"Wishing to add an en suite shower room and studio extension to our second bedroom, we spoke to several architectural designers. Aaron Humphries impressed us the most, initially because of his excellent communication and his ability to listen to our ideas and translate them accurately into a draft form . After providing us with helpful suggestion to improve the initial concept, Intelligent Design produced a first class set of construction drawings, the clarity of which was confirmed by all the builders who quoted on the project. Aaron submitted the drawings to Wellington City Council on our behalf, and we received the Building Consent within the specified period. Most importantly we were able to obtain a satisfactory building quote within the price range given to Aaron. I can therefore unreservedly recommend Intelligent Design to anyone embarking on a building project."
Bill Guest, Khandallah
"We found Aaron excellent in helping us formulate our ideas for a home extension into a final plan which could be taken successfully through the council consent process. He was very helpful when we had questions, quick to respond, and clear in his explanations. He also gave us useful guidance when it came time to choose a builder and we’re very happy with the final result."
Totara Crescent, Woburn, Lower Hutt
"On the recommendation of our builder, we employed Aaron Humphreys of Intelligent Design to do some designs and drawings for an extension to our home in Upper Hutt. Aaron arrived quickly to meet with us. He listened to our ideas taking notes, and suggested things that we should consider as part of the work. We have an original 1940’s style house, and it was crucial that the new extension blend into the old house. Now that it is finished we are very happy with how the new fits in with the old and it is hard to tell the difference. We were very impressed with the standard of Aaron’s work and it was completed quickly and efficiently with no problems with the permit process at Council. All in all we are delighted with the extension and would recommend Aaron and his company to anyone looking to build or alter their house."
Bruce & Julie Bold
"I engaged Aaron to put together a design and some plans for adding a family room on the back of my house, a 1920’s bungalow in Alicetown. Aaron was knowledgeable about Council requirements and came up with some good suggestions to improve the extension from my ideas and ensure it still remain in character with the rest of the house. I found him prompt, with a good turnaround time on the work he did. It was less than a month from our first meeting to the final plans being ready for submission to Council."
Susan Greager
"It is our pleasure to write a reference for Aaron Humphreys, Architectural Designer at Intelligent Design. We have been working with Aaron for the past 12 months to design and specify our new house in Paremata, Porirua. The site we had was very challenging, being quite steep and limited area of buildable land and an exposed and very high wind zone. The house we have come up with is 273m2 over 3 levels which given the site required considerable thought given to the structural integrity of the building as well as our exacting requirements to design, finishes and functionality. Right throughout the process, Intelligent design have been very approachable offering excellent advise and shown a great deal of knowledge (and patience) as we changed our thoughts, wants and needs during the process. Due to the nature of the build we had to apply for a Resource Consent from the Council which Aaron guided us through working the neighbour’s concerns and addressing Council issues. We are now about to start construction and we get the ‘WOW’ factor from everyone we show the house design to. We have total confidence in Aaron, so much so, that we will be employing him to oversee the construction phase to ensure our design specification and finishes are met. Lynne and I have no hesitation in recommending Intelligent Design for any similar work to what we are undertaking."
Mike Stacey & Lynne Gilmour
"We began working with Aaron in 2009 when considering major renovations to our home in Normandale. With the impending arrival of our third child we discussed our growing family’s needs for an extra bedroom, more open plan living and increased sunlight. Aaron had good suggestions for the best use of space and many creative solutions for us to choose from. He drew up the initial plans promptly and was very easy to talk to as we continued to adjust and fine tune the drawings over several meetings. We are very happy with the overall result – the new additions blend in well with the existing home and we have gained a great deal of useable space for a reasonable price. We found Aaron very helpful when we required outside contractors such as surveyors, engineers and builders and he was proactive in securing a building consent with the Council. We have already recommended Aaron to our friends who are considering extensions."
Richard & Marnie Sime
"We were planning to add a deck, bathroom, nursery and carport to our existing dwelling and were fortunate to come across Aaron Humphreys of Intelligent Design. We had several alternative quotes from Designers which were more expensive that Aaron and were going to take significantly longer to prepare for Council consents. Because Aaron was so thorough in his work, we were granted a building permit exactly 20 days after submission and the Resource Consent granted 2 weeks ahead of time, all saving us valuable time and money. His communication was fantastic and Aaron delivered on all he promised and more. He also recommended a builder to us who has been just as cost effective and professional. I would have no hesitation is using Aaron and his company for any future work we may have and would recommend him to anyone looking to build or alter a house."
