Wade is one of a rare breed of architect. Not only does he have the uncanny ability to visualize and articulate compelling designs, he has that elusive ability to make all the pieces work together. His plans are thorough and detailed, which makes building from them a pleasure. As General Contractors, we are especially grateful that was is a team player. He is always willing to work with us to make sure the design takes shape in such a way as to deliver the best, most durable results for the homeowner. An objective arbiter, Wade makes certain that the homeowner and the contractor are treated fairly. Smart, skilled, responsive, approachable, and fair; we couldn’t ask for a better architect.

— S. A. Baxter General Contractor

I worked with Wade for a period of 18 months, turning a mediocre vanilla structure into a beautiful new modern house. Wade had great vision and pushed hard for a copper exterior to our bath expansion and he was 100% correct. He worked for days coming up with the new color for the cedar siding. He was an absolute pleasure to work with and no question or suggestion I had was shot down, but discussed professionally. He worked great with our contractor as well as our interior designer. I would whole heartedly recommend Wade.

— Stephen Schwartz

Wade has impeccable taste and is a joy to work with. He brought creative ideas to the table, while also working collaboratively to find creative solutions to satisfy the needs of three opinionated adults in our multi-generational family! He helped us with an ADU project requiring a lot of back and forth with the City of Berkeley, for which he deftly handled the (sometimes infuriating) bureaucracy with skill and grace. Wade is an ‘old school’ architect — he draws and designs by hand — often in real time during discussions, which can be a fun and inspiring process. (He converts the designs ultimately to CAD for permitting and construction.) Our project required adherence to green design principles, and Wade was excited and totally on board with incorporating them into the design, while also respecting the historic nature of our 1920s bungalow. If you’re looking for a real architect, who understands proportion, scale, and fine details and can skillfully move your project through the labyrinth of permitting – trust your job to Wade.

— Vanessa Warheit and Nicholas Ingle

I hired Wade on remodeling a Mission Revival / Arts & Craft home in Berkeley, CA. The home was owned by the same family since it was built in 1905 and the last upgrade and remodeling was sometime in the late 50’s. The bones of the house were great but there were parts of the house — like the small kitchen, a parlor room and a formal dining room — that no longer fit 21st century style of living. Wade masterfully reworked the plans of the house creating more space, features and a flow that took advantage of the site. I’ve been in this house over 14 years now and loving the simplicity and elegance of the space Wade had designed for me. Wade’s work is simple and elegant and has great respect for materials and history of a place. He’s mindful of schedules and budgets. A pleasure to work with.

— Clement Mok

Wade is a great talent with mad skills and a fabulous taste level. It’s fun and rewarding to brainstorm creative ideas with him and watch him turn vision into executable plans. His sense of humor also comes in handy to take the sting out of some of the stressfulness of the design, planning and building processes. We love working with Wade, and we love the end product that comes from such a great working relationship.

— Amy and Michael Grable, Grable Vineyards

Wade’s deep understanding of construction and construction methods proved to be a great asset on my project. Wade worked closely with the contractor to ensure a high quality, cost effective solution. From retaining walls to waterproofing to wood floors, every detail turned out just right.

— Todd McPherson

Wade Skeels and I have worked together on several projects. I can always depend on Wade to develop creative, artistic and exciting design solutions for whatever the project needs. I think his approach of doing diligent field work preparations before design facilitates his ability to deliver very artistic results. Beyond the creativity and care Wade brings to a project is the more important personal element. He is warm, attentive, easy to work with and able to listen.

Our first project together was the restoration and seismic retrofit of the old Gale Law Offices and Courthouse in Pleasanton. After that experience I chose Wade for most of the projects I had Architect recommendations to make. Most recently I recommended and worked with Wade on a large kitchen addition for a close friend. My wife and I also worked with Wade on a large and difficult addition to our home in Berkeley.

— Donald Terry, General Contractor 407225 B&A