After making its appearance on the market more than 45 years ago, composite decking quickly became one of the most popular alternative decking products among builders for its durability and low maintenance.

Composite decking is made from a mix of natural wood waste and other materials, such as virgin or recycled plastic. Because of its design, it requires minimal cleaning and resists checking and splintering, but it wasn’t without its problems.

When you’re excited to start a new home construction project, one question is always top of mind: When can we get started? There isn’t one definitive answer, though, so we thought we’d put together this brief explanation of the plan and permit process to give everyone a better idea of what happens, when it happens, and what aspects of it are in our control.

How practical is it to add a skylight to an existing porch ?

Homeowners are often intrigued by the idea of adding a skylight to their porch, enticed by the promise of natural, energy-saving light. While skylights can add beauty and energy efficiency to your outdoor living space, they can also cause a lot of costly problems if installed improperly.

If you’ve ever taken on a home construction project, you’ve probably heard the mantra that it’s always going to take longer and cost more than you anticipated. As a design and build firm, we work hard to ensure that is not your experience. A big part of the way we do that is through online construction estimates.

Invisible Railings are becoming a wonderful option to traditional railing systems.

When you live in developed areas such as Bethesda and Chevy Chase, owning the newest house in the neighborhood can still mean owning a 40-year-old house. Such was the case with 2 homes Design Builders renovated.  One in the Overlook neighborhood of Bethesda, and another in Chevy Chase.