Fivedot

Even though I have gone through the remodeling process a couple of times previously, none of my previous three or four projects measured up to the breadth and scope of the major "to-the-studs" renovation that is nearing completion as I write this. The old roof was removed to make room for a new cantilevered roof that would 1) raise the ceiling by 10 feet and 2) provide an overhang over a new deck. Walls were removed to create a great room. Bedrooms were combined to create a master suite. Ostensibly, it was tantamount to building a new house over the existing footprint. I interviewed six architectural firms and with great luck came across the team of Geoff and Sharon at Fivedot. From the beginning, they were attentive, meticulous, and best of all--enthusiastic about the challenge, particularly since I was asking for a lot given my budget. But they saw it as an opportunity to be creative and approached each challenge or obstacle (and there were a few) with an impressive breadth of knowledge as well as innovative thinking. Geoff started the initial design phase and Sharon picked up the baton from the design development stage, carrying the project on to the end, serving both as my sounding board and go-between between the contractor and me. We went through several iterations of design and it's a testament to the quality of their work that I never missed the initial concepts and came to love the solutions and/or workarounds we ultimately ended up with. At not point did I feel we had to compromise the holistic vision of this "forever home." This project is near and dear to my heart because our family lost my dad to cancer in 2015, events that subsequently led to selling off the family home--a 1970s split-level that I had secretly wished to make over one day in honor of his memory. I recall purchasing this 1965 split-level sight unseen in May of 2019, a few months before my return to the PNW after almost two decades away in California and thinking that maybe that opportunity to honor him was still doable, after all. In the end, I am beyond thrilled with how things have turned out and can't thank Fivedot enough--Geoff for spearheading this project from the start and Sharon for helping me carry it through to the end. Thanks Geoff and Sharon!

We worked with Fivedot on two projects: one to imagine a minor remodel of our kitchen and living room, the other to design a major addition to our townhouse. On both projects, Geoff was very thoughtful, listening and responding to all of our feedback, and made whole process feel like a collaboration. He brought his creativity and opinion, which is what we were looking for from an architect, but it was never overwhelming. Through several iterations, we landed on a fantastic design that provided a nice balance of feasibility and luxury. I would certainly work with Geoff again, if the opportunity arises.

I've worked with Geoff and his Fivedot team on several residential projects over the past several years in the Seattle area. His past experience in residential building and carpentry and his team's strong collaboration skills made working with them a great experience.

Geoff and the Fivedot team are a rare find among architectural firms, and after lots of searching, we are so happy that we found them and worked with them on our renovation. The Fivedot team has clear creative vision that they solidly pair with real-world building experience, and that strong combination made working with them on our basement remodel easy and fun. Our basement renovation was a "to the studs" remodel + seismic upgrade that needed to both respect the bones of our 1910 house (read: old and quirky) and aesthetically align with a 2005 upstairs renovation that was very artistic and modern. When Geoff met with us to discuss the project, he was enthusiastic, a clear communicator, and realistic about working with us to deliver some innovative features within budget. Fivedot drafted three renovation plans for us to guide the contractor bid process, helped us secure permits, and delivered a great set of final drawings. In fact, the fact that we had well-drawn plans is what convinced our contractor to take the job in Seattle's highly competitive market, and throughout the process, our contractor often commented how helpful and accessible Fivedot was to answer clarifying questions or help troubleshoot an unexpected change. Unlike other architects, who wanted to draft plans and end the relationship at that point, Fivedot included construction administration in our contract, and Geoff was a regular visitor to the job site. Design-wise, Fivedot worked with us and our contractor on several finish details that utilized relatively inexpensive materials, but deliver big visual impact. Though Fivedot didn't choose all of the interior finishes (tile, paint color, etc.), Geoff was a great consultant as we chose our final materials, and he contributed several finish-work instructions that add lots of polish and visual interest to the space. We would absolutely work with Fivedot again, whether on another remodel or a full new construction project, and we have already recommended them to several friends. Our home is beautiful, functional, and interesting, and we are happy that we made the long-term investment in partnership with Fivedot.

