Hiring Element 5 Architecture and Nick Mehl proved to be the single most valuable decision we made in our custom build. He was referred to us by an established, very«hot» builder, and it wasn’t hard to find out why. He demonstrated every day the concept that good design doesn’t cost. It pays. Nick’s superb listening skills and a creative, collaborative process produced a beautiful, unique plan perfectly suited for our lot and designed to our budget. He also helped us choose a great general contractor and expertly and quickly secured our building permit. While we know people who have waited for months for their permits with no word from the City, ours went through in a matter of weeks. Nick’s superior design skills as well as his willingness to follow-through made the difference. Added value? Not many of us have the time/expertise-even vision– to confidently make all the individual choices in a custom build. Nick anticipated that. He provided a «spec roadmap» that gave us total freedom to make different choices, but also never left us «alone», directionless OR at the mercy of a materials salesperson. It saved time and money, both on materials and on extra design service. We highly recommend Element 5 and Nick Mehl the next time you need architects in Austin TX.