Moser Architects PLLC

Sarah and Moser Architects guided an extensive renovation of our charming 1937 Cape Cod home in Arlington. As realtors in the area, we are constantly looking at homes, but nothing made us want to leave our beloved lot! We loved our home too, but we were missing space and some functional features that just didn’t exist when our home was originally constructed. Sarah designed exactly what our family needed, and also kept in mind the long-term functionality for whomever lives in our house next— hopefully a very long time from now! We valued Sarah’s firm opinions about things, when we were overwhelmed with choices and paralyzed by indecision; her hand-holding prevented us from needing to hire a designer too. These are expensive choices, and we didn’t want to regret any of them. Periodic walk throughs while under construction yielded some valuable and simple but meaningful modifications that we never would’ve thought of on our own. Our home is special, unique, takes into account the topography of our lot and views from various windows that a pre-designed new construction home would not have offered us. The original charm, character of our house is still intact, and neighbors and strangers often stop us to admire our home and commend the talented team of architect and builder who achieved the balance of new and old. Sarah’s pre-existing relationship with our builder Jay Stephen (and their relationships with subs and vendors) was helpful especially concerning certain details we had never considered. Both Sarah and Jay were extremely detail-oriented, and our home was completed on time mostly because of their meticulous organization and command of the process, during a time when supply chain issues were delaying many projects around us. While we are settled and happy, if we had to start all over, there’s no question we would choose this team again.

We recently worked with Sarah on a major renovation of our 1950’s Arlington traditional colonial that included gutting our entire home and adding on a 3 story addition onto the rear. Her expertise and wisdom proved to be a priceless commodity throughout the duration of the project. We were true novices in this whole renovation process — however Sarah’s guidance and practical advice made some of the overwhelming choices/moments feel more manageable and less daunting. We appreciated her practicality (as a mom herself) and how she incorporated functional design into the plans for our home. She accompanied us on visits to suppliers in order to assist in making plumbing and tile selections (there are SO many choices!?!) and she helped us make sense of all the options so that we could make decisions more efficiently. Her guidance and advice during this part of the planning was invaluable. As if her creativity, expertise as an architect and her willingness to assist us in making selections for our home were not enough, Sarah also fulfilled the role of a project manager in our renovation process. Her relationship with our builder, Milton, proved to be a major strength, as they have been working together for a long time and have a strong working relationship. Sarah was able to collaborate with Milton so that our project continued moving along, despite any unforeseen external delays. Sarah was also a fierce advocate for the smooth completion of our project. We unfortunately had to deal with an incredibly unreasonable, awnry and aggressive neighbor who attempted to thwart our progress countless times, making the renovation process even more stressful than it already was. Sarah took initiative right away to address the situation, all while remaining calm and collected (and keeping us calm!). She even took the extra step to communicate directly with them to mitigate the situation. We were, and remain so incredibly grateful to her for going above and beyond the scope of her role as our architect by stepping in to advocate for us in circumstances we didn’t fully anticipate. As daunting and stressful as a complete home renovation can be, we could not have done it without Sarah’s expertise and steady hand guiding us throughout the process. She proved to be the best and most invaluable choice as our architect. We highly recommend Sarah at Moser Architects- you will not be disappointed!

We are moving into our Moser home tomorrow. The project included additions to and renovations of a small 1940 colonial. We could not be more pleased with the result!

We loved our experience with Moser Architects! Sarah and her team our wants and needs for our home and helped us create a space that is not only beauty but also functional for our family. Having Sarah be there to guide us in finding the right construction team for our family, being there during the entire construction process, and always being available for our questions and concerns. I have heard horror stories about Architects and the construction process but our experience was top notch. We would build 30 more homes with this amazing team.

Sarah expertly designed and managed the major addition and total remodel of my family’s typical Arlington Colonial. I appreciated Sarah's philosophy of having no regrets at the end. After living in our new old house for a couple of months, I can honestly say there's no regrets with the architectural design and details. Our finished house exceeds my admittedly high expectations. We interviewed several design build firms and spoke to a couple of architects. Within moments of our initial meeting, I knew Sarah was the one to design our dream home. Her instant brainstorm included ingenious ideas no one else had mentioned or that I thought were possible. Once we signed our agreement, she asked for a list of wants and needs then got to work on a first pass design. I anticipated the design process to take a few months with several iterations before getting it just right. I was impressed by her creative and pragmatic ability to include everything on my long list (and more) in her initial design. With some minor tweaking, we were ready for construction drawings. Sarah shines as an architect with her highly detailed construction drawings and keen knowledge of complex county code. We experienced zero issues or delays with permitting because of Sarah's expertise and attention to detail. Additionally, Sarah demonstrates flexibility in her design aesthetic, which is evident when reviewing her expansive portfolio that includes modern farmhouses, Craftsman, and prairie style homes along with traditional Cape Cods and Colonials. I’d classify myself as a neo-traditionalist who wanted to retain the charm and original architecture of our home while adding more functional space for modern family living. She understands the needs of busy families both as an architect and as a mother of school aged children. Sarah will gladly help clients select fixtures and finishes, but she’ll also support a design driven, independent client like me. She was always available if I wanted to bounce off ideas as I shopped around and genuinely shared my enthusiasm when I found the perfect thing. I also appreciated not needing a separate kitchen or bathroom designer because she does it all and more. When challenges occurred, she shifted to problem solving mode and defused any issues. Sarah advocates for her clients and keeps things on course. She intuitively finds a solution to even the most complex problems and revises in the field to maximize space and enhance design. She made the process a fun endeavor with her warm "bedside manner" and sense of humor. It felt like working with a dear friend. Her patience, honesty, and calm demeanor in the field and behind the scenes contribute to her expertise as an exceptional architect and project manager. While Covid has created many new challenges in the construction field, Sarah has adapted and excelled in helping homeowners maximize their budget without sacrificing design or quality. I enthusiastically give Sarah my highest recommendation.