Working with Geoff Piper of Fivedot was an awesome experience from start to finish. Early on in the process of remodeling our distinctive, and a little unusual, mid-century modern home we decided that we wanted to find a creative and educated professional to help us. Having never worked with an architect before, we interviewed at least six different companies and individuals before meeting with Geoff. We knew after the first meeting with Geoff that we would be getting creative ideas that were based on the integrity of the house, the needs of our home and that he would be responsive to our defined budget. Over the course of the design work, we were impressed with his ability to listen to our needs and preferences and come back to us with ideas that fit within the realm of our expectations, while still surprising us with some of his proposals. He even did research on houses like ours, built in the same era with updating that helped provide vision to our work. Working with Geoff to create our designs proved that we had made the right decision in hiring not only an architect (we had debated on just using a designer), but specifically Geoff and FiveDot. The entire design process was fun, collaborative, creatively fulfilling and in the end cost effective. Throughout the construction phase of the project Geoff was regularly involved with tweaks to design based on structural issues, as well as ideas for insuring that the newly remodeled kitchen, dining room, living room and bath would flow with the overall design of our home. He regularly came by to check in on the construction and was engaged with our project from start to finish. There were normal "hiccups" that happened throughout the project but between Geoff, the contractor (Hanson Construction), and our own ideas, nothing seemed to be out of control. In fact, a number of the challenges we experienced once the “walls were open” had a positive impact on the final remodel. We couldn't be happier with the final outcome. Cheers! (North Seattle Kitchen)

When we first started our kitchen project, we thought we could do the design ourselves, but we were quickly overwhelmed with all of the decisions and budget trade-offs. We hired Geoff at Fivedot to do the design, and I am so glad we did. It was great working with him right from the get-go. I just pointed him to my Houzz collections and he picked up on the style we were going for right away. He took our ideas and improved on them to give us a beautiful kitchen that also connects well with the rest of the house. He gave us multiple options on cabinets/finishes to achieve the look we wanted while keeping it in the budget. During the build-out phase he popped in frequently to check on the progress and when the builders ran into little glitches he was right here to recommend solutions. Shortly after the kitchen was finished Geoff asked if there was anything I would have changed, and I couldn't think of anything. Its almost been a year of cooking in it and I still cant think of any changes. So happy with the finished product and the whole process. Would definitely hire them again for another project.

I have worked on a number of projects with Fivedot and Geoff Piper in particular because he/ they offer a rare combination of design savvy and construction experience. Currently I am working with Geoff on a simple elegant modern home where his design input is making all of the difference.

As a General Contractor, specializing in remodels and DADU's, I have had the opportunity to work with Fivedot Design on many occasions over the years and I look forward to continuing that relationship for many years to come. I have done projects with them ranging from small(ish) bathroom remodels and custom woodwork/casework to much larger kitchen remodels, additions, and whole house remodels. Geoff and his colleagues bring a depth of creativity and an easy-going professionalism to their work that makes them a pleasure to work with. Their designs are well thought-out making them easy for us to implement. Often they will come to us in the design phase and get our input on what is efficient and cost-effective while still allowing their design to remain true to their and their client's vision. This makes it much more likely for us to keep on schedule and on budget. And, when conditions change or surprises arise during the project, they are quick to adapt and keep things moving. That kind of close collaboration, I have found, allows the project to progress more smoothly for everyone involved. Fivedot is also well-acquainted with zoning issues and the permitting process in Seattle. As a contractor I can't say how much that knowledge is appreciated. On our end, we never have problems with permits or inspections mainly because most issues have been worked out by Fivedot before the project even starts. I would highly recommend Fivedot to anyone looking for exceptional creativity balanced with professionalism and flexibility on their next project.

I hired them to do a remodel. They were professional, efficient, and involved me every step of they way. Their work was impeccable....I plan on working with them again!

