner to gather data. They sent over files within 3 days. Incredible. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

I called Drams one morning to get architectural "as builts" completed for a commercial warehouse, and an hour later they came with a scanner to gather data. They sent over files within 3 days. Incredible. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

While we did not end up actually moving forward with Drams, Al was nothing short of amazing to work with. He was patient with us, walked us through the process, and was clearly very knowledgeable. We felt very comfortable with him and the team, and honestly were dying to work with him, but he was just a touch out of our budget. From everything I've seen of him and the team, you are in very good hands with him! More...

Reviewed on Yelp

While we did not end up actually moving forward with Drams, Al was nothing short of amazing to work with. He was patient with us, walked us through the process, and was clearly very knowledgeable. We felt very comfortable with him and the team, and honestly were dying to work with him, but he was just a touch out of our budget. From everything I've seen of him and the team, you are in very good hands with him! More...

Reviewed on Yelp

If you are doing an architecture project in California, I think you are making a big mistake if you go with anyone besides DRAMS Architects. I interviewed 9 different architects in-depth, and I initially did not choose DRAMS because they were the only firm using a fully 3D digital capturing and BIM modeling workflow. Since no one else we interviewed used that, it seemed risky. After wasting time with someone else for a year, we fired our first architect and started over with DRAMS Inc. It has gone so much better, and I wish we picked them in the first place.The first architect we tried (not DRAMS) was well-reviewed. 5 stars on all sites, great communicator, great portfolio, seemed very expensive but we were willing to pay for quality. But the drawings he generated had mistakes (e.g. side view not matching the front view), and when we asked for a set of changes, only half of them would actually get made.DRAMS Architects team scanned our house with an automated scanner. The model they built of our existing structure includes not only the walls and cabinets but even the wall switches and electrical outlets. They emailed us a link where we could see the whole house in 3D, and even walk through it like a videogame. This works for both the as-built and the new plans.Because the level of detail is so high, we are able to save money by reducing rework. For example, we wanted to add a closet to an existing room. DRAMS put the wall of the closet in a place that looks slightly strange from a top-view. But it looks great from the in-person view, and it reuses our existing light switch. Because DRAMS Architects uses technology that captures these details, we can tell the electrician to completely ignore this room, rather than needing to redo the light switch. Unless you're using a workflow with the DRAMS Architects level of detail, it's not possible to notice these things ahead of time. Our first architect definitely did not, and from my 9 interviews, DRAMS Architects is the only architect near San Francisco working from in-house laser scans.The other big difference with DRAMS Architects is that they used BIM modeling for the entire process. With our other architect, we were using just 2D drawings. It didn't emerge that the different levels of the house didn't match until we had already paid a structural engineer. The engineer figured out beams to cantilever one level out over the other, but the whole thing was an accident due to the manual process. With DRAMS' fully 3D digital BIM workflow, those mistakes never happen.With our other architect, if we asked for four changes, two of them would make it into the drawing. It was a lot of work to check and recheck that our feedback made it in. Eventually, we stopped asking for small changes that we wanted, in the hopes that at least the major changes would make it. With DRAMS, we have never had to ask a second time for a change, which means that we feel comfortable asking for small changes, or sometimes saying "never mind, for that part, go back to the old way". Because Al Dram is so responsive, and the BIM model makes it easy to visualize the design, we ended up at a design which is far more useful, far more beautiful, and *way* cheaper to build than we were able to achieve with our first architect. 6 stars out of 5, DRAMS Architects is using the workflows of the future and we are thrilled with them. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

If you are doing an architecture project in California, I think you are making a big mistake if you go with anyone besides DRAMS Architects. I interviewed 9 different architects in-depth, and I initially did not choose DRAMS because they were the only firm using a fully 3D digital capturing and BIM modeling workflow. Since no one else we interviewed used that, it seemed risky. After wasting time with someone else for a year, we fired our first architect and started over with DRAMS Inc. It has gone so much better, and I wish we picked them in the first place.The first architect we tried (not DRAMS) was well-reviewed. 5 stars on all sites, great communicator, great portfolio, seemed very expensive but we were willing to pay for quality. But the drawings he generated had mistakes (e.g. side view not matching the front view), and when we asked for a set of changes, only half of them would actually get made.DRAMS Architects team scanned our house with an automated scanner. The model they built of our existing structure includes not only the walls and cabinets but even the wall switches and electrical outlets. They emailed us a link where we could see the whole house in 3D, and even walk through it like a videogame. This works for both the as-built and the new plans.Because the level of detail is so high, we are able to save money by reducing rework. For example, we wanted to add a closet to an existing room. DRAMS put the wall of the closet in a place that looks slightly strange from a top-view. But it looks great from the in-person view, and it reuses our existing light switch. Because DRAMS Architects uses technology that captures these details, we can tell the electrician to completely ignore this room, rather than needing to redo the light switch. Unless you're using a workflow with the DRAMS Architects level of detail, it's not possible to notice these things ahead of time. Our first architect definitely did not, and from my 9 interviews, DRAMS Architects is the only architect near San Francisco working from in-house laser scans.The other big difference with DRAMS Architects is that they used BIM modeling for the entire process. With our other architect, we were using just 2D drawings. It didn't emerge that the different levels of the house didn't match until we had already paid a structural engineer. The engineer figured out beams to cantilever one level out over the other, but the whole thing was an accident due to the manual process. With DRAMS' fully 3D digital BIM workflow, those mistakes never happen.With our other architect, if we asked for four changes, two of them would make it into the drawing. It was a lot of work to check and recheck that our feedback made it in. Eventually, we stopped asking for small changes that we wanted, in the hopes that at least the major changes would make it. With DRAMS, we have never had to ask a second time for a change, which means that we feel comfortable asking for small changes, or sometimes saying "never mind, for that part, go back to the old way". Because Al Dram is so responsive, and the BIM model makes it easy to visualize the design, we ended up at a design which is far more useful, far more beautiful, and *way* cheaper to build than we were able to achieve with our first architect. 6 stars out of 5, DRAMS Architects is using the workflows of the future and we are thrilled with them. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

