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Design Builders, Inc.'s profile photo

Design Builders, Inc.

Average rating: 4.2 out of 5 stars17 Reviews
Decks, Patios & Outdoor Enclosures

About Us

Design Builders, Inc. is a design-build firm based in Bethesda, Maryland. Since 2006, it has been helping homeowners and businesses throughout the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area transform their backyards into luxurious outdoor living spaces with custom decks, screen rooms, flagstone patios, and outdoor kitchens. Their diverse expertise also extends to interior remodeling, home additions, landscaping, and a variety of other services. Our goal is to empower homeowners with the knowledge and tools required to unleash their properties' true potential. As such, we invite you to explore our Houzz gallery as well as the wealth of eBooks and educational materials we make available for customers and non-customers alike. We know that transparency, efficiency, and convenience are key in developing happy consumers. Happy building!

Services Provided

Custom Retractable Screens, Deck Building, Deck Lighting Installation, Deck Repair, Outdoor Kitchen Construction, Outdoor Kitchen Design, Pool Deck Design & Construction, Porch Design & Construction, Rooftop Deck Installation, Sunroom Design & Construction, 3D Rendering, Bathroom Design, Bathroom Remodeling, Garage Building, Home Additions, Home Extensions, Home Remodeling, Kitchen Design, Kitchen Remodeling, Custom Cabinets, Remodeling, Outdoor Kitchens, Outdoor Heater Installation, Outdoor Kitchen Cabinetry Installation, Motorized Screen Installation

Areas Served

Adelphi, Arlington, Bethesda, College Park, DC (Washington), Fairfax, Gaithersburg, Glenmont, Great Falls, North Bethesda, North Potomac, Potomac, Seven Corners, Silver Spring, Takoma Park, Tysons Corner, Vienna, Washington, White Oak, Wolf Trap, Aspen Hill, Falls Church, Mclean, Rockville, Travilah, Wheaton, Chevy Chase, Germantown, North Kensington, South Kensington, Davidsonville, Annapolis, Mitchellville

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48 Projects

Fulton, MD

Modern Deck Design with Glass Handrails in Fulton

22 photos
Sterling, VA

Double Deck Addition with Hot Tub and Screen Room in Virginia

22 photos
Fulton, MD

Low-Maintenance Deck and Outdoor Entertainment Area in Fulton, MD

21 photos
Clifton, VA

Custom Outdoor Makeover in Virginia

35 photos
Vienna, VA

Design-Build Outdoor Pavilion in Vienna, VA

4 photos

Contemporary Motorized Screened Porch with Cable Railings

13 photos
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Credentials

6 Houzz Awards
Best of Houzz 2021
Best of Houzz 2020
Best of Houzz 2019
Best of Houzz 2017
Best of Houzz 2017
Best of Houzz 2014
4 Houzz Badges
Star Houzzer
Influencer
Recommended on Houzz
25,000 Ideabook Saves
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Write a Review

