Lehman Associates, PC – Architects Testimonials
Licensed in MD, VA, and DC | Over 25 Years of Experience | Full-Service Architectural Studio
Here’s what clients are saying about Lehman Associates, PC – Architects!
If you’re ready to build your home but don’t know where to start, the architects at Lehman Associates, PC – Architects can help you begin the process of creating a beautiful custom home. Request a FREE consultation today.
I engaged John for a major renovation of my home. He is a pleasure to work with, both personally and professionally. John is extremely talented, creative and patient. He listens to understand what I want and strives for excellence with every response. I give him my highest recommendation.
We loved working with John. He had great ideas on how to make our house design even better than we could have dreamed of. We ran into several roadblocks in design vs. cost, and John found a solution for every one! We really appreciated his calm demeanor, his attention to detail, and his respect for our budget and crunched time frame. We would definitely work with John again!
John and I had a good initial conversation, and we agreed to meet in person with my wife to discuss designing a house for us. We met John a few days later at his home office, and talked with him about the whole process. At this point my wife and I were still looking for a lot to build on. John was very helpful in the beginning, even before we had signed a service agreement. As I was looking for properties, I would run them by John to get his thoughts on them. He even met with us and the realtor at two of the lots we looked at, before we signed a contract with him.
Once we selected a lot and started the closing process, John was able to design a house for us from scratch based on our needs and wants within two months, so that we could close within 90 days of submitting an offer on the lot. This involved a lot of phone calls and a few face-to-face meetings to get the design just right.
John is very receptive to feedback and changes to his design, but will encourage you to reconsider when he believes the change will have a negative or undesired outcome. Although sometimes it’s easier just to go along with the client’s wishes, but he tries to talk you out of any changes that you might later regret.
In my case, John really has done more than just design a home for us. Because I involved him early on in the process, he was able to recommend professionals for other services that I would need, like realtors, surveyors, builders, banks, etc, as well as answer my questions about the build process and design ideas. He has worked very well with the other professionals that I have chosen for this project, who have, in turn, shown the utmost respect for his work and expertise. Overall, I feel fortunate to have the opportunity to work with John, and I would highly recommend him to anyone looking to build a custom home.
John designed us a house we absolutely love! He listened to our wants and needs, visited our lot site, made suggestions that we would have never thought of. Thanks to John, we have a home for life. We receive compliments all the time! John was always available, professional, and like a best friend to us. We still are friends and plan on having him design a unique deck for us this summer. John is a wealth of knowledge and is the only choice for an architect we would ever make!
We have been working with John Lehman for a number of years and every project has exceeded expectations. Couldn’t recommend more strongly.
We had been planning a significant make-over of our 24-year old home and had some high-level ideas of what we wanted to do that required significant structural changes to the house. We decided to enlist the services of a professional architect so we asked around and John Lehman of Lehman Associates, PC was highly recommended.
We set up an initial consultation with John at our home and shared our ideas and questions with him. He immediately offered possible solutions to several things that had us stumped. Following this consultation, John gave us three conceptual drawings of different ways to utilize the new space which he left with us to consider for a few weeks. Through a series of very productive (and enjoyable) give-and-take meetings and draft drawings of the emerging design, John came up with the perfect design for what we wanted to accomplish.
In addition to his critically important structural design and engineering knowledge and experience, John brought to bear some wonderful design ideas and helped us envision things that never occurred to us. He helped us think out of the box. Through this design process, John helped us visualize and then realize what had only been our dreams for the space.
Our experience with Lehman Associates, PC was productive and satisfying from a professional relationship perspective, but also very enjoyable from a creative stand point. John’s wonderfully positive demeanor and willingness to work with his clients’ ideas, but still weigh-in with his professional opinion when necessary, was the perfect collaborative relationship for us. Even now as we’ve moved into the construction phase of the project, John remains involved, consulting with our builder on the important structural elements of the design. We highly recommend Lehman Associates PC to anyone who wishes to design or redesign their home.
John Lehman of Lehman Associates, PC was an absolute pleasure to work with during our master bath remodel. We had substantial changes to be made with plumbing, electrical and walls to be moved. John came to our home and talked through the ideas that we had and provided us a handful of drawings for us to review. He then took our comments and combined key elements from those drawings and provided our final product. A few things came up during the build and he came to consult with our contractor to find solutions that kept the integrity of the design. We would certainly recommend him and would contact him again if needed.
