LEARN MORE ABOUT
Design + Build

Turn Your Vision into Reality With Rhode Island’s
Leading Design-First Custom Builder
At Hill & Harbor Design + Build, design is at the heart of everything we do.
Whether a historic or coastal home, our design-first philosophy ensures
architectural excellence that rivals the finest firms.
Why Designing a Home in Rhode Island
is Especially Challenging
Many Rhode Island clients invest thousands in architectural plans, only to discover they’ve made a costly mistake.
Why does this happen?
Because too often, the plans either far exceed their budget—leaving them scrambling to make compromises — or they’re created by builder-led teams who rush through the design phase, leading to unexpected expenses, delays, or design flaws during construction.
At Hill & Harbor Design + Build, we bridge this gap with a smarter, more thoughtful approach.
By investing the time upfront in the design phase to create your exclusive plans, it not only saves money but prevents headaches later on. In fact, our streamlined process delivers the same high-level design quality as top-tier architects—at just 3-7% of the total project cost, compared to the industry norm of 10-20%.
Plus, we handle the maze of Rhode Island’s regulations for you, so you can focus on bringing your vision to life without the headaches.

LEARN MORE ABOUT
Design + Build

Turn Your Vision into Reality With Rhode Island’s Leading Design-First Custom Builder
At Hill & Harbor Design + Build, design is at the heart of everything we do.
Whether a historic or coastal home, our design-first philosophy ensures
architectural excellence that rivals the finest firms.
Why Designing a Home in Rhode Island is Especially Challenging
Many Rhode Island clients invest thousands in architectural plans, only to discover they’ve made a costly mistake.
Why does this happen?
Because too often, the plans either far exceed their budget—leaving them scrambling to make compromises — or they’re created by builder-led teams who rush through the design phase, leading to unexpected expenses, delays, or design flaws during construction.
At Hill & Harbor Design + Build, we bridge this gap with a smarter, more thoughtful approach.
By investing the time upfront in the design phase to create your exclusive plans, it not only saves money but prevents headaches later on. In fact, our streamlined process delivers the same high-level design quality as top-tier architects—at just 3-7% of the total project cost, compared to the industry norm of 10-20%.
Plus, we handle the maze of Rhode Island’s regulations for you, so you can focus on bringing your vision to life without the headaches.

What Other Hill & Harbor
Design + Build Clients Say
At Hill & Harbor, we measure our success by the satisfaction of our clients. Here’s what they’re saying:
What Other Hill & Harbor Design + Build Clients Say
At Hill & Harbor, we measure our success by the satisfaction of our clients. Here’s what they’re saying:
A Thoughtful Design Can Make a Big
Difference to Your Rhode Island Home

Your house plans are more than just lines on a blueprint — they’re the foundation that transforms your vision into
a home where your family will create lasting memories for years to come.
As one of life’s biggest investments — financially, emotionally, and in time— there’s a lot riding on getting it right.
Often, it’s the smallest details that have the biggest impact. For example…
Visual Appeal
Family Lifestyle
Entertaining
Use of Land
Comfort
Emotional Connection
Longevity
With the Right Design
A breathtaking exterior that fills you with pride every time you pull into the driveway.
A well-thought-out layout with spaces for family bonding and private retreats when needed.
Spacious living areas and spaces designed for effortless hosting.
Smart design that optimizes natural light, airflow, views, and privacy for better living.
A home that stays comfortable year-round no matter the season.
A home that feels uniquely yours, perfectly tailored to your personality and lifestyle.
A home built with quality materials and thoughtful design for low-maintenance living.
With the Wrong Design
A plain or awkward façade that leaves you feeling uninspired—or worse, embarrassed.
Cramped, awkward spaces that fail to fit your family’s daily routines or long-term needs.
A poorly designed kitchen and disjointed layout that make entertaining stressful.
Missed opportunities with dark, cramped interiors and poorly utilized outdoor spaces.
Rooms that are either stifling in summer or freezing in winter, racking up energy bills.
A space that feels off, like it was designed for someone else entirely.
Constant upkeep and early wear-and-tear that drain your time, energy, and budget.
A Thoughtful Design Can Make a Big Difference to Your Rhode Island Home

