Distinctive Design + Build + Remodel

What Distinctive Design + Build + Remodel does

Distinctive Design + Build + Remodel is a boutique design + build firm headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, founded in 1997 and co-owned by husband-and-wife principals Vince Busby (General Contractor) and Erin Dougherty (Principal Designer). The firm delivers integrated architectural design and construction services for affluent residential clients in the Greater Charlotte area, including Myers Park, Eastover, Dilworth, Cotswold, Southpark, and Lake Norman communities, with select projects extending to Lake Wylie and South Carolina. Core service lines include kitchen remodeling, bathroom remodeling, whole-house remodeling, outdoor living spaces, home additions, and ground-up custom home construction, with the same internal team managing design and construction from initial consultation through completion.

The firm's underlying methodology is an integrated design + build process — consultation, design development, and construction executed under one unified team — supported by high-performance building standards focused on energy efficiency, non-toxic materials, advanced ventilation/filtration, and structural expertise in complex and historic projects. Leadership credentials are unusually concentrated for a 1–10 person firm: Vince Busby holds NARI Master Certified Remodeler (MCR) and Certified Remodeling Project Manager (CRPM) designations, while Erin Dougherty holds Certified Kitchen & Bath Remodeler (CKBR), Certified Remodeling Designer (CRD), and True Colour Expert certifications, and helped develop the CRD certification itself. The firm holds an NC General Contractor's license, an SC residential builder's license, and lead-safe certification (RRP2183).

The business model is professional services, with one-time project revenue tied to scope. Pricing varies by project size, with down payments of 25–35% for larger projects and 50% for smaller jobs, balance drawn against construction milestones such as foundation completion, rough-in, and cabinetry delivery. Go-to-market is consultative field sales complemented by organic channels (SEO, blog, social media), gated cost-guide lead capture, complimentary virtual consultations, and a strong referral network drawing from past clients, structural engineers, and architects. No external funding, parent company, or institutional investors are indicated.

Name

Distinctive Design + Build + Remodel

Legal name

Distinctive Design + Build + Remodel

Website

https://distinctivedesignbuild.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Distinctive Design + Build + Remodel is a Charlotte, NC boutique design + build firm founded in 1997 by Vince Busby and Erin Dougherty, delivering integrated kitchen, bath, whole-house, outdoor, and custom home construction services for affluent residential clients in the Greater Charlotte region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Residential Home Remodeling and Custom Home Building

NAICS

Residential Remodelers (236118), Residential Building Construction (23611), Interior Design Services (541410)

SIC

General Bldg Contractors - Residential Bldgs (1520)

akta.pro primary industry

Residential Design-Build & Renovation-Integrated Builders (IMAFABAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Custom Home Building (IMAFABAC), Architectural Reconfiguration & Structural Alterations (HSAPAEAB), Full Kitchen Remodel (Layout Reconfiguration) (HSAPAAAA), Structural Expansion (Foundation, Framing & Load-Bearing Modifications) (HSAPADAN)

Keywords

• Residential home remodeling
• Design build services
• Kitchen remodeling
• Bathroom remodeling
• Custom home building

Headquarters

HQ city

Charlotte

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Home Remodeling Services: One-time professional services revenue from home remodeling projects including kitchen remodels, bathroom remodels, whole-house remodels, outdoor living spaces, and home additions. Pricing based on project scope with typical down payments of 25-35% for larger projects and 50% for smaller jobs.
2. Custom Home Building: Ground-up custom home construction services for clients building in the Greater Charlotte, NC area. Includes site evaluation, schematic design, value engineering, construction documents, and certified project management from start to finish.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Distinctive Design + Build + Remodel is a boutique design + build firm that delivers residential remodeling and custom home construction services in the Greater Charlotte, NC area. A single in-house team manages both architectural design and construction from initial consultation through completion, applying building-science-based standards that emphasize energy efficiency, durability, healthy indoor environments, and reduced environmental impact.

