“It has been an absolute pleasure working with you. From the delivery of the first request for information to the finished project, you have been fantastic. It was a long and winding road to find you, but we're sure glad we did!"
“In 2014 Heath designed our home in Madison and we were thrilled with the outcome. Fast forward to 2024 and he added a 4-Season Room addition design for this home. Once again, we couldn't be happier. Even if the lead time to have your plans drawn by MSM Design is a little longer than you may like, trust me, it will be worth the wait!"
“I remember when my parents built their house 20+ years ago and how extremely stressed they were about the process. The designer would come to the house a couple times per week and it seemed like he never got it right. Then, once the house was built, there were so many things my parents wished they would have done differently because they didn't "see it that way on the plans." So when my husband and I decided we were going to build our dream home, my parents experience immediately came to mind and I dreaded getting started... but the stress and anxiety never came! From the very beginning, MSM Design made the process incredibly simple. We started with a question and answer session to see where our tastes fell. Heath was able to incorporate the outdoors/cabin design my husband liked with the modern/open concept design I gravitated towards and we now have a beautiful home. Oh, and the 3D design! If you're questioning if you should have it done, stop. Let Heath do that for you! Every time I walk in the house I anticipate feeling like my parents did, wishing that they had done something different, and never, not once, have I had that feeling. I contribute that to the fact that Heath did the 3D design and we were able to see the house before we ever started building. Heath is a one of a kind designer, the best in his field. If you haven't hired him yet, what are you waiting for!?"
“The building is amazing and it's exactly what I feel like my dad would have wanted, and now we can come and see him whenever we want!!"
"When we first contacted Heath to help with our veteran’s project, he eagerly jumped right in and began converting ideas into real plans. After about two years of plan drawings and revisions, we had to change the project’s location. Heath never batted an eye, and essentially started over with new plans and renderings. It was amazing to sit with him at his computer and watch him create exactly what we needed. Working with us had to be a challenging because there were several different ideas from many committee members, but Heath sorted through all of them and presented a plan for a granite wall and approach that will become the centerpiece for the Adams County Courtyard, forever honoring and memorializing all Veterans of Adams County. As our project finally nears reality, we thank Heath and his team for the many hours that were contributed to this project.”
“I was thrilled when Heath approved my choice of “keeping-it-simple” by downsizing to a sturdy modular home! With just a few creative tweaks, he added character, versatility, and necessary space to a near perfect floor plan that was then ordered and built according to his revisions. By adding just two feet to the laundry room I gained an enviable entry-way with extra cabinets, a sink and multi-purpose countertop over an essential area for dog supplies, kennel and clothes baskets! His revamped stair detail added safer and wider treads to the basement. Cubbies utilizing wasted space over that stairway and added character and depth to the living room and middle bedroom. Increased header heights raised all the windows, and a covered stoop with a vault tied into the factory dormer above the front entrance, adding practicality and class to the outside appearance and canning space and a storm room in my basement. I love my new, much smaller home with Heath’s imaginative touches that complement my needs and personality!”
"Heath’s knowledge of the construction process and insight into design ideas were so helpful in getting us into our dream home. We gave him a bunch of things we liked from other homes and discussed our desires in our first sit-down meeting and he offered suggestions and tweaked our wants to make things as efficient as possible with minimal wasted space. He knocked the design out of the park, and we speak very highly and recommend him to anyone who is building!"
“We cannot tell you how exciting this is for us and how much we appreciate the attention to detail you gave this! It’s seriously like a framing masterpiece. I think we tend to appreciate the process and the bones more than your average homeowners, so we think about you every time we’re out just looking at things. It’s an incredibly solid feeling house and we know that’s due to the plans being done right. Everything flows perfectly and feels so thoughtfully designed. It’s so cool, almost every window has some sort of unique view/scenery. I really had no concept of how much time went into building a full custom home when we started this, and that all starts with the right plans. Absolutely everything throughout this process has come back to the plans, and I had no idea how crucial your plans were in making the house work physically. Now, seeing it put together, I don’t believe it would have worked had someone without your framing background drawn them up. Your construction background is such a crucial element to the whole process! If we ever build another house, you’ll be the first number we call. So many homes just get thrown up without thought, but certainly none of those are yours!! "
“Heath did a fantastic job, we couldn't love our house any more! While we had a vision when we came to Heath, he definitely added a lot of small touches that we never would've thought of, but are sure glad he did! We still remark how well designed the house is and can't think of a single thing we'd have done differently."
"Heath did a great job for us!"