Al and his team did a great job with the drawings for our basement remodel. We are turning our basement into two bedrooms and a bathroom, and it also involved a kitchen remodel. Al came up with comprehensive blueprints for the whole project, and also developed some really great 3D renderings of the new kitchen for us. He also shepherded the process of getting permits from San Francisco. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

Al and his team did a great job with the drawings for our basement remodel. We are turning our basement into two bedrooms and a bathroom, and it also involved a kitchen remodel. Al came up with comprehensive blueprints for the whole project, and also developed some really great 3D renderings of the new kitchen for us. He also shepherded the process of getting permits from San Francisco. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

Al and his team were incredibly helpful and efficient in getting plans for a home remodel project drawn up quickly and with attention to detail.  They even helped us submit the application to the city which saved us a ton of time and headaches.  Al was responsive and professional and got back to us right away with all the details.  We've had a lot of bumps with our project and so far, working with Al and his team was the easiest and most efficient part of the process.  They really helped us in a pinch and were grateful for them.  I would definitely hire them again and also refer friends and families. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

Al and his team were incredibly helpful and efficient in getting plans for a home remodel project drawn up quickly and with attention to detail.  They even helped us submit the application to the city which saved us a ton of time and headaches.  Al was responsive and professional and got back to us right away with all the details.  We've had a lot of bumps with our project and so far, working with Al and his team was the easiest and most efficient part of the process.  They really helped us in a pinch and were grateful for them.  I would definitely hire them again and also refer friends and families. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

I didn't end up working with DRAM but I contacted them about a small project I needed help on because a different company who was supposed to be working on it was taking forever and had bad communication and after 4 weeks told me they couldn't give me a timeline. I spoke with Al and he was incredibly nice and helpful! He was honest about timeline and even offered to give us some tips to try to get the submittal in to the city at no charge! Seriously nicest guy ever. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

I didn't end up working with DRAM but I contacted them about a small project I needed help on because a different company who was supposed to be working on it was taking forever and had bad communication and after 4 weeks told me they couldn't give me a timeline. I spoke with Al and he was incredibly nice and helpful! He was honest about timeline and even offered to give us some tips to try to get the submittal in to the city at no charge! Seriously nicest guy ever. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

Al and his team are highly talented and trained professionals. I stumbled on their firm on Yelp and the team was quick to respond when I requested a site plan for my single-family property. Since I have a few pending applications with PG&E, East Bay MUD, and the city of Oakland Fire Department, the Drams team was able to tap into their extensive knowledge to draw up detailed plans for submission.The team employs drone technology and 3D-scanning, making their on-site presence light and safe; a real strength considering the ongoing pandemic.I'm very happy with the final plans and will absolutely reach out to the Drams team for future projects. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

Al and his team are highly talented and trained professionals. I stumbled on their firm on Yelp and the team was quick to respond when I requested a site plan for my single-family property. Since I have a few pending applications with PG&E, East Bay MUD, and the city of Oakland Fire Department, the Drams team was able to tap into their extensive knowledge to draw up detailed plans for submission.The team employs drone technology and 3D-scanning, making their on-site presence light and safe; a real strength considering the ongoing pandemic.I'm very happy with the final plans and will absolutely reach out to the Drams team for future projects. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

I am very happy and satisfied with Drams architect. They did my new homes remodeling including adding a new bathroom and changing the layout of my kitchen. Their design was creative, practical and beautiful. I was surprised that they were able to convert one bathroom into two full bathrooms (I have talked to multiple architect firms but none of them had this idea). For a three bedrooms apartment, this is a huge PLUS! More...

Reviewed on Thumbtack

Best architecture firm ever! Drams Architects were the most professional architects I've worked with in over 10 years. I highly recommend to all my friends and family! They communicated effectively and were helpful throughout the whole permit process. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

Best architecture firm ever! Drams Architects were the most professional architects I've worked with in over 10 years. I highly recommend to all my friends and family! They communicated effectively and were helpful throughout the whole permit process. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

I have to admit, I was lucky to find this company. Their work was excellent. Al was great. He explained all the steps and provide me with the drawing. His plan approved by city of Oakland in 3 days. My contractor was impressed and asked me for his number. I highly recommend them. I would give them 6 stars if I could. More...

Reviewed on Thumbtack