Testimonials

When we began looking for a property to build on and an architect, John was recommended by one of his previous clients. We approached John at that time and he provided valuable input into the site selection. John helped identify the specific positives and challenges of potential sites before our purchasing decision.

Having secured our block, the design evolved over various meetings and discussions with John. Working with our brief, John helped us maximise the site’s potential for ocean views whilst sheltering from strong winds, harsh western sun and navigating the other houses around us. He was an excellent resource to guide us through the design process, the many decisions we needed to make, and to manage our expectations about the process ahead.

John’s knowledge of the council rules was important and he managed the council approval process for us without much fuss. John prepared detailed construction drawings which provided a great base for a smoother construction process. He handled the building tender/builder selection (which saw the building prices come in within estimates) and then oversaw the construction stage.

John’s relationship with our builder and contractors was obvious and beneficial in that he was always an excellent conduit between the builder and ourselves. John managed any issues as they arose and we always felt fully informed.

The end result is a home that absolutely meets our brief, is architecturally dramatic, without being ostentatious, and provides excellent quality of space, materials, and natural light. The house is a joy to live in and has added immeasurably to our quality of life.

Our home design and build was an amazingly smooth process in large part due to John. We clearly saw John’s excellent design and communication skills, very detailed, but importantly practical, design and construction knowledge, and coming together with his project management skills throughout the construction.

We would be very happy to recommend John to future clients contemplating a bespoke architect designed home.

We met with a number of architects and design and construct firms when assessing our options for designing and building our new home.

From our very first meeting, we were impressed with John’s consideration of how we wanted to live with our growing family. John did not initially ask us what we wanted our house to look like but focused on what aspects of our day to day lives were important to us. He could therefore enable us to focus on “what we wanted to achieve” and release us from the concern of “ how we planned to achieve it”.

The ‘how’ evolved through discussions and sketches as John very successfully moulded our list of likes and dislikes into a home that functions perfectly for our family. His design has taken into consideration how our family interacts with each other and the spaces around us.

Great architecture just feels good. The spaces John has created for us are truly wonderful to live in.

We are immensely happy with the design of our home and John has been instrumental in creating it for us. We have then successfully referred him to friends and have recently commissioned him for another home for ourselves.

Our long held family holiday house on a unique piece of land surrounded by natural parkland and water views had reached its use by date. The brief was to come up with a 21st century design that would satisfy a wide range of family members, be low in maintenance and worthy of the location.

I approached John Lewis after seeing a number of appealing homes on his website. John visited the original 1960’s building with me, and took the time to understand the potential of the site and how to fully capture all the benefits of the location.

John’s initial sketches and then developed design were well received by all and the final contract drawings left nothing to chance for the tender and construction process. John conducted the tender process and was on hand during the construction process to iron out any construction issues that arose.

The end result is an excellently designed, well proportioned house that maximises the benefits of its unique location whilst minimising the challenges associated with the site. The house is a pleasure to holiday in and is a very relaxing environment with an abundance of natural light and views from every corner of the home.

I have no hesitation in recommending John Lewis as an architect for quality residential projects.

We have worked as the builder with John Lewis for over 10 years on a number of his client’s projects.

Johns drawings, specification and documentation is extremely detailed and accurate, which assists us in costing the project accurately and also obtain competitive prices from trades and suppliers whilst minimising issues on site. Being both a registered builder as well as an architect, John has a good understanding of construction costs and methods, ensuring his clients benefit from having a minimum amount of variations during construction, keeping the costs to budget, whilst still ensuring the clients achieve their dream home.

We have found John to have a very strong attention for detail and has extremely high standards and expectations for his client’s projects. He always works closely together with the builder to meet these standards.

The process of construction is always wrought with challenges, however as johns drawings are extremely detailed , this allows our trades to accurately carry out their works to an extremely high standard. John is extremely approachable and easily contactable should any matters arise on site that need his attention. He works closely at all times with both builder and client as necessary to ensure matters are resolved quickly, ensuring the smooth progress of the build. There is always strong communication between John, the builder and the trades, making the construction process smooth and enjoyable for everyone involved. From our years of experience working alongside John, we have found that everyone who comes into contact with John: the clients, trades and suppliers, all find him down to earth and approachable and extremely easy to work with.

We thoroughly enjoy working alongside John Lewis, Each house we have built for John is unique in a different way and are always proud of the homes we construct together through strong teamwork. From a builders point of view, we would highly recommend John Lewis to new clients, as an architect who is easy to work with, has exceptional vision and a unique understanding of design and construction.

