Are you considering hiring or working for Place Designers in Round Rock, TX or Houston, TX? If so, you've landed in the right place. First and foremost, you want to know who is behind Place Designers Inc. You want to look into the reviews for Place Designers Founder and Principal Architect, David Rothenberg. This is my personal experience and review with the Owner.
Place Designers, Inc. is an architectural and engineering firm located in Round Rock, Texas. They also have an office in Houston, Texas. We hired the the Owner & Principal Architect of Place Designers (David Rothenberg) to build our home and design a detached garage. After two years, we were left with a half-finished home riddled with over 40 construction defects.
UPDATE: David Rothenberg Sued for Alleged Construction Fraud Scheme Lawsuit Here.
UPDATE: After this website went public, Place Designers scrubs their website of David Rothenberg's name. See the Before & After
UPDATE: Rothenberg Allegedly Made Legally Blind Couple Pay Extra & Failed to Pay His Suppliers. Read Angela's Review Here.
BREAKING UPDATE: David Rothenberg's brother, Michael Rothenberg, is convicted of fraud, ordered to pay over $31 million and faces up to 60 years in prison. Read Coverage Here.
David Rothenberg is a Founder and Director of Place Designers, Inc. David's brother-in-law, Corey Maxon, was hired to serve as CEO of Place Designers. Philip Wanke is also a Principal. Mr. Maxon and Mr. Wanke have not been accused of any wrongdoing. In addition to Place Designers, David Rothenberg has created at least 16 other entities to serve his purposes. One entity formed by David Rothenberg was Flint Arrow LLC. David Rothenberg was hired to build our home and design a garage. We receieved a house of horrors. David Rothenberg left a trail of defective work and a half complete home. We have walls that shake, weak non-spec foundations, and cracking walls. A lawsuit has been filed against David Rothenberg alleging breach of contract, fraud and more. If convicted, David Rothenberg will not be the first family member convicted of fraud. See brother Michael's Coverage of Fraud Conviction We have found complaints and reviews that allege David Rothenberg has done this to other families including a blind couple in Georgetown. If we don't don't stop David Rothenberg, he will likely continue to take advantage of others. This review and the lawsuit are the first step in our journey.
Where did David Rothenberg and all of the other employees go?
We hired this company to design our remodel and create a carport for us. We were very happy with the house plans, but the carport turned out to be a disaster. The architect did not do his best work. He did not use a correct survey and created a carport that would only cover part of a car! The company was slow to respond and we ended up going to another firm. Save your time and money, go somewhere else.
Philip Wanke - Principal - According to their website, Wanke serves as Principal In-Charge for the planning and landscape architecture projects. It is said that his role is to work with the stakeholders in the study, planning, and design phases. The website represents that he has an active role in design development plans and strategies and is responsible for on time and in budget projects. Mr. Wanke has not been accused of any wrongdoing.
Corey Maxon - CEO - Maxon is David Rothenberg's brother-in-law and according to their website, he took the position as CEO of Place Designers, Inc. in 2020. According to his Linked In profile, Corey was previously a Graphic Designer, HVAC Service Tech, Support Specialist for Texas Education Agency and a Client Support Specialist at Ristken Software Services. Mr. Maxon has not been accused of any wrongdoing.
David Rothenberg contracted to build and then failed to complete the home after two years, leaving a grossly defective house of horrors. David Rothenberg designed, provided plans and constructed a detached garage. One of the garage walls wobbles back and forth when you push on it with your hand. The homes foundation was poured at less than half the thickness the plans called for in many places. This has resulted in severely cracking sheet rock. The home currenty sits incomplete after two and a half years with liens from subs that David Rothenberg failed to pay.
Our Contract specified that Contractor would invoice Owner for expenses incurred. However, David Rothenberg would draw hundreds of thousands more money from the bank than expenses incurred. This was money that David Rothenberg had not earned and was not entitled to.
Because David Rothenberg (Architect, Place Designers) didn't provide Draw Requests or Disbursement Statements the us for 1.5 years, we didn't know that David Rothenberg drew over $200,000 more than expenses incurred. After we received the first subcontractor lien on our home for unpaid work, we asked Rothenberg all the Disbursement Statements he was legally required to provide under the Texas Property Code. His response was “I will leave that portion between you and the bank”.
To make matters worse, David Rothenberg has the money for major items but didn't pay for many of those items. Now there is not enough money remaining on the loan to fix the defects and complete the home. There are currently mechanic's liens on the home and Rothenberg refused to get them removed.
We suspected that David Rothenberg had done this to other people through his numerous companies. We also spoke to several attorneys and one Austin attorney knew who David Rothenberg was because he had a case against him. We began to research the many names that David Rothenberg has operated under and we found numerous online reviews and complaints which had parallels to our experience.
