Public evidence profile · Checked May 2026

Christopher James Architecture

ArchitectReading5.021 reviews · 1 independent public source
Credentials & registries
Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists
Awards & recognition
1 independent award

Evidence summary

This practice provides design services for commercial, residential and educational projects, ranging from small-scale home extensions to large one-off dwellings. They are committed to delivering quality and sustainable design while working closely with clients to stay within budget.

Chris is a fully Chartered Member of the Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists with over 16 years of professional experience. The practice has been in continuous operation for 7 years.

From public sources, July 2026

Trust Score
36out of 100
Building a public record
  • Rated 5.0 from 21 reviews
  • 1 credential shown

Worth checking: Architects Register

How this score is worked out
Rating5.0 / 5
Review volumeLow · 21
Independent sources1 independent public source
Credentials1 credential shown

How this score is made up

What customers say29.6 of 60
Independent checks5.1 of 30
Track record1.3 of 10
See the independent checks
  • Licences and credentials0.9 of 10.3
  • Ways to reach them3.4 of 3.4
  • Reviewed on more than one site0 of 5.1
  • Registered company details0 of 5.1
  • Photos of their work0 of 4.3
  • Industry recognition0.9 of 1.7

Missing evidence lowers the score because we can't check it. It doesn't mean it doesn't exist. Claiming a profile never changes the score. Evidence context, not a guarantee of workmanship.

Contact on Houzz (opens in new tab)
Builder
Trust at a glance

What we can verify about Christopher James Architecture

2 checks

Each card sums up one thing we can check from public sources. Open it for the full detail and the named source. This is evidence context, not a guarantee.

Credentials & registriesChartered Institute of Architectural TechnologistsSee detail →Awards & recognition1 independent awardSee detail →
See the full verification checklist for Christopher James Architecture →
Credentials and checks

Credentials, licences and vetting

Credentials and associations

Credentials and memberships

1

These credentials and memberships are attributed to named public sources. Check the source before relying on them.

Independent recognition

Awards & recognition

5× Best of Houzz winner (2026, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021)

Best of Houzz is an annual award from the home-renovation platform Houzz, given to the professionals its community rates most highly for design or customer service.

View award source (opens in new tab)

These are independent third-party awards: recognition earned from review communities and trade bodies, never paid placement.

Source-listed gallery

Photos listed on Houzz

1 photo

These sources do not label every image as completed work. The gallery may include projects, people, logos or certificates, so it does not count as completed-work evidence.

Reviews · public evidence

What customers say

These review totals are published independently on the named public source below, not testimonials this business chose to show. We show the aggregate rating, review volume, and source attribution we hold so you can weigh the evidence yourself.

5.0out of 5
21 reviews in public evidence
Where these reviews are published
  • Houzz21 reviews · 5.0 avg
Local context

Rated 5.0, above the local average for architects in Reading

Across 28 architects in Reading, the typical rating is 4.7 out of 5. We compare against the same businesses a homeowner would find searching for this trade locally.

Sources

Where this information comes from

3 named public sources

Everything on this page is drawn from named public sources. Where a source provides a public link, you can open the original and dig deeper.

Review sources

Registers and membership directories

Business and public registers

Public evidence last checked May 2026

About

The Practice offers a wide range of design services for the commercial, residential and educational sectors across the RIBA work stages. Chris is a fully Chartered Member of the Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists with over 16 years professional experience. During the 16 years, he has provided the full scope of architectural services on a diverse range of commercial, conservation, residential and educational projects. CJA can offer full or partial services, tailored to your project needs from inception to completion. Project types previously undertaken vary from highly successful small-scale home extensions through to large scale one-off residential dwellings. This includes works to Listed Properties as well as extension and refurbishment works at schools. CJA work closely with all Clients to realise their aspirations on time, within budget and are committed to delivering quality and sustainable design on all projects. Each project is unique, so please contact us for a no obligation discussion and/or to arrange a meeting to establish the feasibility of your proposal.

Services they list

Accessible DesignArchitectural DesignArchitectural DrawingsBasement DesignBuilding ConservationBuilding DesignDesign ConsultationFloor PlansHeritage ConsultancyHome RenovationHouse ExtensionsHouse Plans

Listed on public sources or the business's own website; check directly that they cover your job before you book.

What this business says about itself
From their own website

What this business says about itself

  • Established: 2015 (11 years in business)

These are statements the business makes on its own website, worth confirming in writing (and on the official registers) before you hire, not independently verified by us.

Independent checks

About this business

How long they've really been tradingThey state they've been established since 2015, but the earliest independent source we can find is 2021. Worth asking them about the gap.
Website online since2015They say, established2015Award-winning since2021
Your own checks

What to check before you hire

Worth checking yourself
Only a few public reviews are shown. Ask for recent references you can contact.
Their public evidence comes from a single source. Look them up on another site before deciding.
Verify at the sourceCheck them yourself

"Architect" is a title protected by law - only people on the official Architects Register (held by ARB) may use it. Confirm they're on it before you commission a design.

Check the Architects Register
Only someone on the Architects Registration Board (ARB) register may legally call themselves an 'architect' in the UK. Ask for their ARB number and check it free at arb.org.uk. An 'architectural designer' or 'technologist' is a different, unregistered role (often capable, but not the same protection).
Agree how they charge before any work starts (a percentage of the build cost, a fixed fee, or an hourly rate) and exactly which stages it covers (concept design, planning application, building-regulations drawings, work on site), so there are no surprises later.
Confirm what they will actually handle versus what is excluded (the planning application, the building-control drawings, and whether they will administer the builder's contract on site), and get it, and a portfolio of similar projects, in writing.

Want an extra legitimacy check? Run the Cowboy Checker on Christopher James Architecture before you contact them.

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Good to know

Common questions about Christopher James Architecture

Is Christopher James Architecture a legitimate business?

Christopher James Architecture has 21 independent public reviews, rated 5 out of 5. This is independent public evidence gathered from named public sources (no ads, no paid placement), not a guarantee of workmanship. If anything here is out of date, the business can request a correction.

What do customers say about Christopher James Architecture?

Christopher James Architecture has 21 public reviews, averaging 5 out of 5. The reviews section shows the aggregate rating, review volume, and review source information we hold.

How do I know Christopher James Architecture's reviews are genuine?

Christopher James Architecture's 21 public reviews come from a named public review source. MyTrustedTraders brings this public evidence together with no ads and no paid placement: we show the review source information and aggregate rating we hold rather than selling rankings, so you can weigh the evidence for yourself.

Is Christopher James Architecture qualified and accredited?

We hold 1 independently sourced credential for Christopher James Architecture, including Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists. Each is attributed to the body that issued it in the credentials section. For example, Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists is the Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists (CIAT): the professional body for architectural technologists, who design and manage building projects.

Has Christopher James Architecture won any awards?

Christopher James Architecture holds 1 independent award, including 5× Best of Houzz winner (2026, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021). These are third-party awards: recognition that has to be won, not self-issued.

What does Christopher James Architecture specialise in?

Christopher James Architecture lists specialist services including Accessible Design, Architectural Design, Architectural Drawings, Basement Design, Building Conservation, Building Design. If your job is one of these, look for it in their listed services or ask them to confirm for your project.

When was Christopher James Architecture's website registered?

Christopher James Architecture's website has been online since 2015, according to the public domain registry. This dates the website, not necessarily when the business began trading.

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