Moontower

I am so glad I chose to Moontower to design and built an ADU on our lot in East Austin. Whether dealing with the City’s less-than-efficient permitting or my ever-evolving vision, everyone on their team was always infinitely patient, exceedingly knowledgeable, friendly, and communicative. Between complex zoning requirements, several large pecan trees in the middle of the site, and a tight budget, they had a number of constraints to contend with. Their beautiful design made incredibly creative use of space and materials — resulting in a space that feels much more expansive and expensive than it actually is. Six months into living in it, I appreciate the quality of their workmanship every day.

We had been in our 1800-square foot, 1979 house for 15 years and it was time for some big changes. The house was dark with original windows and kitchen appliances, not well-insulated, and some of the popcorn ceilings were starting to sag. Our living room and master bedroom were asymmetrical, which had always presented some visual challenges we could never get right. From the first interview, we had a great feeling about Moontower. The Moontower team is very warm, professional, hard-working and clearly close-knit. The design process took many months and was a lot of fun! It was a full, down-to-the-studs remodel keeping the same roof, extending the kitchen wall toward the backyard, stealing some space from the garage for a walk-in pantry, all new electrical, mostly new plumbing and appliances — they handled so much! It was easy to trust them to take care of things, their communications were very clear, the budgeting was transparent, and they never overwhelmed us. We did make a number of changes during the course of the project, which they were able to accommodate and keep within our maximum budget. Highlights: * A full, down-to-the studs remodel, while still keeping a few still-good items * Turned a small, dark master bathroom into a dream shower with separate water closet * Brought natural light to every room in a previously cave-like house, including both bathrooms * Created a design that supports our goal of being able to host a lot of people * Streamlined the look/feel of the whole house * Worked within our budget for materials while keeping the design exciting

We are so deeply grateful to have connected with Moontower. They are stellar individuals who are dedicated to their craft. They were our builders for the remodel of our home in Barton Hills and also provided design services on the finish out. On the design side of things, we worked with Jessica (Painter) who was nothing short of excellent. Very organized and clear in her thinking, she was able to expertly guide us through selections such as tile, flooring, light fixtures, etc.. Furthermore, the project continued to change and grow after we brought them our initial plans and they were able to take the ball and run with it. We were the type of clients that were very involved and threw a lot of rough ideas their way and Jessica (along with Principal Frank Farkhash) were able to do the difficult work of filtering, interpreting, and manifesting a beautiful product. They were incredibly accommodating and patient while also bringing the necessary discipline and order needed to turn loose ideas into design. We also could not have been happier with our project manager, Merrow. She was extremely organized and dedicated to problem-solving the myriad quirks that come along with a remodel. Her research and her communication were extremely thorough and her attention to detail, the highest. The overall atmosphere at Moontower seemed to be one of collaboration and mutual support as project managers routinely circulated through each others projects to give fresh input. From the cost-estimating process with Greg through the selections and design changes as well as construction, we could not have been happier with Moontower. These are good people doing good work.

We had a terrific experience with Moontower and would highly recommend them. We were fortunate to work with Maggie and David, who felt more like friends at the end of the project than contractors. Moontower remodeled a portion of our previous floor plan and added on a beautiful kitchen and den, making our house truly feel like a home. We felt like they listened to our ideas and needs and created a space we love. We never felt like there was a terrifying "uh-oh" moment in the process and I think it's because they are so experienced and thoughtful in their design work and the project schedule. There were a few hiccups at the end of the project which were frustrating, but Maggie and David always returned texts or calls with a solution that made us feel heard and solved the problem. We love our new home and are so grateful to have worked with Moontower!

We worked with the Moontower team on our garage conversion and main house remodel and we not only love the end result, but loved the process. They were so thoughtful with the design and their attention to detail in the construction process was incredible. We loved working with them and would recommend them to anyone looking for a thoughtful, well-designed and constructed project.