Your house plans are more than just lines on a blueprint — they’re the foundation that transforms your vision into a home where your family will create lasting memories for years to come.
As one of life’s biggest investments — financially, emotionally, and in time— there’s a lot riding on getting it right. Often, it’s the smallest details that have the biggest impact. For example…

How Our 75-Point “Design-First” Onboarding
Questionnaire Ensures You Enjoy Both Your
Dream Home & the Journey to Getting There
How Our 75-Point “Design-First” Onboarding Questionnaire Ensures You Enjoy Both Your Dream Home & the Journey to Getting There

Since 2016 Hill & Harbor Design + Build has had the privilege of turning dream homes into reality for over 100 clients. Unlike builders who rush through the design process, so they can quickly start building… we take the time to truly understand your vision starting with a blank page.
It all begins with our 70-Point Design-First Checklist — a thorough process that helps uncover how you live and what matters to you, ensuring no detail is overlooked.
This isn’t just a casual chat.
It’s a highly structured session where we clarify your vision, capture every detail, and ensure all your priorities are understood – mapping out your dream home together.
Our meticulous approach goes far beyond standard practices and touches every part of your home, including:
- The façade:
Thoughtfully designed to ensure your home makes a lasting impression, with exterior details that balance style, durability, and harmony with the surrounding environment. From the choice of cladding and roofing to window placement and landscaping integration, every element enhances curb appeal and reflects your personal taste.
- The floorplan:
Crafted to optimize every square foot, ensuring effortless flow and functionality tailored to your lifestyle. Whether it’s open-plan living for entertaining, private retreats for relaxation, or cleverly designed storage solutions, the layout is meticulously planned to suit how you and your family live every day.
- Features:
Thoughtfully designed to enhance comfort, convenience, and luxury, every detail is considered—whether it’s a butler’s pantry, a mudroom, built-in storage solutions, ensuite bathrooms, elegant dining areas, high ceilings, or integrated security systems.
- Finishes:
Perfectly tailored to your style and designed to surpass your expectations—whether it’s hardwood floors, custom cabinetry, marble countertops, elegant fixtures, or frameless glass windows, every element is thoughtfully chosen to create a home that’s uniquely yours.

Since 2016 Hill & Harbor Design + Build has had the privilege of turning dream homes into reality for over 100 clients. Unlike builders who rush through the design process, so they can quickly start building… we take the time to truly understand your vision starting with a blank page.
It all begins with our 70-Point Design-First Checklist — a thorough process that helps uncover how you live and what matters to you, ensuring no detail is overlooked.
This isn’t just
a casual chat.
It’s a highly structured session where we clarify your vision, capture every detail, and ensure all your priorities are understood – mapping out your dream home together.
Our meticulous approach goes far beyond standard practices and touches every part of your home, including:
- The façade:
Thoughtfully designed to ensure your home makes a lasting impression, with exterior details that balance style, durability, and harmony with the surrounding environment. From the choice of cladding and roofing to window placement and landscaping integration, every element enhances curb appeal and reflects your personal taste.
- The floorplan:
Crafted to optimize every square foot, ensuring effortless flow and functionality tailored to your lifestyle. Whether it’s open-plan living for entertaining, private retreats for relaxation, or cleverly designed storage solutions, the layout is meticulously planned to suit how you and your family live every day.
- Features:
Thoughtfully designed to enhance comfort, convenience, and luxury, every detail is considered—whether it’s a butler’s pantry, a mudroom, built-in storage solutions, ensuite bathrooms, elegant dining areas, high ceilings, or integrated security systems.
- Finishes:
Perfectly tailored to your style and designed to surpass your expectations—whether it’s hardwood floors, custom cabinetry, marble countertops, elegant fixtures, or frameless glass windows, every element is thoughtfully chosen to create a home that’s uniquely yours.
Unlike other builders who surprise you with budget blowouts, our systemized process ensures you’re in control from start to finish. Once we finalize your plans with a fixed price budget right down to the last detail — including every light fixture, finish, and feature. That price only changes if you change your mind.
A Process Designed for Clarity and Fun
While our approach is thorough, it’s also designed to be enjoyable for you. We handle the complexities so you can focus on the exciting parts—choosing designs, features, and finishes that reflect your personal style. You’ll have clear visibility into the entire process, making it effortless and fun to plan your dream home.
Systemized Excellence at Every Step
Nothing is left to chance. Our entire process is systemized to ensure precision, consistency, and efficiency. Every phase, from the introduction, to design to budgeting to construction, is mapped out in advance, so there are no surprises. Let us take away the guess work, uncertainty and stress of your project.
A Real-Life Example: Delivering Dream Homes Within Budget