17 Reviews for Design Builders, Inc.

webuser_876106513
HU-876106513
Average rating: 1 out of 5 stars
Relationship
Client
We agree 100% with previous comments on quality of work. We completed a $125 thousand deck renovation project with DB that “looks” beautiful and is even prominently featured on their website but less than five years after completion the dryspace decking has totally collapsed, and will costs thousands more to repair/replace. We have contacted James and Cathy for almost a month and yet to have someone come see it. This has been our experience with the project overall, once you have signed and paid, completing the punch list and post fixes is a nightmare.
patricehill1
patricehill1
Average rating: 2 out of 5 stars
Relationship
Client
I had a bad experience similar to other low-raters. At first Design Builders seemed like a good firm to handle a big, complex deck rebuilding project. But after James initially estimated the project would be within our ballpark budget, he wrote a proposal that was nearly twice that much, and when I balked and asked him to explain, he hung up on me -- a very emotional move I've never seen from a professional businessman before. Moreover, during our $250 proposal review session, he allotted only one hour's time for discussing the essential parts of the complex project, and spent the first two-thirds of the time insisting on talking about extras that we didn't even want, especially in light of the inflated price he proposed for the basic project. He refused to discuss ways to try to bring the costs down. He later withdrew the $250 charge after cutting off our discussion, but it left a very bad taste and impression. Overall, we'd warn you away from James because he overcharges and acts unprofessionally toward potential customers.
v_bonham
V Bonham
Average rating: 1 out of 5 stars
Relationship
Client
Like others, we found that Design Builders was unreliable, and that James in particular did not stand behind his word. They made promises they did not keep, required thousands of dollars before they would even come look at the site or offer a realistic proposal and then they failed to deliver over and over again. They want to shoehorn you into using their online system for design which they sell as giving you more choices but in reality frees them from putting in real effort. Anything outside the box will cost you a lot more in money and time. Beware this company.
Design Builders, Inc.
Comment from Design Builders, Inc.:
We are upfront and clear about our system. Its all over our web site. E mails and phone calls are specifically tailored to explain our process as being different from others. You understood that agreed to it. Then you didn't. We have a 90% request for online meetings once we explain our process. We have a 50 % deal rate once we go thru that process. WE CLOSE HALF, using this process. We are currently building 3 projects in the same neighborhood, all from referrals from one client. All using our online design process. Most love our process as being efficient and time saving. And they LOVE the unique outdoor living spaces we create. Some dont like our system. And that's fine. We understand that. Thats why we go through great lengths to explain the process in the beginning. To save everyone time and energy. You understood that and agreed to it. Then you didn't. We were VERY upfront with you about our timeline. You agreed to that timeline. Then you didn't. We spent several hours on the phone with you or your husband, each of you telling us the exact opposite of each other. We are proud to say we are not an " in the box " company. Thats a compliment to us. We do not do cookie cutter. We are upfront with you about that. Most of our projects ARE outside the box, unique, and one visit to our web site will make that abundantly clear. We are not a 12 X 12 cookie cutter deck company. Most of our clients say " I am coming to you for something different and unique." Thats what we do. Different and unique. And there is a cost for wanting that. And it takes time to design and build different and unique. You wanted an outside the box project but a 12 X 12 deck price, and you thought it should take a week. There are plenty of companies out there building 12 X 12 cookie cutter projects that are cheap. More power to them. Thats not us. And we make that clear from the first meeting. We were not a fit. It happens. We wish you the best in your future endeavors.
stephanie_hampton20
Stephanie Hampton
Average rating: 2 out of 5 stars
Relationship
Client
The porch and deck Design Builders and James Moylan built was beautiful . However the 14 posts he built it on rotted through and need to be replaced. It was literally a gem built in a rotting foundation. He did not stand behind the work or consider replacing the posts - even at a fair price. His response : “ We are unable to perform this work for you.” We asked again and again if the posts were long lasting and installed in a manner that would hold up a $50K+ structure. Instead he told me that “sometimes the wrong product gets mixed in.” We ended up paying another contractor to do the work. Beware of working with this company - they do beautiful work but they don’t stand behind their product.
bill_b35
Bill B
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Relationship
Client
Design Builders provided excellent service and workmanship from start to finish. They built us a beautiful screen porch and deck under time and on budget. They did a good job explaining exactly what to expect and prevented any unwanted surprises. Every person on the team was highly professional, courteous, and competent. We strongly recommend them and would happily use them again. They were recommended to us by another couple who were also very happy with their work.
dalevins
dalevins
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Relationship
Client
James Moylan and his team at Design Builders, Inc., built a beautiful screen porch off the back of our house for us last year. James and his team were extremely responsive and professional. The design process was very interactive and James did an amazing job of finding a design that works really well for us. The build was exactly on budget and proceeded very swiftly. A year later, we still love this amazing addition to our house and use it all the time. I would strongly recommend James Moylan and his team to anybody for this or any other project.