John designed a small but inclusive mother-in-law bungalow for me. I am very happy with the design. John is imaginative, detail-oriented, and responsive to the customer’s needs, while also providing his own input and concerns so as to prevent the customer from going off in the wrong direction. I would highly recommend John.
Update – the house is done and I have moved in. It seems almost every day, I discover another thoughtful aspect of the house’s design. Perfect for me!!
My wife and I have been extremely pleased with John Lehman’s work. We own a historical home in Lutherville Maryland in a community where oversight of home renovations is closely monitored. All renovations/additions must be approved by an advisory committee and then a Historical Landmarks Committee for the county. John’s drawings were beautiful. The two-story addition we have planned fits the home very well and will look as though it was always part of our historic home. Importantly, the local advisory committee and the county Landmarks Committee both approved the plan without any changes.
John met with us a few times in person and was quick to make modifications we requested as things progressed until we had things just as we wanted them. It has been a very positive experience to date.
Lehman Associates were such a pleasure to work with that I hired them twice for two separate jobs. The first job was for a screened in patio / addition that had a very challenging design aspect to it. It had to flow off of a difficult roof line and the results are amazing. He blended my desire for modern design with my existing transitional house structure. Several years later I wanted to create a two-story architectural wall of windows in my family room. The job required replacing an entire support wall in a two-story family room (including a corner) and replacing it with total glass from ceiling to floor (with strategic supports thoughtfully designed). John Lehman listened to what I was looking for and came up with an amazing modern design that is now the central focus of my home. The design also includes a 6′ linear fireplace and a two-story natural stone modern wall. I am very happy with his timely communication, services and results. I would highly recommend Lehman Associates!
John designed an addition for an expanded gourmet kitchen and informal dining room and sunroom. Working with him was a real pleasure. He listened and captured our goals in the design. The overall process from initial meeting to finished plans was surprisingly easy and pleasant. I was concerned about the exterior appearance of the relatively small addition, not wanting it to look added on. I need not have worried as John hit a home run with the exterior design. The addition will truly complement our house. The final plans are complete and generously detailed for a price that was very reasonable.
This was our first experience working with an architect. We enjoyed working with John. His relaxed style and good communication skills made the process run very smoothly. He was able to successfully translate our needs and desires into a detailed plan which was completed in a timely manner. We would be very pleased to work with him again.
“We just wanted to take a moment to express our “sheer delight” with the house plans Lehman Associates coordinated and designed for our country estate located in the Shenandoah Valley. We purchased the farm 17 years ago with the thought that we would retire there one day when the time was right. Over the years we have talked about various options from building a new home on the property to renovating the existing structure. We came to the realization that rather than a new home, the existing old home deserved the opportunity to come to life once again but only with professional help from an architect and thank goodness we selected Lehman Associates, P.C. You came highly recommended to us and we must say that we have not been disappointed. From the very first meeting, you were very much connected and in touch with our ideas. You have expanded our basic concept into a design that is progressive, livable and elegant. We love the balance of the design and especially that of the 2-story colonnaded great room. And, thanks to your enhancements to the roof design, a second floor guest suite and media room became a huge unexpected bonus.” “Our dream is in the pipeline and getting closer to fruition each day.”
“John designed a major addition to our home. We were very apprehensive before we embarked on this project; however, John was just superb and his designs were innovative. He was very patient and a perfectionist. Often, after we seemed happy with the plan, he would go back and come up with an alternative design until he himself was satisfied. He guided rather than goaded in the right direction. His final drawings were meticulous and many of the contractors that bid on our project commented on them.”
“Our project has been a challenging jigsaw puzzle in terms of design, logistics, budget, and timing. John responded to that challenge with enthusiasm and talent.”
“Lehman Associates has provided us with an exceptional positive experience as a first time user of architectural services. John and Matt listened to what we wanted and incorporated those desires into our new home design while offering professional guidance when required. Their responsiveness and ability to meet with us in a timely manner was very much appreciated.”