Verna & Brent Wenlock
"I engaged Aaron Humphreys to undertake design work on my house in Ngaio. The brief was to add on all new living areas to the rear of the dwelling, as well as internal alterations to the existing house. What impressed me about Aaron was his ability to listen to our needs but also offer suggestions that proved to be really useful. I never got the feeling he was trying to put his own stamp on the project to the detriment of ours. Our needs were his priority and he was able to translate those into the design without any fuss. Aaron is a great communicator. Of all the people involved in the project he was the most accessible and first to return a phone call – a quality not to be undervalued! The design he came up with was everything we wanted and more, and all within the budget we had discussed. The end result is outstanding and it is a pleasure to live in. He followed the Consent process through Council and any potential issues were skillfully and quickly resolved between Aaron and the contractors on site. I can highly recommend Aaron for thoughtful design, friendly interaction, understanding a client’s needs and overall attention to detail."
Jacob Rajan
"By request but with genuine sincerity I wish to endorse the services of Aaron Humphreys as an Architectural Designer. My construction company has used Aaron’s expertise on three occasions being the design of two brand new homes and one alteration, all with excellent outcomes. Aaron has been careful with detail, quick to present workable drawings and reasonable in cost. What more could I have asked for? I have no problem recommending him to any reader as I have already done so to others I have contact with. Please contact me directly if needed."
Colin Thompson Makegood Limited
"We were looking for an Architect who would work in with what we were wanting to do but use his clever design skills and experience to solve some complicated issues, as our project was a complex upper level addition. When we met Aaron he was friendly but professional, and always prompt and willing to meet us. We had not done any building work like this before so we were grateful to have Aaron guide us through the decisions that had to be made and challenges we faced and was always willing to help us at every stage. I am more than happy to recommend him to my friends."
Jakar & Urjita Gandhi
"I first came across Aaron Humphreys via his business article, in the Hutt news. As with all people I do not know, that I am asking to provide a professional service, I am a little sceptical.
However, from the time I telephoned Aaron, any reservations I had were quickly relaxed.
Aaron turned up when he said he would, listened to what I had to say, communicated brilliantly and kept me in the loop at all stages of his workings. Aaron even took the time to meet me at the Council to submit the plans, as I had no idea about the process.
Prior to Aaron asking me for this reference, I advised him that I would strongly recommend him to friends.
I am delighted to provide Aaron with this reference and would have no hesitation what so ever in recommending him. He's very professional and timely."
Tim Trask
"We were looking for an architect who could translate our thoughts in a practical, uncomplicated way to renovate our old house and found Aaron Humphreys be the very person to meet our requirements. We thought what we wanted to achieve was quite a challenge but Aaron was able to solve many issues skillfully. He is a patient listener and always gave priority to our needs. He presented very valuable solutions to many difficult problems without compromising the design we had in mind. He was always willing to accommodate our busy schedules in meeting with us. We found him very approachable but professional. He adhered to the timetable and the reasonable costs he had outlined in our first meeting. He was able to get all the paperwork done through the council on time. We were impressed by his drawings and the attention to detail. We can highly recommend Aaron for understanding and accommodating client’s needs, ability to solve complicated issues, excellent designing skills and above all his professionalism."
Drs. Huma and Amer Khan
"I came to Aaron with a very site and wanted to maximise the size of the house on it. I had used another Designer previously to come up with something for the site but didn't feel happy with what they proposed. He Iistened to my description of what I wanted in the house and came up with a design that works very well. Aaron was able to fit more than I had expected into the house with three bedrooms, open plan living, bathroom and cupboard laundry. Visitors who see are it are surprised at its relatively small meterage at 69m2. I was very impressed with Aaron's clever design ability to enable this. He worked well with the Resource Consent’s planner we engaged. To get this through Council relatively easily. I would have no hesitation in using Aarons services again or recommending him to others."
Rory Spray
"I am a property developer and had a large section in Miramar, Wellington that I wished to maximise the use of. I approached Intelligent design to do preliminary scheme designs to see what we could fit on the section and what the Council would allow.
Aaron came up with a design for five two storey townhouses all of similar design as instructed. These houses were very practical and modern with various cladding and monopitch roofs. Aaron consulted with the Council at this stage to gauge their feelings towards the multi-unit development and then made the subsequent changes to fine tune the design. Aaron consulted with the Resource Consent planner I had engaged to work through the Resource Consent process and application with Council. Council processed and approved the application very quickly and Aaron’s clear and detailed design no doubt contributed to this.
Detailed working drawings have now been completed and the Building Consent obtained from the Council for all five townhouses. I am confident of a smooth building process working with very clear and detailed plans and documentation. I have no hesitation in recommending Intelligent design to others and will be engaging Aaron again in the future."
Kevin Spray