The MOSS Design Build Process
MOSS Design Build: One Team, One Contract, One Exceptional Experience.
MOSS uses a unique and custom design build approach to remodeling. It's a collaborative approach to your project by bringing together Project Developers, Designers , Architects, Project Managers, and Craftsmen on to a team that works for you to carry your project from first sketch to final walkthrough, under one fixed-cost contract.
Start Your Design-Build ProjectThe MOSS Design Build Journey
The MOSS Design Build Process, Phase by Phase
MOSS Design Build isn't the generic industry method; it's our branded process, run by one project-based team that stays with you from first sketch to final walkthrough. Across every phase — Design → Commit → Build → Closeout; the same geographically-based MOSS team, the same connected tools, and the same accountability carry your project forward, with nothing lost in a handoff. See, phase by phase, how each stage works, who on your team leads it, the tools behind it, what you receive, and proof from the clients who lived it.
Phase 1 of 5
Explore
How it works
- Explore, Research and Evaluation
Learn about the Moss approach, our projects, cost, selections and process.
The tools
Natalie
Your AI design assistant, remembering every conversation so your vision never gets lost in translation.
Continuity
Phase 2 of 5
Develop
How it works
- Create a Solution for your Vision
Virtual discovery, in-home consultation, and a project presentation to bring your vision to lie.
- Get Started With Your Team
Sign your contract, meet your team, and begin project development.
The tools
Digital Contracts
A clear, fixed-cost proposal you can review, sign, and trust — before a single hammer swings.
Certainty
What you receive
Fixed-Cost Proposal
One line-itemized number for your entire project — no allowances, no surprises.
Digital Contract (Qwilr)
An interactive, e-signable contract you can review and approve from anywhere.
Customized Project Plan
A milestone-by-milestone schedule built around your specific scope of work.
MOSS Online Portal Access
A live dashboard for your schedule, selections, payments, and photos in one place.
Phase 3 of 5
Design
How it works
- Enjoy a Superior Design Experience
Design your project and make real-time selections with our MOSS 360 Architects and Project Designers.
The tools
MOSS 360
A living virtual reality model of your home that turns every design decision into something you can walk through before it's built.
CraftDigital Home Scanning
Millimeter-accurate laser scans replace guesswork with precision from day one.
CraftVirtual Design Sessions
Meet with your design team from anywhere, without losing a single decision in translation.
Continuity
What you receive
3D Renderings & MOSS 360 Walkthrough
A photorealistic, walkable model of your future space before construction begins.
Material & Finish Selections
A curated, itemized list of every material and finish specified for your project.
Design Development Package
The complete drawing set that carries your design from concept into buildable plans.
Phase 4 of 5
Build
How it works
- Develop Your Customized Project Plan
Receive a formal project plan covering schedule, communication, and safety.
- Start Constructing Your Dream Home
Construction begins under the supervision of a dedicated Project Manager.
The tools
MOSS Online - The Project Portal
One dashboard for schedules, selections, and invoices — so you always know exactly where your project stands.
CertaintyOnline Payment
Secure, on-schedule payments tied directly to completed milestones.
CertaintyDigital Project Handoff
Your home's full digital record — plans, selections, warranties — handed to you at project close.
Continuity
What you receive
Dedicated Project Manager
A single point of contact who owns your project from groundbreaking to close.
Weekly Progress Updates
A standing weekly recap of what happened on-site and what happens next.
Quality & Safety Inspections
Scheduled inspections at every major milestone, documented and signed off.
Phase 5 of 5
Closeout
How it works
- Enjoy Customer for Life Perks
Join the MOSS family for life with ongoing support after project completion.
What you receive
Final Walkthrough & Punch List
A room-by-room walkthrough to catch and resolve every last detail before handoff.
Warranty Coverage
Written warranty coverage on workmanship and materials, backed by MOSS.