“We had the pleasure of working with Heath at MSM Design on our kitchen remodel. He traveled to our location to meet with us two times, and while we had a few kitchen ideas in mind, Heath had better visions. He blew us out of the water with the design options, the 3D designs, and the 3D video he created. The talent and knowledge he has is incredible. MSM Design as a whole was great at communicating, very knowledgeable, and time-efficient. They will answer any and all questions throughout the process, and we never felt out of contact. We are extremely happy with our kitchen outcome and thankful we had the help of Heath and his assistant Amanda to make this possible! Without Heath, Amanda and the MSM Design team this kitchen would not have been possible. We will definitely be using them again, and also recommending them to anyone we can who is looking for home design services.”
"We had begun our design process with a local draftsman, but had reached a point in the development of our plan where we were stuck. We understood the draftsman was doing what he could to translate our ideas onto paper, but the plan lacked style and we were unable to articulate what needed to be changed to meet our expectations. We had originally met Heath at a Home Show in Madison, and it was a huge relief to learn of his willingness to work with our current draftsman and building contractors. At the initial design meeting with Heath, we shared all of our ideas, saved images, and current plans. Heath used an extensive questionnaire and also took the time to truly understand the way we live and how we needed our house to function. Additionally, he was able to suggest design elements and solutions that beautifully enhanced the plans that we had presented to him. When our Starter Plan Set was complete, we were thrilled with the results! The house plan was aesthetically pleasing and designed in a way that perfectly matched our lifestyle and location. We had more than one of our contractors comment that the MSM Design Starter Plans were the most comprehensive they had ever seen. We highly recommend MSM Design!"
“I have had the pleasure of working with Heath Follen and MSM Design on numerous occasions. During which time, they have provided Michael F. Simon Builders with excellent support in the drafting and design field. Our company strives to set ourselves apart from all other custom construction companies and we feel Heath and his Team has helped us make that possible. Whenever our in-house design team gets backed up to the point of needing additional assistance, I do not hesitate to reach out to Heath, knowing he will provide drawings that meet the high level of detail and professionalism that we hold ourselves to. He and his Teams work has been exceptional, always detailed and complete and of the highest quality. They are prompt, courteous and hardworking. They are not afraid to go the extra mile if they are asked. I can and do confidently recommend Heath Follen and MSM Design as a solid and reliable supplier, and an expert in their field.”
“I told Heath what I was thinking and he was able to draw up plans that were exactly what I envisioned. I was able to get solid estimates faster than I could have ever guessed, the project went great, and I honestly could not have been happier with both the MSM services or prices. Heath exceeded my expectations and I am thankful for the great work!"
“Working with MSM Design was super easy and convenient. Being able to communicate via email helped the process go faster and I had a 3D picture created by MSM along with each tweak to help me decide where to go from there. When we came to MSM with an already finished set of house plans, I thought they looked nice even though the exterior wasn’t really the look I was going for and I wasn’t able to put it together until I saw it via 3D. After getting colors on the 3D rendering and changing some stone, siding and windows, it now looks exactly the way I imagined it. Doing a 3D render of the house has been the best decision we have made so far in the planning process, because it takes the guessing out of how all of the colors and textures will go together! I have sent our rendering to all of my friends that are building in the near future and they are in awe! It looks really great! It was a lot of fun working with Heath at MSM and now I absolutely love the plan!”
“I had a couple come to me looking to build a custom home and I knew that my customers were looking for some direction on planning and design. I gave them my standard lecture on how planning was one of - if not thee - most important parts of the construction process. My advice to them was to take their time. The more time and thought you put into the planning process, the happier you will be with the results. They had some ideas of what they wanted, but couldn't pull it all together into a cohesive plan that worked for their needs and budget. I told them not to mess around and to take their ideas to a professional. Heath at MSM Design did a fantastic job meeting their needs and designing them a first rate set of plans. I have been building homes since 1996 and this is - hands down - one of the best set of plans I have ever worked from. I especially liked the page with the corner-to-corner squaring dimensions. Talk about a time saver. Now my framers will spend more time building and less time trying to convert dimensions using the calculator and trying to remember the Pythagorean theorem.”
“We’ve partnered with Heath Follen and MSM Design Group on a wide variety of projects and continue to be impressed by their consistently quick turnaround times, high-quality drawings, innovative design ideas and excellent communication throughout each project. Prior to this partnership we had worked with several residential designers, but were often frustrated with the poor quality and slow pace of their work – not to mention the general lack of communication we would experience. We transferred to Heath Follen and MSM Design Group after hearing positive comments from multiple sources, and would not hesitate to recommend them for any type of design project.”
