Affordable Design and Drafting

Nov 2023

I contracted with Bob Belanger on April 5, 2023 to draft plans and represent me as property owner, occupant, of an As Built ADU. Goal: Obtain a permit for the As Built ADU. Bob was given over 10 detailed documents and pictures I took or paid to other experts (structural engineers, Energy Analysts, etc) to complete and checks (cashed) for $7,500. 32 weeks after contracting with Bob:1) I never received a co-signed contract2) Attempts to schedule recurring updates with Bob went unanswered or were responded to with contempt. 3) Bob joined a scheduled, critical meeting with City of San Diego Zoning Inspector and Building Inspector 55 minutes late. He spent the remaining 5 minutes jutifying his lateness then rudely interrupted me as I attempted to summarize the 55 minute discussion prior to his joining the call.4) I have formally terminated my engagement with Bob and will have to pay another reputable Architect to start from scratch.I was a fool as Bob was recommended by a neighbor. Do NOT make the same mistake. Read Yelp reviews and the reviews on Bob's Website: Affordable Architects and Design. I will be filing a formal complaint with the California Architect Board.And am discussing what recourse I may have legally.

Sep 2023

If I could, I would give Bob Belanger a minus 1000 as a rating! I paid him several thousand dollars to make plans of an existing prefabricated stable (horse barn) which then needed to be submitted to the County for approval in order to obtain an as-is building permit. The County had given us a list of tasks known as a Compliance Schedule that needed to be completed by a Specific Date or else face some pretty hefty fines associated with any non-compliance issues. Bob FAILED to meet each and every one of the compliance schedule dates! Essentially, Bob took our money and ran. He stopped returning our phone calls, text messages, and/ or our emails all together; he became completely incommunicado!If you are in need of an architect, I would not under any circumstances use this man. Bob Belanger is a liar, and a thief! I plan on reporting him to the appropriate licensing board. DON'T BECOME A VICTIM- STAY AWAY!!!

Sep 2022

Let me start by saying, The Architect, Robert Belanger was telling me about dis-satisfied clients and referring to them as crazy because they were unhappy with his performance. If those paying clients were crazy, it wasn't for their lack of satisfaction with his work. Like me they were crazy to give this man any money. The name of his company is a lie. Its not affordable if what he gives you is unbuildable. He charged me greater then $20K and I have nothing to show for it. He planned out a garage and ADU for the back of the property and designed it into the rear setback. He told me, with his contacts at DSD, he could get this through. After what he told me would be twelve weeks in his contract, Belanger stretched out to two years. Then in the end, the permitting was rejected by the city because he planned the building into the property rear setback. The very issue he said his "contacts" would fix. The kind of detail Belanger could have checked with the city before I paid him all the installments. When I spoke with the city permitting reviewers they confirmed, it is a ridiculously ignorant kind of violation. Not the kind a "Professional Architect" should make. Then I realize, he never planned to get it through planning. His interest was to drag me along till I paid him all the installments, at which point he didn't care one way or another what happened in permitting. I'm currently complaining to the Contractors State License Board(CSLB). I'm also going to discuss this case of fraud with the District Attorney's office. Bob Belanger has to use a P.O.Box to keep his dissatisfied clients from coming to his house with torches and pitchforks. I suspect he suffers some Neurological Diversity. Bob Belanger will agree to perform some simple task and it will require constant leaning on him to get him to complete it. He acts like a young child giving lame excuses why his homework isn't complete.You expect a professional to drive a project, I'd call him and most likely not receive a return call. Maybe an email days or weeks later. The city suggested a solution to the issue that caused the rejection. But of course it ruined the whole look of the building. Even though I told Belanger I didn't want to submit the solution, Belenger submitted it anyway and suggested that I just change it after the inspector left. This man claims to be a christian. Belanger could benefit from some jail time. At this time the project is dead in the water. I'm out the money and Belanger is out pulling his crap on other. Don't be one of his victims.