As-Built Documentation & MOSS Online Archive
Your home's complete digital record — plans, selections, and warranty — archived for good.
The Basics
What Is Design-Build?
Design-Build is a project delivery method where one company; not two, not three, handles both the design and the construction of your remodel under a single contract. You hire one team, sign one agreement, and hold one company accountable from the first sketch to the final walkthrough.
It's the opposite of the traditional model, where you'd hire an architect first, get a design, then shop that design out to general contractors for bids; hoping the design and the budget actually agree with each other.
In One Sentence
Design-build means the same company designs your project and builds it; one contract, one team, one point of accountability from start to finish.
The Real Differentiator
Design-Build, Reorganized Around Your Remodeling Project
Most Design-Build firms are still organized functionally: a design department finishes its work, then hands the project to a separate construction department and details get lost in that handoff. MOSS is organized differently. From your very first sketch, one project-based team (design and construction working side by side) owns your project start to finish. There's no handoff, because there's no separate department to hand it off to.
01
Single Team
One roster of architects, designers, and builders works your project from day one; no handoffs, no re-explaining your vision to a new face.
02
Single Contract
One fixed-cost agreement covers design and construction. No second negotiation once the design is finished.
03
Single Point of Contact
One team is accountable for the schedule, the budget, and the outcome; nobody to point fingers at but us.
Design-Build vs. General Contractor
Design-Build vs. Hiring a General Contractor
Both paths get you a finished project; but who's accountable, and when you find out the real price, look very different.
| Aspect | Design-Build (MOSS) | Separate Architect + GC |
|---|---|---|
| Contract Structure | One contract covers design and construction. | Separate contracts for design (architect) and construction (GC). |
| Team Structure | One team — design and build under one roof. | Architect and contractor are different companies with different incentives. |
| Pricing Model | Fixed-cost proposal before construction starts. | Bids solicited after design is done — budget surprises are common. |
| Timeline | Design and permitting overlap with early construction planning. | Design must fully finish before bidding and construction can start. |
| Accountability | One company owns the outcome, start to finish. | Design flaws and construction issues can become a blame game between architect and GC. |
Contract Structure
Design-Build (MOSS)
One contract covers design and construction.
Separate Architect + GC
Separate contracts for design (architect) and construction (GC).
Team Structure
Design-Build (MOSS)
One team — design and build under one roof.
Separate Architect + GC
Architect and contractor are different companies with different incentives.
Pricing Model
Design-Build (MOSS)
Fixed-cost proposal before construction starts.
Separate Architect + GC
Bids solicited after design is done — budget surprises are common.
Timeline
Design-Build (MOSS)
Design and permitting overlap with early construction planning.
Separate Architect + GC
Design must fully finish before bidding and construction can start.
Accountability
Design-Build (MOSS)
One company owns the outcome, start to finish.
Separate Architect + GC
Design flaws and construction issues can become a blame game between architect and GC.
Design-Build remodeling tends to work best when you want one accountable team, a fixed budget locked in before demolition starts, and a faster path from first conversation to move-in day. A separate architect-then-bid approach can still make sense for highly specialized, one-of-a-kind architectural projects where you want to shop your exact design to multiple builders.
Design-Build vs. Architect-Led & Design-Bid-Build
What About Hiring an Architect First, or Design-Bid-Build?
Architect-led projects put an independent architect in charge of design, then hand the finished plans to a contractor to build — similar to design-bid-build, but often with the architect staying on to oversee construction. You get a design specialist, but the design and the buildable budget aren't tested against each other until bidding starts.
MOSS solves this differently: our in-house MOSS 360 architecture team designs your project from inside the same company that builds it, so your design is priced and construction feasibility is confirmed in real time ; not discovered after the fact.
The MOSS Difference
Our MOSS 360 architects work alongside your Production Manager from day one; the same team that draws it is accountable for building it on budget.