Our project was to build our new home on a vacant block in Cottesloe and we had spoken to several architects. The thought of a project design and build contract even passed through our minds.

We were about to make a decision when by chance we were speaking with friends who had just built with John Lewis. They suggested we speak with him before going any further. We did and after an initial meeting with John we decided he was the architect for us.

He explained the benefits of using the services of an architect and not to be fooled by the apparent “extra” cost up front as at the end of the day the combination of an independent architect and builder appointed through a selective tender process would end up costing about the same (or possibly less) than an upper market ‘design and construct’ builder, but with a superior outcome in terms of design, practicality and use of space.

We decided to retain John and were soon reassured we had made the right decision as he was very attentive to our brief and details even down to any significant items of furniture we wanted to keep in order to accommodate them in the design.

Through ongoing consultation with us, he designed a delightfully modern, attractive and practical home and during the process:

• Listened to and took on board our wishes;
• Guided us (sometimes persuasively) where his architectural and building experience indicated we were not on the right track;
• Completed very detailed construction drawings rather than relying on long specifications seldom read by builders and subbies;
• Worked through the approval process with a difficult Council;
• Ran the tender process and recommended qualified builders in addition to our choices;
• Assisted with selection of finishes, best suited building products, colour schemes, lighting and so on;

And he always responded promptly to any of our queries or concerns as the building progressed; and did all of the above with good humour and in a deceptively relaxed manner.

Our whole design and building process went virtually without a hitch. The end result exceeded our expectations. We are now convinced that John's independent architect / builder combination was the right approach for us and we would not build a home any other way. Thanks for your efforts and guidance during 2016/2017 John, and for a great end result.

John designed and then supervised the building of our first new house. From the vision of his initial plan to his eye for detail with the finishing touches, John demonstrated his architectural flair with a good dose of practicality that really resonated with us. As well as listening to our ideas he provided valuable input into what might work best.

He worked closely and collegially with the builder to troubleshoot any problems and ensure that his high standards were maintained. He played an important role in providing direction with regard to choices for the internal and external finishes. The whole process was fun and we would design and build again with him again if the opportunity arose.

John did a great job creating a design to meet our needs and fit our block.

He asked lots of questions and listened to our answers, coming back with a concept drawing that we loved. Then it was just a matter of refining the details and keeping us regularly involved in the process.

John’s practical experience ensured that my builder had carefully detailed yet very workable plans leaving little to chance. The end result being a home we are really enjoying living in. Thanks John

We engaged John to design our new house after seeing what a great job he did designing a house on a tiny, difficult block near our previous home. We watched that house being built and were amazed that so much space and light could be achieved in such a small area. When we bought a small narrow block we turned to John without hesitation.

Well, our experience both with the design and the building of our house has been a real and ongoing pleasure. John's design is all we wanted it to be and the appeal of our house is commented upon almost daily by neighbours and people passing by, as well as the tradesmen on site. It sparks everyone's interest and we can't believe how often we are approached by people asking about the design and wanting to have a look around. It is so open, airy and lovely to look at both from the inside and the outside. Yet, at the same time, it is a practical family home with a huge amount of storage and no wasted space. In fact some of our friends have been so impressed that they have engaged John to design a new home for themselves as well.

On a personal level we have found John to be approachable, friendly and easy to deal with. He has paid attention to what we wanted and has welcomed our involvement in the design process. We have been consulted yet guided the entire time. He has maintained his interest in the project, and is always available for suggestions and advice. His aim has been to design for us a beautiful, practical home that will be a joy to live in.

We believe that this has been achieved to an outstanding degree. We are glad that we are the lucky ones who live in it.

After meeting with some of Perth's leading Architects and Designers we commissioned John Lewis to design and oversee the construction of our dream home. After our very first meeting with John we felt he understood our vision and had the knowledge and experience to deliver a quality home to suit our lifestyle and withstand the test of time.

Having never built a home before, John was efficient and worked closely together with us to make the process as easy as possible. He made himself readily available to us at all times and his professional service was second to none, which was a refreshing change.

Not only did we benefit from his architectural knowledge and experience, but his creativity and attention to detail was outstanding and is now evident in the finished product.

We are now thrilled to be living in an amazing home and it is a testament to John's talent and expertise. We have no hesitation in recommending John Lewis for any architectural project and will confidently commission him again.

We are about to embark on our building process with John having recently completed the architectural drawings. From the outset John has made us feel at ease as he explained everything and literally held our hand through the entire process. His honesty and open demenour shone through from our first meeting. Above all he has expert ability in blending practicality with the obvious flare and passion that is evidenced by his outstanding work.