5 Stars for Fivedot. We worked with FiveDot on the our kitchen remodel project: http://www.houzz.com/projects/55422/Blue-Ridge-Kitchen We had friends who had worked with FiveDot on a bathroom remodel and loved the creativity and quality of the finished product. For our remodel, Stephanie and Geoff worked really closely with us during both the Design and Build phases. They were very in-tuned with our overall goal and design, updating a kitchen to be highly functioning while maintaining mid-century esthetics. They did an outstanding job and would highly recommend them. They built a comprehensive project plan and stayed on track and on budget the entire time. They also recommended some creative solutions, such as the chalkboard slate for cabinets that were beautiful and within our budget. FiveDot also worked with us on designing KERF cabinets (which are absolutely amazing as well), and all the crazy configurations we wanted. Geoff and Stephanie also made some awesome framed chalkboards and cheese plates with the left-over chalkboard slate we had from the project. I would certainly use FiveDot on a future project without hesitation. I know it will not be for this kitchen remodel because this one will stand the test of time.

I am a big fan of FiveDot -- they fit into a category that I have not encountered through any other project I'm familiar with. After working with them on a large residential project that took over a year, which finished up very close to time expected and on budget. I was both excited and sad that the project was over. I enjoyed working with them so much that I wanted to figure out some other project to work with them on soon. That isn't something I typically hear at the end of a residential remodel project. We found Fivedot Design/Build through their work -- specifically the Orchard house. We loved what they did there. Typically when we visit houses that are "green" -- the construction might have some eco-friendlier finishes, but the process of building it and the systems in the house are standard fare. Not so with the Orchard house. What they did there might escape notice from some -- but we so appreciated what they had done with rain water handling, reused materials, heating, lighting, and beautifully handling an urban setting both inside and out….for a price that was very reasonable for what they had done. We were impressed. We meet them a few months after visiting that house. We discussed the kind of work we were interested in doing on our place -- that we had a major maintenance issue (failing siding) that we felt was an opportunity for doing a good looking energy retrofit. They were the only team that was interested in what we were aiming for (use Passiv House ideas….retrofitted onto current construction) and bring some good clean design to the trim/finishes in the house while we were at it. We wanted to reuse as much as possible -- use reused materials as much as possible -- and divert as much as possible from the landfill…and on a set budget. Both during design and construction, the ego was low and the quality of work was high. Collaboration absolutely happened. As decisions were being made, we were given clear information about costs. We couldn't do everything on our wish list, but we felt good about what we could do. As we started construction we discovered issues with the house that needed to be addressed. This isn't surprising on a remodel, but it requires management on a set budget. By the end, there was only one item in the original plan that had to be cut -- and it was easy to do. The end result is something we love -- The Phinney Energy Remodel. It's hard to state how dramatically better the place looks aesthetically inside and out. Friends can't believe it's the same place with no additions. It feels open, roomy, and -- it's warm, no drafts, and uses way less energy than before. The place has a good, happy and whimsical feel -- and I don't think that has just to do with the finishes used -- I'm pretty sure the attitude of the people who made it gets embedded into the result. Two thumbs up. I would absolutely hire FiveDot again and look forward to doing so.

I am a huge fan of FiveDot. You will not regret hiring them. Everyone who sees our "garage" is blown away. We love it: http://www.houzz.com/projects/55419/The-Beatbox Working with FiveDot is great. I don't know that I've ever met a more capable group of people with less ego amongst them. If I had their smarts & ability, I doubt that I would carry it so lightly. So they're always open to input - there was a ton of back-and-forth during the design phase; they were also accomodating of input/changes during the construction (and always did a good job of letting us know which changes were simple vs. which changes would enlarge the scope / push back the timeframe). When we hired FiveDot, they were friends-of-friends - people we'd met but never really spent much time with. By the end of the project, they were good friends and we continue to see them regularly. I think that about says it all for how pleasurable they are to work with (and how fantastic their output is). We also hired them more recently for a smaller project - a bathroom remodel. They did a great job & hit the schedule perfectly, which as you can imagine is important for a one-bathroom house.