Hughes Building & Design, Inc.

Craig designed our home in 2007. This was the first home we had ever built and he gave us great guidance. He not only listened to our ideas during the design phase; he was always available during the construction phase. Lynn and Craig were also great collaborators on the interior finishes. We love our home and would use Craig again if we built another.

Craig designed our house in West University over 20 years ago, and I still feel like it is our "new house". I had sketched out a plan of what we wanted to get the most on our small lot, and Craig was able to improve on my design until we got the perfect plan. Everyone who has been in the house over the years comments on its design and feeling of peace and welcome it radiates, and I attribute that to Craig. We were close personal friends with Craig before hiring him to do our house, and after the building experience, which often alienates builders and clients, we still remain the closest of friends. At the time, Craig was the architect/designer, not the builder, so I cannot comment personally on that aspect of his current practice. We are, however, going to use Craig to build us a farmhouse in the country, very soon!

In over 36 years of marriage, my wife and I have built three homes and remodeled two. In 1997, we took our concept for a dream home to Craig Hughes. He designed his plans to our specifications. He never rushed the process. Nor did he dismiss our input. His final architectural drawings and blueprints improved upon our wish list. During the construction phase, he was on site every day. He always listened and responded. He was open to the changes we made during construction and executed them with patience. He used subs who showed up when they were supposed to and did their jobs skillfully. We never had intervals of inactivity. The construction finished on time. He efficiently took care of and added to the punch list.We had ten wonderful years in that home, downsizing once our youngest was a senior in high school. We've kept in touch with Craig over the years. Were we ever to build again, we would chose him. He's a great guy.

Craig worked with us from conceiving the floor plan to contract with the builder. For us, the floor plan was the hardest step and we appreciated Craig’s patience. Once we decided upon a plan, Craig refined our ideas, offered advice on what might be practical, drew the elevations, and was quite creative in bringing in the details.

Background: HBDI provided architecture services for our Greenway Parks remodel in 2008/2009. In addition to drafting our plans, HBDI was integrally involved in the conceptualization of what could be done with the 80 year old home we purchased that had not been updated in 40 years. Seeing what was possible with the home truly took vision to see the great 'bones' that sat underneath a cosmetic exterior from the 1970s that only Mike and Carol Brady could be proud of. In addition to design work and creative consultation, HBDI utilized its construction experience to assist with contractor oversight as the project progressed. Experience: We simply could not have been more happy with both the outcome of our project and the experience we had working with Craig and Lynn in the process. They gave incredible attention to detail and brought great wisdom as to how homes are actually used. They were always immediately responsive to our needs, listened attentively to our goals and ultimately helped us figure out how to reach those goals as cost-and-time efficiently as possible. We would give them an unqualified and enthusiastic recommendation and would be happy to serve as a reference if you would like to discuss our experience in more detail. Outcome: We ultimately sold our home ~ 1 year after the remodel was completed for ~20% more than our cost basis, and amazingly did so in the depths of the Great Recession. I believe this financial outcome was entirely the result of the universally appealing home that was created as a result of HBDI's design.

Craig Hughes of Hughes Building and Design has served as the architect and project manager for our farmhouse project near Brenham, Texas. Framing has begun on a two building complex following a wonderfully collaborative effort where Craig exhaustively worked with us to define our goals for the house and the farm and then create an absolutely beautiful plan that continues to meet our highest expectations as we watch it become reality. Craig's attention to detail and hands-on approach to our project keeps us comfortable that he is paying attention to every phase. He suggested an experienced craftsman with whom Craig had worked previously to serve as the general contractor. Their collaboration is creating a genial camaraderie on site that makes it a joy every time we visit. Craig also has doggedly sought out creative solutions to architectural details, not just defaulting to the expected and easy while still keeping an eye on the budget constraints. He has been delighted to help us work through the interior design details as well, suggesting innovative yet functional ideas- color, flooring, window treatments, decorative lighting and furniture placement. We expect that his efforts will yield a unique house that we will enjoy for many years to come.