5 Best Residential Architects in Sydney (2026)

Independently ranked by our review of ratings, reviews and reputation · How we chose

By Lorian Hartfield, Real Estate and Financial Expert · ✓ Data verified August 2026 · 8 min read

A knockdown rebuild or a heritage renovation in Sydney lives or dies on the drawings before a single brick moves. Ratings for the residential architects on this page run from 4.3 up to a perfect 5.0, and more than half of them hold that perfect score, so the real differentiator is not who can design a nice house, it's who has the council and construction experience to get your specific project built.

Short answer: Level Architects (4.8 stars across 33 Google reviews) is a Surry Hills firm known for apartment and co-living work alongside residential design, closely followed by JS Architects (4.5, 46 reviews) for larger acreage and multi-residential projects and Lockhart-Krause Architects (a perfect 5.0 across 26 reviews) for development approvals. Fees for residential architecture typically run as a percentage of construction cost, so get a written fee proposal before signing on.

Jump to a business

1. JS Architects Pty Ltd
2. Level Architects
3. Lockhart-Krause Archit…
4. Luigi Rosselli Archite…
5. Wolf Architects
Get listed

Sydney's Residential Architects, Compared

#	Business	Rating	Reviews	Best for
1	JS Architects Pty Ltd	4.5 ★	46	Acreage & multi-residential	View ›
2	Level Architects	4.8 ★	33	Duplex & inner-suburb renovation	View ›
3	Lockhart-Krause Architects	5.0 ★	26	Development approvals	View ›
4	Luigi Rosselli Architects	4.3 ★	42	Statement architecture	View ›
5	Wolf Architects	5.0 ★	19	Luxury builds & renovations	View ›

5 Best Residential Architects in Sydney (2026)

Meet the firms

#1 Overall🕑 Open 5 days/wk↩ Responds to reviews

JS Architects Pty Ltd

4.546 Google reviews

JS Architects is a Barangaroo-based firm that has worked across residential, commercial and urban projects for more than three decades. Its portfolio spans French Provincial-style family homes, multi-residential apartment developments, and expansive acreage houses, with a focus on sustainable design and considered proportions. The practice is led by Simon Ochudzawa, who clients repeatedly credit with steering projects through council approvals.

What people praise

Deep knowledge of council policy and the DA approval process
Clear, prompt communication throughout the design process
Strong track record on larger acreage and multi-residential jobs
Repeat referral relationships with other consultants in the industry

Worth knowing

A handful of reviewers mention a tougher early experience before the process settled

Reputation scorecardrank in Sydney

Rating4.5 / 5

Review volume46 · 97th

Confidenceearly

Recencyabout a year ago

Info completenesssite · phone · hours

Rating breakdown85% 5-star

✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: The most-reviewed firm on this list and a safe pick if your project involves council red tape or a larger multi-dwelling site. Simon's name comes up in nearly every review, so ask specifically for him if that's who you're hiring.

Website +61280467414 Directions

F35/100 Barangaroo Ave, Barangaroo NSW 2000

#2🕑 Open 5 days/wk↩ Responds to reviews

Level Architects

4.833 Google reviews

Level Architects is a Surry Hills practice offering architectural design, interior design and building design services, with recent projects including CDC-approved duplexes, apartment co-living developments, and heritage-area alterations. Led by Minoo, the firm handles the process from initial design through council lodgment and builder tender. It has also completed institutional work, including a childcare centre and a boarding house design.

What people praise

Guided clients through the full CDC process with minimal client involvement needed
Budget-conscious, with attention paid to construction cost from early design stages
Responsive and organised, clients highlight fast turnaround
Experience across both residential renovation and multi-dwelling co-living projects

Worth knowing

Smaller team than some of the larger practices on this list

Reputation scorecardrank in Sydney

Rating4.8 / 5

Review volume33 · 87th

Confidenceearly

Recency6 weeks ago

Info completenesssite · phone · hours

Rating breakdown94% 5-star

✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: The highest-rated firm with a meaningful review base, and the strongest pick if you're doing a duplex, renovation or co-living project in the inner suburbs where CDC pathways matter.

Website +61405939304 Directions

Shop 2/83-97 Flinders St, Surry Hills NSW 2010

#3🕑 Open 5 days/wk↩ Responds to reviews

Lockhart-Krause Architects

5.026 Google reviews

Lockhart-Krause Architects is a York Street firm led by Jesse, working across residential architecture and interior design. Reviewers describe the practice being engaged for complex council submissions, including projects requiring a genuine planning solution to lift floor space ratio while meeting City of Sydney Council requirements. The firm also serves clients outside Sydney, travelling to oversee heritage-sensitive fitouts.

What people praise

A perfect rating across every review on record
Praised for fast turnaround and clear communication
Handles complex council submissions and creative planning solutions
Works on heritage-sensitive projects outside the immediate CBD

Worth knowing

Smaller review base than the two firms above it

Reputation scorecardrank in Sydney

Rating5 / 5

Review volume26 · 82th

Confidenceearly

Recency6 weeks ago

Info completenesssite · phone · hours

Rating breakdown100% 5-star

✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: Every review on file gives it five stars, and the pattern in that feedback is complex approvals handled well. Worth a call if your site has a planning complication.