See How MOSS 360 WorksWhy It Works
The Benefits of Design-Build
01
Faster Timelines
Design, permitting, and early construction planning overlap instead of happening in strict sequence; most design-build projects move from signed contract to finished home faster than the traditional path.
02
Fixed-Cost Budgeting
You get a detailed, fixed-cost proposal before construction starts; not a rough estimate that grows once the real bids come in.
03
Single Accountability
One company is responsible for the design AND the construction of a remodeling project. There's no architect blaming the contractor, or contractor blaming the architect.
04
Fewer Change Orders
Because design and budget are checked against each other from day one, Design-Build projects tend to have far fewer costly surprises mid-construction.
05
Better Design-to-Budget Alignment
Our MOSS 360 architects design with real-time cost feedback from the same team that will build it so your dream kitchen is actually buildable at the number you agreed to.
What We Build
Every Discipline, Delivered Under Design-Build
Kitchen, bath, addition, basement, whole-home, or aging-in-place; every project MOSS builds is delivered through the same design-build methodology: one team, one contract, one accountable company.
Aging-in-Place Modifications
MOSS designs and builds substantial, architecturally integrated accessibility, not a retrofit of grab bars and ramps.
Design-Build Aging-in-Place Modifications →
Basement Finishing
Turn the space under your feet into the room your family actually uses.
Design-Build Basement Finishing →
Bathroom Renovation
Spa-caliber finishes, built to last; from half-bath refresh to full master suite.
Design-Build Bathroom Renovation →
Home Additions
Sunrooms, master suites, second stories — we add the space your family needs.
Design-Build Home Additions →
Kitchen Remodeling
From concept to last cabinet pull — we design and build the kitchen your home deserves.
Design-Build Kitchen Remodeling →
Outdoor Living Spaces
We design and build outdoor living spaces that extend your home's footprint into the landscape, from the first sketch to the last paver.
Design-Build Outdoor Living Spaces →
Design
MOSS 360: In-House Architecture, Built In
MOSS 360 is our in-house architecture and design studio; the design half of design-build, working from inside the same company that builds your project. Real-time visualization, non-commissioned designers, and cost feedback from day one.
- In-house architects and designers, not outside subcontractors
- Real-time 3D visualization of your selections before construction starts
- Design decisions are priced against your budget as you make them
Where We Build
Design-Build Across the DMV
MOSS delivers design-build remodeling across Northern Virginia, Maryland, and the DC metro;from Arlington to Alexandria to Fairfax and beyond.
Proof, Not Promises
Design-Build Projects, Start to Finish
Every project below was designed and built by one MOSS team, under one contract; see the design-build methodology in action.
Common Questions
Design-Build FAQs
Not typically. Because residential Design-Build locks in a fixed-cost proposal before construction starts, most homeowners see fewer costly change orders and surprise overages than the traditional architect-then-bid path even though the sticker price of the initial proposal can look similar.
It varies by project size, but because design, permitting, and early construction planning overlap instead of happening in strict sequence, design-build projects generally move faster than hiring an architect first and bidding out construction afterward.
A design-build firm like MOSS manages your entire project under one roof: the initial consultation and fixed-cost proposal, architectural design and 3D visualization (MOSS 360), material selections, permitting, and the construction itself — all coordinated by one team.
Yes. MOSS's in-house MOSS 360 team includes licensed architects and designers — the difference is they work for the same company that builds your project, so your design is priced and constructability-checked as you go, not after the fact.
Because one team owns both the design and the construction, budget conversations happen in real time as you make selections — not as a surprise change order after the design is finalized.
Yes. MOSS delivers all six of our remodeling disciplines — kitchens, bathrooms, whole-home remodels, additions, basements, and aging-in-place — through the same design-build methodology.
Ready to Build?
Tell Us About Your Home
Start with a free consultation with a non-commissioned Sales Consultant. We'll walk you through what a fixed-cost, single-team design-build proposal looks like for your project.