“When embarking on my first experience with a home addition, I was fortunate enough to have a friend recommend Lehman Associates. John worked with me to create several plans that incorporated all of the features that I loved in my 85 year old home and stay within my budget. He continued to offer guidance to me and my contractor throughout the entire project. His friendly and relaxed personality makes you feel as though you are his only client. A truly enjoyable experience with a beautiful finished product! Please feel free to give my name to your future clients as well.”
“Hopefully you have known that we have been very pleased with your work and counsel. On our behalf you undertook the design of an extremely complex and complicated interior and exterior home renovation project. You also provided extensive guidance on an associated major landscape, hardscape, outdoor kitchen, and pavilion project. Your wisdom, judgment, listening skills and architectural sensitivities are outstanding. Your attention to details and your appreciation for a budget are excellent. You have been our most trusted advisor on our entire project and we would happily recommend you to others. What would we have done without you?”
“The creativity Lehman Associates brought to our Maine vacation home project was the key to its success. They were able to take our ideas, refine them, put them on paper and come up with the perfect design. Lehman Associates is a professional, easy team to work with.”
“You listened to what we wanted and produced just that! Our builder raved about your thoroughness and detail which made his job easier. You and Colleen were a joy to work with, easy to talk to, good listeners and always available to me and my builder. Thanks John for producing such good plans and for your professionalism.”
“Lehman Associates exceeded our expectations in all aspects of the design for our major home expansion project. They overcame a number of difficult design constraints with creative solutions.”
“John delivered us a very beautiful and unique design that was faced with difficult and challenging roof lines. He created a space that looks like it truly belongs there and created a work of art for us. We are beyond thrilled and we LOVE LOVE LOVE the design. Our friends just rave about the screened-in porch and the amazing ceiling. Thank you!”
“Thank you for all of your hard work you put into our project. Cathy and I appreciate the time and expertise you brought to the project, giving us multiple choices of interior and exterior ideas. You really paid attention to what we were looking for. We love our new home very much!”
“All we can say is WOW!!! It is like you were able to read our minds as the design is visually exactly what we were hoping for!”
“We are very happy with the final design and the place looks great! We would gladly act as a reference any time you need one.”
“Lehman Associates has been wonderful to work with. They came up with some really great ideas, but also took the time to show us why other ideas would not work. I would highly recommend them to anyone.”
“Lehman Associates developed a design for our home expansion that was aesthetically appealing, functional and surpassed our desired result. Working with John and his professional team of designers has been a true pleasure.”
“We really love the modifications to the house. It seems like a completely new and wonderful place. We are so proud of it. Thank you for all of your work, which enabled us to realize our dreams for this home.”
“We contracted with Lehman Associates for architectural construction drawings and we worked directly with the principal, John Lehman. Throughout the project, he displayed a high level of professionalism and personal engagement that provided us a sense of security as the project progressed through the construction phase. He showed strong commitment to his customer and went to bat for us, when a disagreement arose between us and the construction contractor, representing us, his customer and our best interests. He always responded to our emails and questions and always in a patient manner. Sandy and I are so grateful to have had this professional guidance”.
“We are all extremely happy with the finished house. We seem to have the best combination of an open plan but also the ability to escape each other as needed and as a result, the family is functioning very well! Neighbors are quite impressed and on several occasions, visitors have driven by and called, not being able to find the house! Everyone who knew the original house agrees that the current house looks original and not added together. Thank you for that accomplishment and wait until we have you design the west side expansion!”
“We made it! I hand delivered the submission to Zan at Howard County Planning and Zoning. She says you always do such nice, neat and precise work. I agree!”
“Over the years, Lehman Associates, P.C. has provided us and our clients with efficient, accurate and functional designs. Their ability to listen and determine the needs of the client remains one of their most valuable architectural services.”
“I have found Lehman Associates to be a conscientious firm that strives to produce good designs in a timely manner. John is a person with good moral character and a pleasing personality, which enhances his ability to retain client satisfaction.”
“Thank you very much for your work at the Heart and Soul Restaurant, 801 Pennsylvania Ave., SE in Washington, DC. We are very pleased with the decisions reached as a direct result of your counsel. Without your willingness to view the situation critically and recommend practical alternatives, we would have spent three to four times the amount required to complete the approved repairs and, most likely, would have lost the tenant in the process.”