Website +61294273847 Directions

Ste 302, Level 3/50 York St, Sydney NSW 2000

#4🕑 Open 5 days/wk↩ Responds to reviews

Luigi Rosselli Architects

4.342 Google reviews

Luigi Rosselli Architects is a Surry Hills firm with decades of experience designing distinctive, high-end residential homes, including full knockdown rebuilds and additions that reviewers describe as creative and detail-driven. The practice is known for design choices that stand out, from bold material use to bespoke interior fitouts, and for staying closely involved across multi-year builds.

What people praise

Strong reputation for creative, unique design outcomes
Praised for maintaining detailed oversight across long, multi-stage builds
Quality materials and finishes called out repeatedly in reviews

Worth knowing

A vocal minority of reviewers describe pricing and communication issues on some projects
The largest review base here also carries the widest spread of experiences

Reputation scorecardrank in Sydney

Rating4.3 / 5

Review volume42 · 92th

Confidenceearly

Recency10 months ago

Info completenesssite · phone · hours

Rating breakdown79% 5-star

✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: It ranks fourth on this list, and the rating reflects a real split, most reviewers are thrilled with the design outcome, but a few had a rockier experience. Read the fuller reviews before committing to a statement-architecture project here.

Website +61292811498 Directions

122 Buckingham St, Surry Hills NSW 2010

#5🕑 Open 5 days/wk↩ Responds to reviews

Wolf Architects

5.019 Google reviews

Wolf Architects is a Five Dock firm led by Taras Wolf, working on luxury new builds, renovations and extensions across Sydney and internationally. Reviewers describe projects ranging from full house rebuilds to kitchen and laundry renovations, with the practice's design work praised for balancing aesthetics with everyday functionality.

What people praise

A perfect rating with consistent praise for clear, layman's-terms communication
Detailed plans that reviewers say made construction seamless
Handled a full international project (a rebuild in Singapore) successfully
Longer hours most weekdays, useful for clients who work standard business hours

Worth knowing

Smallest review base on this list, so the track record is still building

Reputation scorecardrank in Sydney

Rating5 / 5

Review volume19 · 76th

Confidenceearly

Recencyabout a year ago

Info completenesssite · phone · hours

Rating breakdown100% 5-star

✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: A perfect rating on a smaller but growing base of reviews, with a design style reviewers repeatedly call ahead of the curve. Worth shortlisting for a higher-end renovation or new build.

Website +61272493066 Directions

Unit 2/134 First Ave, Five Dock NSW 2046

Your business here

Get listed on this page, in front of local customers already searching for you.

Claim this spot ›

How we score

Every number on this page comes from public Google data on the date shown, not opinion or payment. Rating is the firm’s live Google star average. Review volume measures how many clients have left a review, ranked against other Sydney residential architects. Confidence weighs the rating by that volume, so a 4.5 from 46 reviews carries more weight than a 5.0 from a handful. Recency reflects how recently people are still leaving reviews. No firm can pay to change these numbers.

How much do residential architects charge in Sydney? (2026)

Architectural fees in Sydney are typically charged as a percentage of the total construction cost, or as a fixed fee for smaller scopes like a DA package. The exact structure and rate vary firm to firm and by project complexity, so we haven’t listed specific figures here.

Serving all of Sydney

The architects above are based across the CBD, Barangaroo, Surry Hills and Five Dock, and most take on projects across greater Sydney, including the eastern suburbs, inner west and further afield. Searching for a residential architect near me? Every listing below shows a live phone number and directions so you can reach the closest option fast.

What to ask before you hire a residential architect

Are you registered with the NSW Architects Registration Board?
Is your fee a percentage of construction cost or a fixed fee, and what does it cover?
Have you worked on a project with a similar council or heritage overlay before?
Who from the practice will be my day-to-day contact through design and construction?
Do you provide construction-phase oversight, or does your scope end at DA approval?
Can I see a project of similar scale and budget to mine?

Frequently asked questions

How did you choose these architects?

We started from residential architecture firms in Sydney with a public Google presence, then ranked by rating, review volume, consistency, and recency. See How we score above.

Are these rankings paid?

No. Rankings come from the public Google data in the scorecard. A business can pay to be a Featured Partner, which adds a badge and top placement, but that never changes another business’s score or position on the underlying data.

How often is this updated?

The data carries a verified date (August 2026 on this page). We refresh listings periodically so ratings and review counts stay current.

Do these architects handle council approvals?

Several firms here, including JS Architects, Level Architects and Lockhart-Krause, are described in reviews as managing development applications and CDC submissions directly. Confirm the exact scope when you call.

How much do residential architects charge in Sydney?

Fees are usually structured as a percentage of construction cost or a fixed fee for a defined scope, and they vary by firm and project size. Ask each practice for a written fee proposal before signing anything.

The bottom line

Level Architects is the safest overall pick on rating and review depth for renovations and duplex work, while Lockhart-Krause and Wolf Architects are worth a call if your project needs a specific planning win or a higher-end build. Get a written fee proposal before you sign with anyone.

Best Real Estate And Property Services in other cities

More categories in Sydney

Own one of these businesses, or want to be here?

Claim your spot on this page: Basic listing $50 or Premium $100 for the top spot, held a full year. Both include a permanent link to your site.

Get listed See pricing