About Us
Our Story Started at Home
We are builders — not just of spaces, but of something deeper. Our family was forged through our own home challenges, and what was built in us through that journey is what we bring to yours: creativity, genuine care, and the conviction that every disruption is an opportunity to build something better than what was there before.
Our Story
The Journey That Built Us
In 2020, our family walked through a season of home crises — water damage, unexpected repairs, and the full experience of what it means to have your daily life disrupted by the place that's supposed to be your refuge. We know what it feels like to stand in a damaged room and wonder what comes next.
But here's what we discovered: we were built for this. Not just the construction and the problem-solving — though we developed those skills along the way — but the deeper work of walking alongside people through hard moments and helping them see what's possible on the other side.
What started as necessity became capability, and capability became something we could offer — a way to help others navigate the same kind of moments that forged us. We created temporary housing for displaced families. We took on a whole-home renovation that tested everything we had. Sarah's design instincts turned functional spaces into places that changed how people felt when they walked through the door. And through every challenge — contractor setbacks, permitting delays, budgets that got tight — we kept learning the same lesson: adversity handled with intention doesn't just restore what was lost. It builds something better.
That's the thread that runs through everything By Design Homes does. We don't see a damaged home as a problem to fix. We see it as a chance to build something that serves your life better than what was there before. And we don't see a remodel as a transaction. We see it as a journey we take together — one where you should feel guided, informed, and genuinely cared for at every step.
By Design Homes exists because of what was built in us through our own journey. And what was built in us is what we bring to yours.
The Browns
We Build Together
By Design Homes is David and Sarah Brown and our four kids — Emma, Ezra, Ethan, and Elyse. When we say this is a family business, we mean it in the fullest sense. Our kids have been on job sites. They've helped pick materials and watched us work through the hard parts — the contractor who didn't show, the permit that got delayed, the moment where we had to get creative because the plan changed.
We didn't shelter them from the challenges. We brought them along, explained what was happening, and let them see how we responded. What came out of that is a family that knows how to flex, how to journey together, and how to keep moving forward when things don't go as expected.
That same spirit is what you'll experience working with us. We aren't building a company that scales away from the people. We're building one where every family we work with feels the care, creativity, and intentionality that we bring to our own home and our own lives. Our name is on this. That means something to us.
Meet the Team
David
Project Lead & Client Partner
David is the person who walks into an uncertain situation and makes it feel manageable. Whether it's a home that's been damaged by water or a remodel with a dozen moving pieces, he brings a clarity that comes from genuinely understanding the full picture — not just the construction, but the people, the budget, the timeline, and the decisions that connect them all.
In his career, David leads a data and analytics consulting practice — complex projects, multiple stakeholders, high stakes. He brings that same ability to By Design Homes, but the real differentiator isn't the project management skill. It's that David is deeply attuned to people. He listens to what you actually need, not just what you say you need. When you ask about changing the tile or adding a feature mid-project, he can tell you the cost and timeline impact in the moment — because he's already done the work to understand the full scope. That makes the experience feel effortless, even when the underlying complexity is significant.
Clients say the same thing: they chose to work with David because of how it felt. They felt heard. They felt confident. They felt like they had a partner who was fully invested in their outcome — not just delivering a project, but genuinely caring about the result and the experience of getting there.
When it's working right, you don't worry about the details. You just feel like it's handled.
Sarah
Design Vision & Creative Lead
Sarah sees what a space could become — not just what it is today. That ability is what turns a remodel from “updated” into “transformative,” and it's what makes the difference between a house that looks good and a home that feels like it belongs to the people who live in it.
Her approach always starts with the people. What does your family need from this space? How do you want it to feel when you walk through the door? What matters to you that might not show up on a Pinterest board? Those questions shape everything — from the color palette to the material selections to the way light and space work together.
Sarah brings a creativity that isn't just aesthetic — it's deeply personal. She has a way of drawing out what someone truly wants, even when they can't fully articulate it, and translating that into design decisions that feel exactly right. Her staging work has helped families see their home through new eyes, and her design instincts guide every By Design Homes project from the first conversation through the final reveal.
Design isn't decoration. It's how a home starts to feel like yours again.
What We Believe
“Adversity handled with intention doesn't just restore what was lost. It builds something better. That's true in our lives, and it's true in every project we take on.”
We believe life is a journey, and your home is part of that journey. Sometimes the path includes challenges — damage, disruption, a space that no longer fits the life you're living. Those moments can feel overwhelming. But we've learned — in our own family and through every project we've taken on — that they are also opportunities. Opportunities to build something better, stronger, and more beautiful than what was there before.
We believe the process matters as much as the result. How you feel during a project — whether you feel informed, respected, partnered with, and genuinely cared for — is not secondary to the quality of the work. It's inseparable from it.
We believe in doing things deliberately and intentionally. We are builders, and building well takes time. We'd rather walk alongside a few families with real care and attention than rush through projects to grow faster. Life is long, and slow is fast.
We believe in generosity — with our creativity, our communication, our time, and our energy. When you work with By Design Homes, you get more than a contractor. You get David and Sarah and everything we've built in ourselves through our own journey. That's not a service we sell. It's who we are.
And we believe that when what's been built in you flows into the lives of others, something genuinely good happens — in their home, and beyond it.
Go Deeper
The David & Sarah Podcast
If you want to really know who we are — the full story, not just the project portfolio — this is where to go.
On our podcast, we talk about what it actually looks like to build a business and a family at the same time. The faith that guides our decisions. The challenges we've navigated — financial pressure, contractor problems, raising four kids in the middle of it all. The moments where we had to trust the journey even when we couldn't see the next step.
The David & Sarah Podcast
Faith, family, business, and life by design.
Want to Build Something Together?
Whether you're dealing with damage or dreaming of a transformation, we'd love to hear your story and talk about what's possible.