One of our clients came to us with a very specific design for their home and a strict $1.4 million budget. By leveraging our Design-First Process, we had their project developed and signed into a construction agreement within a month.
Throughout the process, we worked together to refine the design. As new ideas arose—like adding a steam shower—we showed them the cost implications in real time, allowing them to decide what worked for their budget. Ultimately, the final investment came to $1.43 million — slightly above their original number, but only because of their own chosen upgrades.
They remained in full control, and the result was a home that perfectly aligned with their vision.
A Seamless Journey to Your Dream Home

Building your dream home should be an exciting journey,
not a stressful one. At Hill & Harbor, we’ve mastered the art of
turning visions into reality via the BluePrint System process.
Now that you’ve learned about our Design-First Process and how we ensure the seamless delivery of your custom home, we’d love to get to know you and hear your vision.
When you schedule a Free Design Discovery Session with
Hill & Harbor Design + Build, here’s what you can expect:
Honest Answers: We will take the time to understand your vision and goals for your custom home. We’ll provide expert insights, answer all your questions—including those you may not even know to ask—and guide you through the process with clarity and care.
Maximizing Your Investment: We will share innovative design and construction ideas tailored to your needs, often uncovering ways to save costs while delivering exceptional value. Our approach ensures you get more for your budget, without compromising quality or style.
Realistic Prices and Timelines: While it’s not possible to provide an exact quote during this initial session, we’ll offer a realistic budget range and construction timeline, so you can plan with confidence. We’ll also explain how our systemized process ensures on-time delivery and avoids the costly delays common with other architects and builders.
Avoiding Costly Mistakes: Drawing from years of experience, we’ll highlight common mistakes—even those made by experienced builders—and share actionable tips to help you avoid unnecessary stress and setbacks. This ensures your building journey is enjoyable and delivers the results you deserve.
Choosing the Right Architect & Builder: Naturally, we’d love to bring your custom home vision to life, but we also want you to feel confident in your decision. During the session, we’ll provide practical criteria to help you compare architects and builders that allows you make an informed choice that’s right for you.

Building your dream home should be an exciting journey, not a stressful one. At Hill & Harbor, we’ve mastered the art of turning visions into reality via the BluePrint System process.
Now that you’ve learned about our Design-First Process and how we ensure the seamless delivery of your custom home, we’d love to get to know you and hear your vision.
When you schedule a Free Design Discovery Session with Hill & Harbor Design + Build, here’s what you can expect:
Honest Answers: We will take the time to understand your vision and goals for your custom home. We’ll provide expert insights, answer all your questions—including those you may not even know to ask—and guide you through the process with clarity and care.
Maximizing Your Investment: We will share innovative design and construction ideas tailored to your needs, often uncovering ways to save costs while delivering exceptional value. Our approach ensures you get more for your budget, without compromising quality or style.
Realistic Prices and Timelines: While it’s not possible to provide an exact quote during this initial session, we’ll offer a realistic budget range and construction timeline, so you can plan with confidence. We’ll also explain how our systemized process ensures on-time delivery and avoids the costly delays common with other architects and builders.
Avoiding Costly Mistakes: Drawing from years of experience, we’ll highlight common mistakes—even those made by experienced builders—and share actionable tips to help you avoid unnecessary stress and setbacks. This ensures your building journey is enjoyable and delivers the results you deserve.
Choosing the Right Architect & Builder: Naturally, we’d love to bring your custom home vision to life, but we also want you to feel confident in your decision. During the session, we’ll provide practical criteria to help you compare architects and builders that allows you make an informed choice that’s right for you.
Ready to start turning your dream home into reality?