Clarity Before You Build

Our broader practice specializes in commercial, mixed-use, and civic architecture, but the residential side of Arkitects is intentionally boutique and focused on passive-house homes for eco-conscious families in the Pacific Northwest. That means you get the calm, personal experience of a home-focused studio backed by the rigor of a firm with 212 completed projects to date, 47 full-time employees across Portland and Austin, and licensure in 38 states.

Most first-time homeowners benefit from Design + Documentation or Full Service because those tiers provide more structure, coordination, and decision support. Concept Only is best when you need a strong design direction before committing to the full architectural scope. Arkitects offers three service tiers: Concept Only, Design + Documentation, Full Service, so we can match the level of guidance to your confidence, budget, and project complexity.

We discuss fees in relation to scope, level of service, and decision-making needs rather than presenting one-size-fits-all numbers. Our hourly rates range from $145 (junior designer) to $295 (principal), which gives you a transparent sense of how staffing and complexity affect cost. During an initial conversation, we can help you understand whether your project is best suited to Concept Only, Design + Documentation, or Full Service.

Our average project delivery timeline is 14 months from contract to construction documents. That timeline can shift based on site conditions, permitting, project size, and how quickly decisions are made, but it is a useful benchmark if you are planning your move, financing, or builder coordination. We prefer to set realistic expectations early rather than promise an artificially compressed schedule.

For us, sustainability is operational, measurable, and long-term. 100% of projects since 2021 target LEED Silver or higher, and our office operations have been carbon neutral since 2023. As a Certified B Corporation since 2019, we also look at the wider impact of design decisions on energy use, durability, community value, and the daily comfort of the people who live in the home.

We use Revit, Rhino, and Enscape as primary design tools. In practical terms, that helps us move between precise documentation, spatial exploration, and clear visual communication so you can understand the home before it is built. For first-time homeowners especially, that clarity reduces uncertainty and supports better decisions at each step.