I may be slightly biased because my husband is one of the architects and partners, but I also am an interior designer with high expectations, so maybe that cancels the other out....regardless my experience with Moontower building our guest house exceeded my expectations. From the start the site cleanliness (very important to me as we had a newborn and a curious toddler at home), and professionalism to the communication were all great. The construction team and Project manager Mo was very easy to work with, flexible and patient as I often wanted to see all possible options before making a decision. She gracefully answered my questions and put my mind to ease at times when we “took risks” with the selections or design. I am highly encouraged by our first experience with Moontower and look forward to when we can partner on future projects.

We hired Moontower as our architect for what was originally a potential remodel of a home in the Zilker neighborhood. They helped us from the very get-go before we had even selected a home. As we were placing bids on homes, they would help us walk the lot and inspect the home for potential issues - all of which were incredibly valuable. Despite my wife and I both working/having worked in real estate, they highlighted issues like the tree proximity, lot slope, ground cover, and related issues that would be key considerations when expanding our home. Ultimately, we decided to build a new home on the lot we had selected, and Moontower was amazing (in creativity and patience with us) in coming up with a wonderfully unique yet classic facade. I think the highest compliments I could provide for Moontower are in two particular anecdotes. First, our builder has been building in Austin for decades and works with a different architect, and as we were getting through the framing and key utilities, they repeatedly complimented Moontower's design on its great use of space and thoughtfulness (ie, relative to the builder's usual projects). And, second, we've lived in the home for a year now and are still in love with it and its details. I'd highly recommend Moontower and would work with them again.

Frank, Jessica and the entire Moontower team knocked it out of the park! They helped us with our plans for our remodel and its better than we could have imagined. Moontower pushed us to think outside the box and consider new ideas we would never have thought of ourselves! They were so patient with us throughout the process. We can't recommend them enough!

We love working with Moontower!! We had never undertaken a major reno and didn’t know what to expect or where to begin. The folks at Moontower spent a lot of time getting to know us, figuring out our style and making sure we were comfortable with the process. Besides, they are great people and a lot of fun to work with! The results are phenomenal - we converted part of our garage into an inside laundry room and added built-in dog kennels. We also had walls moved, added doors and a couple of windows, expanded the kitchen and a bit more. The dog crates open into the family room through hidden doors and the design freed up a lot of extra room - the dogs are crazy about them! Everyone loves the inside laundry room—it’s beautiful, ergonomic and has personality too! The construction was fun to watch, and we never ran into big problems, just a few speed bumps that were easily resolved. We have plans for phase 2 and probably 3. Can’t wait to work with them again!

My client relationship with Moontower has been great. They are designing my new home. A good designer has to listen but they internalize. They have learned my preferences and can anticipate my likes. They are easy to talk to and work with. They are open about all the choices and balancing act of a big project like this. I have recommended them to friends and would do again for any project from remodel to full build.

Our house was built in 1939 and renovated in the 1980s. We loved the location, and the building itself was sound, but we longed for another renovation and changes to the floor plan. Moontower helped us realize a vision we'd been quietly harboring for years. They redesigned the heart of the house--the kitchen and living areas--and upgraded the bedrooms, study, and baths. They also converted/extended a former garage and studio into a beautiful backhouse for guests. We worked primarily with Greg, Maggie, Jessica, and Eric. All were excellent. We're now set for the next phase of our lives.

When my husband and I started the process of trying to find a contractor to execute our architect's renovation/addition plans for our house we realized that out of everyone we knew that had gone through the process only one of our friends would recommend their contractor. The one friend that reported a positive experience liked their contractor so much that they were already using them for a second time! That contractor was Moontower Design Build. We interviewed three different contractors for the job and although Moontower was tied for the second highest bid they stood out as the clear choice. The experience was special from the beginning. We LOVED everyone we worked with! While the process will always be stressful because it is your home this was as painless as it could be because we were dealing with true professionals and genuinely good people. We had one minor mess up as one can expect in a project as large as ours and they immediately remedied the situation and put us at ease. Our house turned out beautifully and a year later we are using Moontower again for another small project. They are worth every penny!!!!