“Heath was super-easy to work with, listened, and did not force any of his own opinions on us unless we asked. Working with MSM Design was very easy, and Heath is very knowledgeable!”
"I worked with Scott from MSM Design on a remodel design for a project of mine in downtown Madison. He was great, was very personable, and showed a willingness to help in whatever capacity was necessary."
“After I inquired with Madison Area Builders Association, Heath from MSM Design stopped by to address some load-bearing questions I had on my remodel project. He was great and answered all my questions and more. He addressed my current situation at no charge and with class that I have not experienced with some recent work around my house. Heath is pure class and a great guy. A big thanks to Heath and MABA for taking the time to help the little guy with a little question. It meant a lot!”
“Working with Heath at MSM Design is extremely easy and enjoyable. He delivers what the customer is looking for time and time again. His 3D renderings truly help our customers to visualize what they are getting with their end product, and as a contractor it really helps us to explain the project in greater detail because we are not just showing customers standard blueprints. Heath is spot-on with his ideas and I would recommend him to anyone. Heath helps make projects go smoothly from start to finish with his willingness to always listen to the customer.”
“My wife, Sarah, and I worked with Heath Follen at MSM Design on the design of our custom home earlier this year. We were anxious to meet with Heath, and unfortunately the only time we could was on a Sunday. Although I’m sure it’s not customary to meet with clients on a Sunday, he made the exception for us and was happy to do so. Overall, Heath was very helpful with guiding us through the design of the home and had many great suggestions for us along the way. We’d highly recommend MSM Design and especially Heath to anyone looking to design their custom/dream home.”
“Heath at MSM Design was awesome to work with. We had a good idea of what we wanted for room types and sizes, but didn't have any idea of how to fit it all together in a house plan that really worked. He took those ideas and made them into an amazing home design. He listened closely to our ideas and then worked hard to incorporate them into the plan. His design experience was evident, as he often had a better way to adjust the plan to give us exactly what we wanted. As the plan came together, we were also able to sit down with him and make real-time adjustments and when the plan was completed we were also able to do a 3D walk-through to ensure the house looked and flowed the way we wanted. Heath and his team also design homes to be builder friendly and cheaper to construct. In fact, both builders commented on how well the plan was drawn during the bid process. If we ever build another house, I would definitely ask MSM to draw it!!”
"My husband and I had a great experience drawing up our plans for our dream home. With our house selling so quickly, we didn't have the expansive timeframe I was planning on to work on our plans. Heath at MSM Design was great about making our project a priority and made several changes in a quick timeframe. Heath had great ideas for us to incorporate into our plans that made our house more functional. I would definitely use him again and refer friends and family!”
"Heath does great work, and we have trusted him with our building plans for over 5 years. His drawings are clear, conscientious and thorough. We do not hesitate to refer MSM Design and their services.”
“Heath at MSM Design has consistently given us highly creative plans that set us apart from other builders. In a market that gets more competitive every day it is nice to have an edge like that.”
“I was very happy with the work that Heath at MSM Design did for us. He listened closely to our directions and applied them to the 3D perspectives that we had him draw. We will use him again.”
" My husband and I will be building for the first time and we wanted to work with someone who was willing to take the time to understand our needs. We interviewed three designers and found Heath Follen of MSM Design Group to be the only one who was sincerely interested in learning how we live and what our priorities are for our new home. We're doing the design in stages since our timeline for building is long, and after each stage Heath has gladly met with us to review the plans. Others we talked to were only willing to send the plans via email, which was not exactly personalized service. Heath's background in the building trade has also made him a valuable resource for us as we educate ourselves about the process. We highly recommend Heath and MSM Design Group for any and all of your design needs! "
"Please allow me to tell you about one of the best decisions I ever made for my business. I recently managed a local health club, Fitness For Success, in Waunakee at a smaller location and the opportunity for me to take on sole ownership of the facility came about. I decided to jump at this opportunity since I had great relationships with the clientele and didn't feel that any other new owner would understand what the members deserved. I decided to build out a new facility in a new location, and like any other business owner I knew that moving your business that has a large client base can be a 'make-it' or 'break-it' decision. I racked my brain for weeks thinking of the best way to help my members make a smooth transition, and that is when one of my members - Heath Follen - approached me with a multitude of fresh ideas. He suggested that we create 3-D pictures and a 3-D virtual tour of what the new facility would look like, and then post it at the current location along with a monitor that would loop a streaming video for all of the members to see. He also agreed to assist in measuring the existing equipment so that he could scale it and then sit with me to place it on the blueprints exactly how I envisioned it would be arranged to help with both planning and the move itself. It all turned out to be a great decision because Heath's work was precise, thorough, and brought my member's new facility to life right before their eyes. His work sparked excitement and created momentum for the relocation process. His generated photos were exactly the way the real thing ended up, they helped me put together the layout, the look, and eased all of my worries about how it was going to look. With this one decision to work with Heath and MSM Design Group I kept current members and even created more business by adding new ones who happened to see the video. Whether it is for your business, a move, a new home, or even a new addition I highly recommend making the decision I did. It will be a great one!"
