Just received this from another of the build/design contractors that we met with :

“Great choice- if there was an architect I would have placed on the top of the “Recommended” list, it would be Rob. He’s a great guy with a lot of talent.  I like his style for coastal maine dwellings. I hope things go well for you.
Please keep us on the short list, and I ‘ll look forward to seeing what he comes up with.
Happy Labor Day !”

And from another :

“Rob is one of the best.   I recommended him to design my aunt’s house.  It ended up working very well for them and was really nicely proportioned on outside as well.  If he still has old files it might be something to look at- with some modifications.  It may be more shingle style than the the farmhouse look you are shooting for however.

He is easy to work with as well.  I think this is a good choice and it allows you to go through the bid process which is the only way to know for sure that you are getting value for your money.  I also like the bid process because I usually win – I have a great team of people and run a pretty streamlined company.  I agree that rushing the project can be a mistake. having time to digest preliminary plans and really think about what you want is good.  Let me know if i can be of any help.  One possible solution to scheduling start date is to catch late winter window when the brutal night temps are over, but before they post the roads.  While we can ( and do ) start houses anytime of year,  if you don’t get your foundation in before christmas it can be better to wait for that late feb window.  It also puts the house out of sync with the huge backlog of starts all waiting for the posting to come down which speeds things up thru the whole project.”

Not only have these notes been reassuring in terms of our decision to hire Rob, but you’ve got to love the “…I also like the bid process because I usually win.”