Our signature service
Design Build.
Most homeowners don't realize how much friction comes from having a separate architect and contractor. Miscommunication on specs. Budget surprises mid-build. Delays while waiting for design decisions. Finger-pointing when things go wrong.
Axiom's design build model eliminates all of that. Our architects and builders work together from day one — so your budget is real, your schedule is honest, and your vision stays intact from the first sketch to the final walk-through.
Best for homeowners who don't have plans yet and want a single trusted team to handle everything.
Start a conversationWe start with a call, then a site visit. We'll discuss your vision, budget range, and timeline — and walk away with a shared understanding of what's possible before any money changes hands.
Our architects develop concept drawings, then construction documents. Construction experts review at every stage so the design stays buildable and on budget — no surprises when we break ground.
Full budget, permits locked in, subs selected, schedule confirmed. You know exactly what you're building, what it costs, and when it's done — before a single nail goes in.
Bi-weekly site meetings. Weekly cost reports. You're never in the dark. We finish with a full punch list walkthrough and a toast to a project well built.
"Axiom's design build process gave us the flexibility and confidence to create a personalized space that worked with our budget goals. We love our home."
In a traditional model, you hire an architect first, get plans finished, then bid those plans out to contractors — and the contractor who built nothing into the design now has to figure out how to build it, often at a cost the architect never priced. In design-build, the architect and the builder are the same team from day one. Cost, constructability, and design happen together, which is why design-build projects typically see fewer change orders and fewer surprises mid-construction.
Most of our custom home projects run $450–$650 per square foot depending on the lot, the finish level, and site complexity — a sloped Magnolia lot with a soils report costs more to build on than a flat lot in Shoreline. A 2,800 square foot custom home in Seattle typically lands somewhere between $1.3M and $2M all-in, including design fees. We give real numbers early, not after months of design work.
For a custom home: 4–6 months of design and permitting, then 10–14 months of construction, so realistically 16–20 months from first meeting to move-in. For a whole-home remodel: 2–3 months design and permit, 5–9 months construction. Permitting timeline is the biggest variable and depends heavily on the jurisdiction and whether the lot has any critical areas or historic overlay involvement.
No. Some clients arrive with a Pinterest board and strong opinions; others just know they need more space and aren't sure what that looks like yet. Both are fine starting points. The design-build process is built for exactly this — we help develop the vision, not just execute someone else's.
Architectural design, structural engineering coordination, permit submission and management, and full construction. We don't itemize design as a separate line you pay regardless of whether you build with us — the design fee is built into the overall project economics because we're planning to be your builder, not just your designer.
Whether you have a napkin sketch or a complete vision, we'll help you get there. Start with a conversation.
Start a project