"I had a difficult time finding someone who was interested in drawing up plan's for us for our lower level finish. Heath Follen of MSM Design Group not only was willing to do it at a very reasonable cost, but he was willing to travel over 50 miles to our home at no cost just to see the lower level. I made numerous changes and it was all handled so well. He was quick to respond to both phone call's and e-mails in a very timely manner. We were required to have our blueprints approved by the Village in order to get a building permit and MSM's plans passed with flying colors. Heath was a pleasure to work with and I have already referred him to a few friends for their upcoming projects."
"I have been in the building industry since 1981 and have literally seen thousands of house plans drawn by hundreds of designers come across my desk and know it as fact that talented home designers are extremely hard to come by. When we lost our in-house designer due to his untimely passing, we set out to find someone in hopes they could come close to matching the quality and thoroughness we had come to appreciate and expect. We are very particular and needed someone who would listen, be respectful of what our wishes were, and would then adopt a style that would dovetail with our previous designer's. After recommendations from several business associates, we began using Heath Follen and MSM Design Group. We were immediately impressed with his open-minded attitude and willingness to listen and adapt to our needs, so much so that our subcontractors believed the first few jobs he did for us were by the previous designer! Heath Follen consistently asks the right questions, actually listens to the answers, and then applies the knowledge to the drawings. I couldn't be happier !! "
" Heath Follen was great to work with . . . .a true professional. He listened to us and then used his technical expertise to make our visions come alive on paper. Once he understood our goals, he made a number of helpful suggestions that we incorporated into the final design. Throughout the entire process, he was incredibly responsive, exceeded his commitments, and was fair in his billing. We wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Heath and MSM Design Group to anyone!!"
" This is the third house that I have general contracted. Not only have I found MSM Design Group to be responsive to my ideas, they have taken the plans to a whole new level. Heath Follen has been easy to work with and has had quick turnaround times. I am excited to see the ideas executed into dream homes thanks to MSM Design Group! "
"It is with great pleasure that I write a testimonial for MSM Design Group. As a general contractor of custom homes I have worked with many qualified architects and find my experience with MSM Design to be one of the best. From the initial first design meeting to the finished set of plans, they are able to listen and follow through with client requests. They have the ability to take client idea’s and their expertise and transform them into a client's dream home. Last minute changes are never a problem. MSM’s communication throughout the project construction was impeccable."
"After a recommendation from a friend, my wife and I contacted MSM Design Group to help us with a plan for our unfinished basement. They were able to incorporate a theatre room, bar area, workout area, children’s play area, and a bathroom in very limited space, while still maximizing the rooms for feel and function. The turnaround time was excellent, the plans were very detailed and 100% accurate, and we couldn’t be happier with the end result. MSM Design Group will be the first team we call for our next building project. "
"I contacted Heath Follen of MSM Design Group through the 2008 MABA Home Products Show. I was looking for an experienced resource to help with the design for my basement remodel, but without dealing with the preconceived biases I had run into with several design/build companies. Heath turned my ideas into detailed drawings and also helped with some creative ideas for the space. MSM was a pleasure to work with, efficient and timely in getting back to me. Thanks Heath! "
" I have been working with Heath Follen for over 10 years and am always impressed with his ability to grasp new technology and weave it into his everyday business practice. He is constantly pushing the envelope of ‘what was’ and petitioning his comments toward ‘what could be’. I have every confidence that Heath and MSM Design Group possess the unique mix of technology skills and industry know-how to meet and exceed any customer’s expectations. ”
" We are presently working with, and highly recommend, Heath Follen & MSM Design Group. Our proposed addition will enhance our horizon and give us a greater view of our farm. The addition needs to be a part of the home - not stand out like an obvious "add-on". We hired MSM Design Group for this project and Heath has shown creativity, a very quick grasp of the essence of our hopes and goals, and a rapid response with renderings that bring life to the ideas. We've been exceedingly happy with the results so far. It's a pleasure to work with Heath who has kept in contact and given essential feedback and ideas. "
" My wife Deborah and I have contracted with Heath Follen from MSM Design Group to help design our home that we hope to build this summer. With Heath’s help we were able to put our thoughts into a plan that we feel will be just what we were looking for. Heath was exceptionally responsive to our requests and provided some much needed expertise to be able to put what we wanted into preliminary and final construction plans that our builder now has. Our builder has also commented on the quality of work that Heath did with our ideas and plans. I would strongly recommend Heath & MSM Design Group to anyone that is considering designing and building a new home. Heath has great ideas that can compliment your own and get everything onto a workable plan, exactly as he did for us. "