Product overview

Distinctive Design + Build + Remodel is a full-service design + build firm offering a unified suite of home remodeling and custom home building services in the Charlotte, NC area. Their core offerings include kitchen remodeling, bathroom remodeling, whole house remodeling, outdoor living spaces (porches, patios, decks), home additions, and custom home building. The company operates on a design + build model where the same team handles both design and construction phases, providing integrated project management from consultation through construction completion.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Kitchen Remodeling Design and renovation of kitchens into elegant, functional spaces for Charlotte-area homeowners, covering styles from modern minimalism to traditional southern charm and including award-winning project work.
• Bathroom Remodeling Design and renovation of bathrooms into personalized retreats for homeowners, blending utility and aesthetics with features such as barrier-free showers, free-standing tubs, and heated floors.
• Whole House Remodeling Comprehensive whole-home renovation services for homeowners who love their location but want updated finishes, improved layouts, and enhanced comfort, air quality, and sustainability.
• Outdoor Living Spaces Design and construction of outdoor living spaces including screened porches, sunrooms, patios, decks, outdoor kitchens, pergolas, and water features that extend home comfort outdoors.
• Home Additions Home addition services including master suite additions, second-story additions, sunroom additions, and conversions of attics, basements, or garages into living space.
• Custom Home Building Full-service custom home design and construction for clients building in the Greater Charlotte, NC area, including site evaluation, schematic design, value engineering, construction documents, and certified project management from start to finish, with high-performance building standards.

Quantifiable outcome

• Projects completed ahead of schedule (e.g., Susan Watson's kitchen and bathroom remodel finished early)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Leading Architectural Firms in Charlotte, NCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDistinctive Design + Build partners with leading architectural firms in the Charlotte, NC area for projects requiring architectural expertise. They maintain long-standing relationships with some of Charlotte's best structural engineers and architects who refer clients to them for their expertise in complex remodeling and custom home projects.
• Structural EngineerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing relationships with structural engineers who refer clients to Distinctive Design + Build for their expertise in challenging projects requiring significant structural engineering. One referred structural engineer (Chad Ritter of Intelligent Design Engineering) publicly endorses Vince Busby and the company.
• Cabinetry and Millwork DesignersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOutsources cabinetry design and specialty millwork design to trusted professionals as part of their collaborative approach to design + build services.
• Skilled Trade Partners and VendorscoreOthersVince Busby has built enduring relationships with trade partners dedicated to helping create homes that are beautifully designed and built to last. The company has an incredible team of trade partners and vendors who consistently meet their high expectations for quality craftsmanship.
• Community CrossingminorOthersMission organization in Welch, WV dedicated to making a difference for fragile families in McDowell County. Distinctive Design + Build partners with Community Crossing for volunteer trips to repair homes for people living in poverty, including roofing, plumbing, and structural repairs.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Level Crafted Homes: Charlotte-area custom home builder and remodeler serving high-end clients in Myers Park and surrounding neighborhoods — directly comparable on product mix (custom homes + luxury remodels) and Charlotte footprint.
• Renewal Design-Build: Boutique design-build remodeler focused on whole-home renovations with integrated design and construction teams — comparable on operating philosophy and complex-residential project focus.
• Lamont Design Build: Boutique design-build remodeling firm focused on integrated design + construction for residential projects — comparable operating model and mid-market scale, serving affluent homeowners with complex remodel needs.
• Frankel Design Build: Houston-based boutique design-build firm focused on luxury home remodeling and additions with an integrated design + construction team — directly comparable on operating model, scale (small firm), and affluent client positioning.
• AR Design Build: Charlotte-based residential design-build firm offering integrated design and remodeling services to homeowners in the Greater Charlotte market — same boutique integrated model, same geography, similar affluent homeowner target.
• Orren Pickell Design Builders: Chicago-area luxury design-build firm delivering architect-led custom homes and major remodels — comparable on integrated design+build model and premium positioning, though operating in a different metro.

Broad incumbents

• Toll Brothers: National luxury homebuilder with a deep move-up and luxury custom home product line and active presence in Charlotte — broad incumbent competing for the same affluent custom-home buyer, but at vastly greater scale and without the boutique design-build positioning.
• Maracay Homes: Regional luxury production homebuilder with design-center customization — broad incumbent that competes for higher-end custom-home demand in select Sun Belt markets; serves as a scale comparison rather than a true boutique competitor.

Regional players

• Rufty Homes: Raleigh/Cary luxury custom home builder with design + build integration — comparable on custom home product and Carolinas affluent customer base, though primarily Raleigh rather than Charlotte.
• Landmark Builders of Raleigh: Raleigh-area luxury custom home builder serving affluent Carolinas clients — comparable product (custom homes + major remodels) in an adjacent Carolina market that competes for similar design-conscious buyers.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCQOm2eCp9yDCtsI9KP_JLBw/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/DistinctiveDesignBuild
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/distinctive-design-build-remodel
• Instagraminstagram.com/distinctivedesignbuild

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Distinctive Design + Build + Remodel