Arcaseum

It went wonderfully. Michael is professional, realistic, honest and a pleasure to work with. He is always available. The job is never done for him. He came in exactly at the price point he said and the places look GORGEOUS!!!! Michael Beirne is not only our designer, we now consider him a friend. That is VERY rare at the end of a relationship with a contractor. If you use Arcaseum, you are in for a most pleasant surprise....a job that is done on time, on budget, and has a magnificent result!!!!

As mentioned the project went smoothly. It helped to have a better clear vision of what I wanted which make the process work pretty efficiently. It is important to be realistic with your vision and your supporting budget. Our numbers did move a bit but that was due mainly to changes in the original plan which tends to happen with construction projects. Michael's crew was professional and cordial. We did have issue with one worker, but when the matter was brought to Michael's attention he dealt with it swiftly. I would certainly use Arcaseum's services again when the opportunity presents itself.

Michael always shows up on time and is totally dependable. His designs are amazing and beautiful and he is never stumped to think of a new idea. He always considered my input and it was truly a working partnership. I thoroughly recommend him not only for architecture but also for interiors.

My wife and I retired in 2007 and then began to think about our living situation for the next couple of decades. We had lived in the same small semi-attached house in the Bronx for 30 years. Like Shel Silverstein’s book The Living Tree, the house had been good to us and its equity went towards getting three children through college. We hadn’t been good to it, however, as many other things took priority. Should we move to a warmer climate—the path chosen by my parents—or sell the house and find a condo with less upkeep? Besides my wife’s dream of a place overlooking the Hudson River, nothing came into focus. Even in my fantasy vision-making exercise—where would we move if money were not an issue?—nothing became clear. We finally resolved just to stay where we were, close to family and friends, but make our house inspiring to our life. This was the birth of our renovation project and, perhaps as a green light go signal from the universe—we were able to come up with some funds. We are exceedingly trusting people and had been burned by contractors in the past. Neither of us have the experience, wisdom, or temperament to handle a project like this by ourselves. We both had enough stress in our work and wanted someone else to project manage contractors. Thus we decided, expensive as it must be, we would need a designer. We took this decision seriously, and in contrast to our usual impulsive selves, started to interview candidates to match our vision with someone’s skill set. We are both pioneer members of the Soka Gakkai International (SGI-USA), a Buddhist lay organization, and our home had served as a center for local activities in the Bronx. In our design we wanted a beautiful place for meetings, morning and evening chanting, displaying our beautiful Buddhist library, visits from children and grandchildren, and relaxing. We wanted to eliminate clutter and have organized work spaces for our two small businesses. Michael Beirne from Arcaseum emerged as our favorite. First impressions, unlike some of the other candidates, he was punctual and giving with his time. We took this as an indication of the standard of behavior he would maintain throughout the project. He is both an architect and a designer and our needs rested more on architectural work than on design matters such as colors and furniture. He impressed us very much as a visionary. After listening to us carefully he began to lay out a vision of transforming a small living room, dining area, and kitchen into a great room with French doors opening to an expansive deck. We loved the concept. We discussed budget and his fees. He warned us that we might go over budget if we opt for more expensive appliances and materials. Also, he disclosed that construction sometimes uncovers plumbing or electrical problems that need to be addressed. We were more comfortable with Michael working on a flat-fee rather than a customary percentage add-on and he was agreeable. I believe his fee was quite fair. True to our hunch, Michael was always prompt on his visits and never failed to respond to a call, email, or text message. Michael was open to working with any contractor we selected but he wanted us to consider one of the contractors he works with. As he pointed out, he has already seen their work and since he feeds them future jobs, they aim to please. We chose the right contractor for our needs: honest, friendly, and competent. These values were important to us because we did not have the means to move to a temporary site while construction proceeded—we would be sharing space with these people for a long time! From the start of the project Michael was prompt and present. We met with him each week and at crucial milestones. He was generous with his time, taking us to Home Depot, cabinet manufacturers, and tile stores to purchase products. On design matters he gave good advice but was never condescending or pressuring to us. We always felt he was working for us and not the other way around. On numerous occasions he provided strong guidance for the contractors. On other occasions he told us when the scope of work we requested was going beyond the contract with the contractor and that additional charges would apply. We felt good about this frank arrangement because fairness is important to us. We have come to learn that, despite advertisements, there is no such thing as “a perfect job.” Compromises often have to be made. For example, we wanted an open and airy kitchen but that would require less space for cabinets. Beauty or pragmatism? We opted for the former. Michael also wanted us to buy kitchen appliances from the same manufacturer so stainless steel and handles would match. As a result we bought a disappointing dishwasher because we like the company’s other appliances. Mistakes also happen. Mid-job I had the bright idea of creating a built-in shelf system for electronic devices in order to hide wires in our basement media room. This required cutting down the size of the bathroom and the contractor moved ahead too quickly before Michael could revise the plans. As a result the bathroom lost about six inches of needed space. Michael took responsibility for this mistake and urged us to let it go because the remedy—tearing down a cinder block wall—would set the project back too much. All right, a mistake happened but we can live with it and it wasn’t worth the stress. The entire project took over a year although the length of time was partly due to our need to take some breaks. Throughout this time we always felt we were Michael’s only client, not one of many. His manner kept my wife and I calm through some tense times—and no charge for the therapy. We now fully enjoy our home and can envision us staying here as long as our 90-year old next door neighbor. Our Buddhist altar is near a window looking out at a tall pine tree and the sun rises during our morning prayers. Our French doors overlook a tall oak tree and we see the sun set while we do our evening prayers. The home accommodates our Buddhist meetings and large family gatherings. The space has inspired my wife to prepare gourmet meals for me! I love my office and I work productively. We will soon set up my wife’s office in the media room. Thanks, Michael! Job well done!

Michael Beirne is an architect and an engineer, plus has much good humor, common sense and an incredible facility with numbers. He told me with pin point accuracy how much a job should cost and how long it would take, and steered me away from costly mistakes. He interfaced between me and the contractor, suppliers, inspectors etc.as my advocate and saved me from a score of difficulties. He has a clean modern design sensibility. He was quick to understand my needs and desires, and was able to listen to me and work towards manifesting my dreams. Renovation is a process which can be daunting, so I encourage you to be clear about the final plans before construction begins in order to avoid re dos. I highly recommend working with him and Arcaseum.

Michael was a terrific designer and archtiect. He was patient and explained the process of construction clearly. He was always available to discuss issues and concerns. He was extremly fair in his pricing and was totally honest and clear in all of our discussions. He was always available when he was needed. His gave me good choices on contractors and woodmakers. His sense of design is impeccable. I can totally recommend Michael for design and architectural needs. His has a constant flow of good ideas and suggestions.

It went smoothly and stress free from beginning to end. Michael kept within budget, took us to only those places that reflected our taste. He took OUR ideas and provided the support to realize our dream. Michael is a GEM!!!!!!! Our home is everything we dreamt it would be. Thank you, Michael!!!!!!