Question 1

What type of projects does Studio BBA take on?

Accepted Answer

Studio BBA is a San Francisco-based architecture and interior design studio working across residential, hospitality, and workplace projects — united by a single focus: designing spaces that people genuinely love to be in.

Our residential practice spans the full spectrum — from siting and master planning to ground-up homes, ADUs, additions, and whole-home remodels. Our hospitality work includes restaurants, bars, coffee shops, hotels, retail, sports clubs, and distilleries, always designed with the belief that the back of house is as important as the front of house. Our workplace practice helps companies translate their culture into space — from fast-growing startups finding their identity to established tech headquarters evolving over multiple phases.

One of our strengths is range: we've designed everything from a 280-square-foot coffee kiosk to a 300,000-square-foot corporate campus. And we're equally comfortable with fast-track timelines as we are with complex, multi-phase projects. Clients often come to us for one project type and stay for another — because good design thinking travels across typologies.

Question 2

Where does Studio BBA work?

Accepted Answer

Our Studio is located in San Francisco. While many of our projects are within San Francisco, we have worked throughout the Bay Area including Sonoma, Marin, San Francisco, Alameda, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties and around Lake Tahoe. We have completed projects in the greater Los Angeles metro area, and have experience successfully working with clients and project teams that require travel for the right client and project. We do take projects outside of California on a case-by-case basis.

Question 3

What services does Studio BBA offer?

Accepted Answer

Studio BBA is a full-service architecture and interior design firm. We guide projects from the earliest stages — site evaluation, programming, and master planning — through design, documentation, permitting, and construction, including FF&E selection and styling. We stay involved from first conversation to final installation. Read more about our services.

Question 4

What size projects do you work on?

Accepted Answer

Studio BBA works across a wide range of scales — from compact ADUs under 1,000 square feet to large multi-use commercial projects exceeding 250,000 square feet. Most of our projects fall somewhere in between, but we bring the same level of care and attention to every project regardless of size.

Question 5

What's the timeline of a typical project?

Accepted Answer

Project duration is tied directly to project scope. Some projects do not require building permits, which could allow a short construction period of 4-12 weeks. Most projects that require full permits have a design + construction timeline closer to 8-12 months. If you have a critical move-in date, let’s talk about strategies to make it happen. We can help navigate your options together and manage the team to ensure you can be settled in your new space on time.

Question 6

Do you work on remodels, or only new construction?

Accepted Answer

We do tenant improvements, remodels, and ground-up construction.

Question 7

Do you work with first-time clients who have never hired an architect before?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely. We can walk you through every step of the process — making sure it feels manageable, transparent, and exciting.

Question 8

How do I start a project with Studio BBA?

Accepted Answer

The best first step is simply reaching out. You can send an inquiry through our website, or email us at hello@studio-bba.com. We love an early conversation — even if your project is still just an idea. We’ll follow-up to schedule a call to learn more about your goals and expectations, about you (your family, team, brand), answer any questions, outline the process for your project and make sure we are a mutual fit.

Question 9

How much do your services cost?

Accepted Answer

We have hourly billing rates for our team members that we use to create a proposal. At Studio BBA, our proposals are a combination of fixed fee services for things we control, like drawing issuances and Time and Expenses estimates for things that are outside of our control (permits and construction observation). After an introduction call, site tour, and an established scope, we will provide a fee proposal.

Question 10

Can you help me find a contractor?

Accepted Answer

Yes! Over the years Studio BBA has built strong relationships with contractors we trust, and we're happy to make introductions. We can also help guide your General Contractor interviews and level bids. It’s important to start the construction process with a trusted partner that everyone has full confidence in and an understanding of how much the project will cost.

Question 11

How will I know how much to budget?

Accepted Answer

Studio BBA develops detailed pricing drawings early in the design phase, giving you and your contractor a solid basis for cost estimation before major commitments are made. We'll help you understand where your money is best spent — no surprises down the road.

Our process involves creating designs with your budget in mind and we don’t want to design beyond what you’re ready to spend. We'll help you understand where to prioritize, but we won’t leave any ah-ha! moments off the table. We will also use our experience on similar projects to help you understand how your budget relates to built projects. Studio BBA develops detailed pricing drawings early in the design phase, giving you and your contractor a solid basis for ROM budgets before major commitments are made.

Question 12

When should I hire an architect?

Accepted Answer

As early as possible — ideally before you've purchased or leased a property. Studio BBA offers property evaluation services to help you assess whether a space or site is right for your goals before you commit. After you’ve been in your space and are keenly aware of what works and doesn’t is also a very exciting time for us to jump in and create exactly what you’re looking for.

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