The quality of work that was performed by David Rothenberg could not be worse. It is difficult to find a single part of the home that was completed in a good and workmanlike manner. David Rothenberg hired unqualified subcontractors with the apparent motivation of lowering costs and increasing his own profit. We hired a third-party inspector to inspect the home after framing. We received a 20 page report on the deficiencies. The independent report indicated that David Rothenberg didn’t even install the windows properly and failed to flash the windows. Instead of making it right, David charged us to remove all the windows, properly flash each one and then reinstall. The report also indicated the rear patio was sagging. Again, David charged us to fix his issue, but even after the attempted repair, we can still see sagging.
What's it like to work at Place Designers? We found reviews and complaints posted online for Place Designers Inc. that sounds a lot like our personal experience with David Rothenberg. The reviewer alleges that the Owers of Place Designers Inc. have made a reputation thorugh out Central Texas of not paying their consultants, former employees and contract workers. The previous employee advises management that their business practices are borderline criminal.
On the Place Designers Website, David lists his experience as the following projects:
David Rothenberg has also done business in the past as Rothenberg Homes and is listed as Director and Principal for Place Designers in Round Rock.
While we don't have specific data on current salaries, based on general trends and averages for similar positions in the architectural and design industry, here are rough estimates:
Entry-Level Positions: For someone just starting out or in a junior role, salaries might range from $40,000 to $60,000 annually, depending on the specific role and qualifications.
Mid-Level Professionals: Individuals with several years of experience or specialized skills could expect salaries in the range of $60,000 to $80,000.
Senior Roles or Specialists: For those in senior positions or with highly specialized skills, salaries could be higher, potentially ranging from $80,000 to $100,000 or more.
Remember, these figures are rough estimates and can vary based on the specific nature of the job, the employee's background, and the overall compensation structure of the company. Additionally, since this is based on past data and general industry trends, the actual salaries at Place Designers could be different. For the most accurate and current information, checking with the company directly or consulting recent job postings and salary surveys would be advisable.
While we don't have specific current data for current jobs and careers at Place Designers, here's an overview of typical job roles that may be found at similar firms:
Urban Planner/Designer: Responsible for developing plans and programs for land use in urban areas. They often work on zoning, land development, and environmental impact studies.
Architect: Focuses on designing new buildings and spaces or renovating existing ones. They ensure that designs are functional, aesthetically pleasing, and sustainable.
Landscape Architect: Specializes in outdoor spaces, designing parks, gardens, playgrounds, green spaces, and other outdoor areas.
Civil Engineer: Works on the infrastructure aspects of projects, such as roads, bridges, and utility systems. They ensure that the structural elements of designs are safe and efficient.
CAD Technician/Drafter: Uses computer-aided design (CAD) software to create detailed drawings and plans based on the concepts provided by architects or engineers.
Project Manager: Oversees projects from conception through completion, ensuring they stay on schedule and within budget. They coordinate between various stakeholders and team members.
Environmental Planner: Focuses on assessing the environmental impact of urban development projects and ensuring compliance with environmental regulations.
Surveyor: Conducts land surveys to establish property boundaries and prepares sites for construction based on legal and design requirements.
Administrative and Support Roles: Including positions like office manager, administrative assistant, and human resources personnel, who support the day-to-day operations of the firm.
Marketing and Business Development: Responsible for promoting the firm's services, developing business strategies, and managing client relationships.
Place Designers is located in Round Rock, Texas and Houston, Texas.
Round Rock, TX (512) 282 8912
Houston, TX (281) 849 6453
David Rothenberg is a founder and Principal Architect of Place Designers. He was accused of fraud in a lawsuit seeking to recover over $1,000,000.
David Rothenberg is a Registered Architect - #20325
Yes, the Board makes rules consistent with teh laws and constitution of Texas.
No, selecting David Rothenberg as a home builder is the worst decision we've ever made. The decisions has resulted in the loss of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Yes the lawuist is posted here: Link to Lawsuit
Yes...in a separate Federal criminal case, David Rothenberg's brother, Mike Rothenberg, was convicted on 21 counts, including bank fraud, false statements, four counts of money laundering and 15 counts of wire fraud and is facing up to 60 years in prison.Read About Conviction
Corey Maxon has served as CEO of Place Designers Inc. since 2020. Corey Maxon is also the brother-in-law to David Rothenberg and Michael Rothenberg. Michael Rothenberg was recently convicted of fraud and is facing 60 years in prison. David Rothenberg has been sued for alleged According to their corporate website, he focuses on aquiring talented and experienced engineers and architects. Previously, he was reported to be a graphic artist and HVAC technician. There are no reported architecture or landscaping licenses held. Corey Maxon has not been accused of any wrongdoing.
Philip Wanke is reported to be the Principal In-Charge for planning and lanscape architecture projects at Place Designs. He is said to have an active role in design development plants and strategies. The website reports that he is a registered Landscape Architect with license number of #1775. Philip Wanke has not been accused of any wrongdoing.
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UPDATE: Rothenberg Allegedly Made Legally Blind Couple Pay Extra & Failed to Pay His Suppliers. Read Angela's Review Here.