" We looked several places for talented, reliable, and timely help in designing our new addition. Our trail of disappointment ended in satisfaction at the door of MSM Design Group. Heath Follen and his team exceeded our expectations and provided us with a design that really worked for us. "
" MSM Design Group worked with us to design a horse barn. We had a pretty good idea of what we wanted and they listened carefully and asked questions as needed to clarify. We left the short meeting with them thinking that the first draft would probably be a long way from what we really wanted and would need to go through several revisions before we got a correct print. But we were amazed at how well the first set of prints matched what we were thinking. We had no revisions! We would recommend them without hesitation! ”
" In our very first experience with Heath Follen and MSM Design Group, we were treated like we were his number one customer. He took care of our needs on a professional level and continuously came up with great ideas. I've been in the construction business for 20+ years and I can honestly say that good service can make or break you, and MSM Design Group has that taken care of. ”
“ When my wife and I set out to build our dream home, we made a decision to select MSM Design Group based on their reputation and the availability of the owner’s involvement throughout the entire process. Heath Follen has been extremely good about listening to our ideas and providing both a creative and functional range of suggestions that have made the design process feel very collaborative. We have never built a house before and the process MSM Design Group took us through helped us to understand how to get started and feel comfortable about requesting changes. The nervousness I had in visualizing rooms and layouts was completely eliminated by the 3D aspect of MSM Design Group, as the 3D animations took away all guess work and told the story I needed to see. I would recommend MSM Design Group to anyone. The people and their passion for helping us with our dream home was real refreshing to see. ”
" When we wanted to build our first home, MSM Design Group was the first name our builder shared with us. We are so glad he did, because Heath Follen’s ideas and professionalism made the design process both fun and exciting. He was patient, very knowledgeable, and was able to work around our schedule to come up with the perfect drawing for us. Now all of our subcontractors are very happy with the drawings that Heath & MSM Design Group did because they are easy to read and have more than enough information to allow the job to run smoothly."
“ After many delays from our original choice nearly postponed our start date, we went to MSM Design Group to draft our new home plans. On short notice, they not only enabled the original start date to become a reality but also were very responsive to several of our proposed changes throughout the project. ”
" We were initially struck with a major challenge based on the type of house that we wanted. Adding to the dilemma was the fact that my wife was very particular on the way that she wanted the house to look. Heath Follen of MSM Design Group was able to take our brief ideas and turn them into a beautiful design that not only pleased my wife, but also continues to make me look like a genius to our guests. We needed plans quickly and Heath delivered them as promised and offered suggestions throughout the process that has allowed us to reap the benefits of those very ideas today. ”
“ Although I have only been working with Heath Follen and MSM Design Group for a short time, I will say that he has delivered on everything he said that he would. That is very important to me. I am also impressed with all of the options his company has to offer. I certainly plan on using them in the future. ”
" Flexible Precision! MSM Design Group kept me involved and informed every step of the way and was able to convert my vague thoughts into a precise set of plans. Thanks Heath (Follen) and MSM Design Group! "
" We are very happy to have worked with Heath Follen at MSM Design Group on our new home on the golf course. He was very helpful with the design process and changes we made along the way. The price was reasonable and the results were fantastic. We would like to send a big 'thank you' to Heath and his company for everything. "
" A true asset to building your first home is having someone who can take your million-and-one ideas and questions, sort through them all, and then create a quality finished project. Heath Follen of MSM Design Group did that and much more when he designed our home years ago and we continue to love the layout. Heath has a creative 'knack' that would definitely benefit any construction project. "
" When we were looking for a contemporary depiction of our church building to use in a variety of ways, we turned to Heath Follen who created a beautiful and faithful rendition of our facilities. We have been using Heath's artistry for years now, as an illustration on our official letterhead and mailing envelopes, our monthly newsletter, visitor cards and any other presentation in which we want to enhance our visibility and our community presence. I can highly recommend MSM Design Group for talent, quality, reliability, integrity and a fine product that will satisfy the client's requirements. "