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Built by Design
Mike and Kristen with family at a celebration, representing the leadership behind Built by Design

ABOUT BUILT BY DESIGN

Built around family, planned for real life

For Mike and Kristen, remodeling has never been just about prettier rooms. It's about helping families shape the places where life actually happens: dinners, holidays, hard conversations, quiet mornings, full houses, and everything in between. Built by Design brings that perspective into every project with planning, communication, and a clear respect for the people who will live in the finished home.

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The BBD standard

Nine things we hold ourselves to on every project.

They fall into three stages, in the order you'll meet them: the people you work with, the plan we settle before construction, and the finish you live with.

  1. People

    Who you are working with

    It starts with trust.

    • Clear communication

      Homeowners should understand what's happening, what's needed, and what decisions are coming next.

    • Respect for the home

      A remodel happens inside someone's daily life. The process should treat the home like it matters.

    • Leadership you can reach

      Homeowners should know who is responsible for the work, the decisions, and the follow-through.

  2. Plan

    Before construction starts

    Clarity comes before construction.

    • Planning before construction

      Large remodels need scope, selections, and build realities discussed before the work gets too far.

    • Clean expectations

      Clearer upfront conversations mean fewer surprises homeowners have to absorb later.

    • Honest scope conversations

      Not every idea belongs in the project. Not every budget fits every scope. Those conversations matter.

  3. Finish

    What you live with afterward

    Care carries through to the last detail.

    • Skilled craftsmanship

      The finished details should show care, not shortcuts.

    • Finish consistency

      Rooms, materials, lighting, trim, cabinetry, and transitions should feel connected.

    • A finished space that feels intentional

      The remodel should feel like it was planned for the home, not just installed inside it.

Mike Schwartz and Kristen Schwartz of Built by Design

OUR STORY

Built the same way they built their life together

Built by Design started with a simple belief: remodeling should feel personal, thoughtful, and well led. Mike and Kristen built the company the same way they have built their life together - with trust, communication, complementary strengths, and a real commitment to doing things the right way.

Mike Schwartz oversees construction, project management, and operations, coordinating the work from planning through the final walkthrough.

Kristen Schwartz is BBD’s interior designer. She helps homeowners connect room layouts, materials, finishes, and the way they want to use the space.

Built by Design is a licensed general contractor and is insured. We visit clients at their homes by arrangement; our Overland Park address isn’t open for client visits.

Together, they bring decades of combined experience across design, construction, and business operations. That partnership shows up in the way projects are planned, how decisions are guided, and how clients are cared for from the first conversation through the final walkthrough.

Built by Design has completed hundreds of remodels and earned recognition from 435 Magazine, The Kansas City Star, and Country Living. But what matters most isn't the press. It's that homeowners feel heard, confident, and genuinely proud of the home they create with the team.

TRUST

What homeowners say about working with Mike and Kristen

Planning, communication, and leadership show up in how projects move and how clients feel from the first conversation through the final walkthrough.

  • They provided us a beautiful space that we will enjoy for years to come.

    “We had Built By Design remodel our main floor (kitchen, master bath, hall bath and new hardwood floors). ... They had great ideas and helped us bring in updated colors and materials that we would not have chosen on our own. Any questions or issues that came up were promptly addressed and resolved to our satisfaction. The subcontractors were all professional and showed up on time. ... They provided us a beautiful space that we will enjoy for years to come. Here are a couple pictures.”

  • They listened to us and came up with a design that exceeded our expectations.

    “... They have completed two major remodels for us. In our first house they did a two room addition and revamped the outdoor area. Our second home they finished the basement and outdoor area! They listened to us and came up with a design that exceeded our expectations. Their attention to detail from the hidden room to the hidden cabinets in the entertainment center was spot on! The communication was very good. We knew about every delay and why. They also were very good to give us the schedule and when to expect things to be finished! As a repeat customer I will always use them for all my remodeling projects!”

  • Everything was perfect starting with the design phase, to the planning and a hassle free execution.

    “We used Built By Design for our small home remodel. Everything was perfect starting with the design phase, to the planning and a hassle free execution. The BBD team was awesome to work with all the way through!”

Planning-first remodeling

One clearer process

Design-build helps bring planning, selections, scope, and construction thinking into one clearer process. For larger remodels, that matters because decisions made early can affect cost, timing, materials, and the finished result.

  1. 1Conversation
  2. 2Design planning
  3. 3Scope and investment review
  4. 4Selections
  5. 5Build
  6. 6Final walkthrough
Learn About the Process

WHY HOMEOWNERS CHOOSE BUILT BY DESIGN

Large remodels need more than a good first impression

Homeowners need a team that can talk through what the project really involves: the scope, the timing, the selections, the site conditions, the investment, and the details that make the finished work feel right.

Built by Design is a proud member of the Home Builders Association of Greater Kansas City.

  • Direct team accountability

    Mike and Kristen stay close to the work, the decisions, and the client experience from the first conversation through the final walkthrough.

  • A planning-first process

    Scope, selections, site conditions, and budget expectations are discussed before construction has to solve avoidable surprises.

  • Hundreds of remodels completed

    BBD brings real project experience to the table, with work across whole-home remodels, kitchens, bathrooms, basements, and additions.

  • Recognized local work

    The company has earned attention from 435 Magazine, The Kansas City Star, and Country Living for its remodeling work.

  • Design and build alignment

    Finish direction, construction realities, and homeowner priorities are handled as one connected plan instead of separate handoffs.

  • Respect inside the home

    Large remodels happen in real daily life, so communication, sequencing, and care for the home matter as much as the finished result.

WHERE WE WORK

Serving Johnson County and the Kansas City area

Built by Design works with homeowners across Johnson County and the Kansas City area, bringing planning-first remodeling to homes in communities including Overland Park, Leawood, Lenexa, Olathe, Shawnee, and nearby neighborhoods.

  • Olathe
  • Overland Park
  • Leawood
  • Lenexa
  • Prairie Village
  • Mission Hills
  • Shawnee
  • Stilwell
  • Spring Hill
  • Kansas City
Contact Built by Design

READY TO TALK?

Ready to talk through the project?

Send the project details, location, and what needs to change. We'll help you understand whether the scope is a fit and what the next step should be.

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