webuser_162783
HU-162783
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Relationship
Client
From the initial consultation to the final completion Jamie and his team exceeded our expectations and delivered an amazing deck and pavilion. They worked with us to ensure we received what we wanted, which wasn't easy, and provided the expertise and advice to ensure our vision would actually look good!
webuser_276030
HU-276030
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Relationship
Client
Design Build did a great job with our screened-in porch. They were very professional, prepared plans to our specifications, and built it on time and on budget. They do high quality work.
webuser_119085
Rob D
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Relationship
Colleague
I've worked for and with Design Builders for over 6 years now and I can say with certainty that they are a solid company dedicated to providing the customer the latest in design techniques and materials as well as top notch service. The communication is excellent with both contractors and customers alike. If you are serious about the investments you put into your home, then don't look any further.
mjthomson64
mjthomson64
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Relationship
Client
We had wanted a screened porch for a number of years to combat the mosquito problem in our backyard. We are very pleased with the result. The porch has become the favorite room in our house during the warmer months. Now, in the winter, we are looking forward to sitting in the porch to read, have dinner and relax. Design Builders made the process straightforward. James used a computer program to show us drawings of what the porch would look like with various rooflines. That was very helpful. The men who built the porch were polite. They kept the worksite and our house clean. We love our porch and hope we never move, but if we do, we wouldn't hesitate to ask Design Builders to build us another screened porch.
mckewen
mckewen
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Relationship
Client
We very highly recommend Design Builders! We are thrilled with the results and love our new deck/screened-in porch. It is an exceptional addition to our home -- and everyone in our family is enjoying it -- even in the winter! (We added heaters in the ceiling, making our screened in porch a 3+ season porch.) Design Builders was absolutely wonderful to work with. They know what they are doing and are totally professional. James and his team have great ideas to make your project really special. James is very thoughtful and insightful -- and really listens to what you want. We were trying decide on the material to use for the decking and wanted something low maintenance that looked like real wood. James found a new product that was perfect -- absolutely perfect for us. Design Builder's workmanship is excellent. The team that worked on our home was very nice and worked hard even in the heat of the summer. All the tradesmen took a great deal of pride in their work -- the carpenters, painters, electricians -- you name it. Chris and Tom, the supervisors, took a lot of care to make sure this project got done right, too. Our punch list was completely taken care of, as well. Design Builders stand behind their work -- and you can trust them to do a superior job. One last comment, we got bids from 2 other builders and found Design Builders to be very reasonably priced.
melissamyerssoberanis
melissamyerssoberanis
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Relationship
Client
Both James and his Design Builders team were great to work with. James understood my vision for the porch, kitchen, window, and closet projects ( we had several mini projects rolled into the big porch project). They granted all of my last minute requests, and communicated well throughout the duration of the project. He met me at a local lumber and supplies vendor to assist with material selections including decking, doors, and windows. Throughout the project, periodic in-person check-ins were conducted by James and Chris, and they trod to keep us fairly close to our time line. Also, Saul the carpenter was incredibly professional and amazingly clean. If you have a dream of an amazing outdoor space, I highly recommend James and Design Builders. Our project ended up better than we ever imagined it would be, and having it built in the off season was an added plus as we were able to enjoy the finished porch all spring, summer, and fall!
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167 Comments

Commented: Type of flooringHello, Its Zuri Pecan. https://www.royalbuildingsolutions.com/en/products/zuri-decking Happy New Year !
December 28, 2021
Commented: BeautifulGood morning. The screened area is 14 X 24. It was a new completely new build.
January 30, 2021
Commented: Love this porch!Good morning. These are not windows. They are screens. Either Phantom screens or screeneze. We are using a window system by a company called Sunspace, and have begun to write a series of articles ...
December 15, 2020
Commented: what are the dimensions of this porch?Hi, The enclosed area is about 16 X 24. The outside deck is approx 6 feet deep all the way around. Hope that helps.
August 27, 2020
Commented: what is the skirting material and dimensions of material?Good morning. The product is 1 X 4 pressure treated wood.
August 4, 2020
Commented: Infratech Heater above large plate glass windowGood morning. Please reach out to us at: info@designbuildersmd.com It will be easier to discuss there. Thank you.
July 16, 2020
Contact Design Builders, Inc.
Website
4929 Crescent Street
Bethesda, MD 20816
Typical Job Cost $50,000 - 125,000
Estimates are free, itemized, and all-inclusive of permits, materials, and other potential fees
License Number MHIC 93361, VA 2705141736, DC
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