03Process and team
The people who draw your project are the people who build it
Oak & Stone started in 2008 when Daniel Okafor, then a finish carpenter, got tired of watching good designs fall apart on site because the designer and the builder never met. Today nine of us design, price, manage and build every project, with the same trade partners we have used for over a decade.
“If we drew it, we build it. If something behind the wall changes the plan, you hear it from us that day, in writing.”
Daniel Okafor, founder and principal
ADesign-build process
Five steps, the same on every project
01Week 1
Conversation and consultation
A 20-minute call to talk through what you want, your budget range and timing, then a 90-minute visit at your home with a designer. You leave with honest ballpark numbers, not a sales pitch.
You get
- Ballpark range for your scope
- Honest read on budget and timing
- A written summary within two days
023 to 10 weeks
Design and estimate
Measured drawings, layout options and finish selections in our showroom. Grant prices the design as Good, Better and Best so you can see exactly where the money goes.
You get
- Measured existing-conditions plan
- Two layout options, then revisions
- Selections in the showroom
031 to 2 weeks
Proposal and fixed-price contract
A line-item proposal with allowances spelled out, a phase schedule and a progress billing plan. Once you sign, the price for the approved scope does not move.
You get
- Line-item proposal: Good, Better, Best
- Allowances and contingency in dollars
- Phase schedule and billing plan
044 weeks to 7 months
Build
Our own carpenters and crew leads, a project manager who sends a written update every Friday, dust walls and floor protection, and a project portal with photos, documents and invoices.
You get
- Dedicated project manager
- Friday written updates
- Project portal with photos and invoices
05Final week
Walkthrough and warranty
We walk every room with you, finish the punch list, hand over a binder of finishes and care notes, and stand behind the work for two years.
You get
- Walkthrough and punch list
- Binder of finishes and care notes
- Two-year workmanship warranty
BThe team
Nine people, one studio
Designers, an estimator, project managers and crew leads who have worked together for years. The names below are fictional, like the business.
Daniel Okafor
Founder and principal · 30 years
Daniel started Oak & Stone in 2008 after twelve years as a finish carpenter. He still walks every whole home and addition project before the proposal goes out, and he reviews every structural change with the engineer.
Whole home remodels · Structural changes · Homes built before 1940
Maren Holt
Senior project manager · 14 years
Maren runs our largest projects from permit to punch list. Clients get a written schedule from her every Friday, and she is the person who answers when something behind a wall changes the plan.
Whole home remodels · Additions · Scheduling trades
Luis Ferreira
Project manager · 9 years
Luis manages kitchens, baths and basements. Before joining Oak & Stone he spent six years running a tile and stone crew, so he knows what a clean shower pan and a flat floor take.
Kitchens · Bathrooms · Basements
Helena Voss
Lead designer · 12 years
Helena leads design for kitchens and additions: measured drawings, layouts that work for how a family cooks, and lighting plans. She holds most first consultations and stays on the project through the final walkthrough.
Kitchen layouts · Additions · Lighting plans
Sofie Brandt
Interior designer · 7 years
Sofie designs bathrooms and basements and runs finish selections for every project. Clients meet her in the showroom to choose tile, stone, cabinetry and fixtures from samples, not screens.
Bathrooms · Finish selections · Basements
Grant Pellman
Estimator · 16 years
Grant turns drawings into line-item proposals with Good, Better and Best options, and walks clients through every allowance before they sign. He keeps a cost database from sixteen years of local projects.
Proposals · Allowances · Change orders
Tom Bekker
Lead carpenter, crew lead · 19 years
Tom leads framing and finish carpentry. He is on site every day of his projects, protects the rest of the house like it is his own, and builds the custom trim and built-ins our clients ask about.
Structural framing · Finish carpentry · Built-ins
Ray Cordova
Crew lead, tile and finishes · 15 years
Ray leads bathroom and basement crews. Waterproofing, tile layout and the details you touch every day (grout lines, niches, trim returns) are his standard, and he signs off each room before the walkthrough.
Tile and waterproofing · Bathrooms · Basements
Anya Kowal
Client care coordinator · 5 years
Anya answers the phone, books consultations and showroom visits, and sends progress invoices. If you are not sure who to ask, ask Anya.
Consultation scheduling · Billing questions · Showroom visits
CThe showroom
Samples you can touch, not screens
Cabinet doors, stone slabs, tile boards and working fixtures at 410 Quarry Street, Suite 2 in the Old Mill District. Selections meetings happen here; drop-ins are welcome on Saturdays from 9 to 1.
Book a consultationWhat to bring to the first consultation
- Photos or links of rooms you like
- A budget range you are comfortable with
- Rough timing (holidays, visitors, a new baby)
- Any drawings, surveys or past permits you have
One fixed price
The contract price covers the approved scope. Changes are written up and priced before any work happens.
Allowances in plain numbers
Every allowance (tile, lighting, plumbing fixtures) is listed with a dollar amount, so there are no surprises at selection time.
Estimate request
Tell us about your project
Four short steps: the project, your home, budget and timing, and how to reach you. You get a rough planning range right away, and a designer calls within one business day.