“Thank you for making “Project Fix-Up” and the five US Capitol and House of Representatives projects so successful. This shows effort and dedication to provide the best service possible to your clients. Again, thank you for a job well done.”
“YOU ARE THE BEST!!!! You have brought so much value and expertise that [The Highland Inn] could not have survived through all the ups and downs without you and I know it cannot get across the finish line without you at the helm.”
“We hired John Lehman in 2014 to design an in-law house for my mother. The in-law house attaches to our 1955 ranch house with a breezeway. John did an amazing job matching our mid-century architecture. The in-law house is now completed (constructed) as of summer 2015. The roof lines flow beautifully, and the exterior design is spot on with our rancher. We had worried that building an in-law house would look unsightly and awkward. John’s design did the opposite: it flows organically from our house and is non-obtrusive despite being around 900-square-feet. John also recommended a really wonderful contractor, Andy Lohmeyer with ALC Contractors, to do the constructing part of the project. Together, John and Andy were the dream team. They work very well together and both have a wonderful attention to detail and high level of workmanship.”
“I first had the opportunity to work with John Lehman in 2013, when I undertook the major restoration of a historic church. John drew up extensive plans for the renovation of the sanctuary area and the complete reconstruction of new a building to house my offices and design center. John’s keen eye for detail and vast experience with historic properties made working with him a pleasure. He was helpful at every step of the project and quick to handle the many issues that inevitably crop up when working with an old structure. I recommend John Lehman to anyone in need of an architect, whether working with an historic property or starting from scratch with new construction.”
“My wife and I have been extremely pleased with John Lehman’s work. We own a historical home in Lutherville Maryland in a community where oversight of home renovations is closely monitored. All renovations/additions must be approved by an advisory committee and then a Historical Landmarks Committee for the county. John’s drawings were beautiful. The two story addition we have planned fits the home very well and will look as though it was always part of the home. Importantly, the local advisory committee and the county Landmarks Committee both approved the plan without any changes. John’s rates were very reasonable. He met with us a few times in person and was quick to make modifications we requested as things progressed until we had things just as we wanted them. It has been a very positive experience to date.”
I am a custom home builder/remodeler in Maryland. I have worked with many architects over my career. I met John Lehman approximately 10 years ago, on a historic renovation in Catonsville MD where John was the architect. As soon as I met John I liked him, he is fun, down to earth, and has a wonderful upbeat personality. Lehman Associates, P.C. has always provided very extensive knowledge of not only design but also construction details. While working with each client he caters to each individual need and request expressed by the homeowner, as well as the general contractor. Lehman Associates has always offered excellent design work and great creativity in their plans. John Lehman is always available to either meet with clients or talk with them throughout the project so that they know their wishes are being heard not just with the massive parts of the project but also with the smallest of details. His dedication to the owner is seen in all his projects. As a contractor, they also offer great products and services. Lehman Associates plans are “buildable”. Rarely are there field conflicts with the design and actual construction. However, if there are issues that arise, Lehman Associates, P.C. does not hesitate to make a site visit to remedy the situation. One of the most important parts of building or renovating a home is having a good team in place that is both talented and fun. I have enjoyed being part of Lehman Associates, P.C. team on many projects and he is great to work with. I would highly recommend him.
“On my laptop, I designed a crazy house with lots of wrap-around glass, a people tube, and a two story slide. John didn’t laugh at me; he just got to work and made it happen! This is the architect you want working for and with you. He’ll figure it out and make it all work in an elegant fashion.”
“Lehman Associates were such a pleasure to work with that I hired them twice for two separate jobs. The first job was for a screened in patio / addition that had a very challenging design aspect to it. It had to flow off of a difficult roof line and the results are amazing. He blended my desire for modern design with my existing transitional house structure. Several years later I wanted to create a two-story architectural wall of windows in my family room. The job required replacing an entire support wall in a two-story family room (including a corner) and replacing it with total glass from ceiling to floor (with strategic supports thoughtfully designed). John Lehman listened to what I was looking for and came up with an amazing modern design that is now the central focus of my home. The design also includes a 6′ linear fireplace and a two-story natural stone modern wall. I am very happy with his timely communication, services and results. I would highly recommend Lehman Associates!”