We recently worked with Sarah to complete a significant renovation that included gutting our current living space (2 bed, 1 bath traditional Colonial) and adding a three-story addition. Our lot is a smaller one and it was important for us to preserve as much outside space as possible and use the living space as efficiently as possible. Hiring Sarah was one of the best decisions we made throughout the process (the other was following her recommendation for our builder) - from our first meeting to design decisions throughout to when we moved in, she was with us for every step of the process. Her design made the most of the space, aligned perfectly with what we asked for, and ensured we stayed within budget. Her professionalism, experience, and ability to solve unanticipated issues made a significant difference. Many people talk about their challenges with renovation - we often talked about how well the project was going because of Sarah's guidance and support. The breadth and depth of her knowledge was impressive. With Sarah's expertise, things went smoothly throughout - she is excellent at what she does and is also a lot of fun to work with. While we have no intention of moving any time soon, if a move included a renovation, our first call would be to Sarah.

We had a great experience working with Sarah and Merit Homes. Sarah has great style, and had fabulous ideas that we hadn't thought of for our house. We especially appreciated her coming to help us at all our appointments picking out appliances, plumbing, tile, etc. Even now I'll send her messages asking for style advice. Her relationship with our builder Milton was also very appreciated. It made everything so much easier and was like working with friends. We cannot recommend Sarah more highly. The Allen Family

We knew Sarah was the right architect for our project after our first meeting. She brought amazing ideas on how to renovate our home so that it will work for the way we actually live, work for our budget, and work aesthetically. She was patient and efficient with the many changes to the scope of project and during delays brought about by the pandemic and our own circumstances. She worked with us every step of the way — choosing builders and landscapers; working extensively with the county; selecting tiles, cabinets, stains, paint, and other finishes; and advocating for us with the builder on a wide range of issues to ensure we achieved the right look and functionality. She was always responsive and positive and truly cares about the outcome. Our home is not just beautiful but it works for our family of 5 so that everyone has their own space and the common areas are functional — including innovative ways to find storage and functionality. She helped us prioritize our budget and negotiate with builders she also thought about the ultimate resale value of our home. We have been in our house for about 6 months now and are beyond pleased with the renovation — it is all because of Sarah’s hard work, ideas, amazing taste, and commitment to our happiness with the project.

Sarah was the architect on our whole home remodel and choosing her was the best decision we made in the whole project. We had a very challenging existing layout that did not lend itself well to a renovation but Sarah worked closely with us to design several excellent options on how to best utilize the limited available space. She was also incredibly helpful in assisting us throughout our discussions and change orders with our builder and also worked closely with us in selecting key finishings throughout the house. She's very much in demand, which is reflective of the excellent service she provides, but it is definitely worth waiting for her.

We waited nearly 15 years to take on our major remodel. When we started, we wrestled with the design-build approach vs. separate architect / builder approach. Sarah and Moser Architects validated our separate architect / builder approach many times over. As an owner that had very little insights into the remodel process, it is difficult to express the relief of knowing that you always had someone in your corner to help with both the biggest and littlest of decisions. Sarah accompanied us on so many design decision "field trips" - tile stores, stone quarry, other projects, spec houses, county office, service providers, even houses that she didn't decision so that we could evaluate things like structural lines, paint colors, and stone. Moser's vast experience in the NoVA build / remodel community (particularly in Arlington) meant that she could call upon various known builders who have experience in projects of varying scale and with whom she has outstanding working relationships. It also meant that she could advocate for our needs, clarify information and expectations from the builder, and advance 'last minute' pivots and changes, not to mention ensuring safe Covid protocols... even when our needs or changes weren't easy for the builder. With Sarah's help, we selected a builder from a list of recommended builders that fit our decision preferences. In the end, her relationship was so smooth, that we felt like we had the consistency of a design-build firm, even though we went with two separate entities. But the best advantage with Moser is the role she plays as Project Manager - walking us through so many tactical elements of the process while reducing stress at every opportunity. Sarah and her friends a Merit Homes already delivered our dream house, but if we should ever need another, our first call will be to Moser Architects. In summary: + Impressive local design experience represented by many projects / homes + Relationships with builders suiting owners of all different types and expectations, and support in builder selection + PM role where Sarah is invested in your project being exactly as you want it to be

We purchased our home, a classic colonial in North Arlington, in April 2016 knowing that we would always need to renovate it as our children grew. What we didn't know is that we would find an architect who would help us bring that vision to life and more. From our first discussion, we were on the same page with Sarah as to what we envisioned. She was able to put our thoughts down on the page and help us navigate the construction process to see completion. Sarah was always available to answer any question we had and helped us through design, permits, construction, and completion. Not only am I proud of the home that we have built but I truly see it is a space in which we can live and raise our family for years to come. I highly recommend Sarah at Moser Architects- you will not be disappointed!

Sarah combines the best of deep professional experience and strong aesthetic ideas. Her concepts elevated what could have been a less-inspired renovation into something that we are proud to live in. And she's very nice to boot! Highly recommended, especially for those looking to do a larger project in need of a grand aesthetic vision.