“Lehman Associates were such a pleasure to work with that I hired them twice for two separate jobs. The first job was for a screened in patio / addition that had a very challenging design aspect to it. It had to flow off of a difficult roof line and the results are amazing. He blended my desire for modern design with my existing transitional house structure. Several years later I wanted to create a two-story architectural wall of windows in my family room. The job required replacing an entire support wall in a two-story family room (including a corner) and replacing it with total glass from ceiling to floor (with strategic supports thoughtfully designed). John Lehman listened to what I was looking for and came up with an amazing modern design that is now the central focus of my home. The design also includes a 6′ linear fireplace and a two-story natural stone modern wall. I am very happy with his timely communication, services and results. I would highly recommend Lehman Associates!”
“I wanted a large sitting room upstairs next to the master bedroom and an expanded master bathroom. We were at a loss on which direction to go or what steps we needed to take to get this exciting project started. We interviewed several architects and were very pleased when we met John Lehman from Lehman Associates. He was extremely professional and put our minds at ease on who we could trust to design and lead us through this expansion.
Early in the process, he quoted an estimate and listed what he would deliver to us and a detailed timeline. John started with measurements of our existing home and took photos of the exterior. He then provided drawings of his design as well as excellent renderings of what our new home will look like. He was accurate in every detail. Working with us, John provided several layout options for our master bath and incorporated all the items on our wish list including an upstairs laundry. He made several last-minute changes without any complaints or push-back. We are very happy with final design layout. We could not be more pleased with the service that John and Lehman Associates has provided us. I would highly recommend Lehman Associates.”
Early in the process, he quoted an estimate and listed what he would deliver to us and a detailed timeline. John started with measurements of our existing home and took photos of the exterior. He then provided drawings of his design as well as excellent renderings of what our new home will look like. He was accurate in every detail. Working with us, John provided several layout options for our master bath and incorporated all the items on our wish list including an upstairs laundry. He made several last-minute changes without any complaints or push-back. We are very happy with final design layout. We could not be more pleased with the service that John and Lehman Associates has provided us. I would highly recommend Lehman Associates.”
“My wife wanted a larger kitchen for our colonial home and I always wanted a large screened-in porch coming off of the kitchen that blended in with our existing landscaping (which included a patio). After spinning our wheels for quite some time trying to figure out what we wanted and how to achieve it, we decided that we needed an architect. We interviewed and received proposals from three firms and ultimately decided to hire Lehman Associates, led by John Lehman. This turned out to be one of the best decisions we ever made. From the start, I knew we were in good hands. He was amazingly patient with us in helping us figure out what we wanted and the best way to achieve it. At the time we met to discuss his initial drawings, it was clear that he had already put an incredible amount of thought into considering all possible alternatives. Every time we asked whether he had considered some possibility, it was clear from his response that he already had. Even though the plan he developed absolutely nailed it, he willingly and patiently helped us work through minor tweaks that he incorporated (the patience factor was huge to us, as we tended to be a bit indecisive). Once the plan was completed and we had moved onto the construction phase, it was important to us to have an architect who would continue to be there for us to respond to questions as they arose (from either us or the contractor) and to be available to oversee the construction process. John really came through for us there as well. His responses were consistently thoughtful and timely. On a couple of occasions, when we were contemplating certain time-sensitive construction decision points, he made a point to swing by the house within hours that same day. He also dropped by to check on the project status on his own (without any contractual obligation to do so) simply because he cared about the end outcome. We were delighted with Lehman Associates’ performance throughout all phases of the project and now that it is complete, we could not be happier with the result. We’ve received high praise from all who have seen the end product. We have already recommended Lehman Associates to many of our friends and we would not hesitate to use the firm for any future projects.”
“John Lehman is a fantastic architect. He was referred by a builder I am friends with, and I am glad I had the opportunity to meet him. I had an idea to add a porch and convert a carport to a garage at my 1950’s home that looks like a rambler in front, but is actually a front-to-back split level setup. I sent John photos of some homes I found where I liked the design, and he was able to incorporate the elements I liked into the architectural drawings. He also gave me suggestions on supplies and some changes that would be visually appealing for the project.
I enjoyed working with John, and will happily refer him to others needing architectural design services.“