Guildmaster Award Winner 2008 Guildmaster With Distinction
2009 Guildmaster With Highest Distinction
2010 Guildmaster With Distinction
2011 Guildmaster With Distinction
2012 Guildmaster
2013 Guildmaster

Affiliations GuildQuality
Charleston Trident Home Builders Association
National Association of Home Builders
I'On Guild: Mount Pleasant, SC
Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce
Daniel Island Associates
American Institute of Architects

Guildmaster Q&A

Company History

Dolphin Architects & Builders was founded in 1990, and has been designing and building custom homes on Kiawah and Seabrook Islands since that time. In 1999 Dolphin expanded to include the East Cooper area as well, and has since built homes on all of the Charleston barrier islands, Mt. Pleasant, Daniel Island and peninsular Charleston. Dolphin Architects & Builders have been recognized both locally and nationally as a financially sound, innovative high-end custom home design/build firm that delivers exceptional value for every client's investment dollar.

Scope of Work

As a residential design/build firm, Dolphin offers a comfortable and enjoyable approach managed by an award-winning team of architects, interior designers, and builders who are committed to "every home creates a new Dolphin friend and supporter." At Dolphin, our residential design/build process incorporates the two most wearisome phases of custom home building into a single seamless and easy step. Since Dolphin architects and builders work together at a residential design/build firm, there are no miscommunications to cause finger pointing, delays, or added cost. Since both entities are under one roof, the architect is exposed to the client's budget and can work directly with the builder to ensure that the cost of construction stays on target. Dolphin Architects & Builders' design/build process eliminates the frustration, time and extra cost incurred when dealing with two separate architectural and building firms. In addition, design/build offers piece of mind. Dolphin clients can rest assured that their home will be designed and delivered on budget and on time. This process is especially attractive to clients building second homes, where managing a project from afar can be a daunting task.

Typical Workload

Dolphin is a mid-sized custom home builder covering the coastal area around Charleston, South Carolina - otherwise known as the Lowcountry. Our typical workload consists of designing and building 10 to 15 custom homes per year, including a small number of high-end renovations and additions.

Team Makeup

Dolphin is a family of graduate architects (one of whom holds international certification through the NCARB), State licensed residential builders and service providers working together under one roof to create and construct our clients' custom dream homes effectively and efficiently.

More than 90% of your clients would recommend your firm to a friend. How do you earn such high praise from your customers?

Dolphin was founded with one goal in mind: to deliver quality work and customer service through a "no surprises" approach. We all work together as one team with a singular vision - our client's. Dolphin Architects & Builders' team of seasoned architects, builders and project managers ensure that the finished home is exactly as our client dreamed it would be and equally as important - that it meets their budget. Dolphin's design/build process offers single source accountability making the construction process easy, while saving our clients time and money.

Approach to Working With Clients

Dolphin's entire design/build process is based on an ongoing, open dialogue with our clients. We need to know about a client's new home dreams, their planned level of investment and how their new home will "live" to match their lifestyle. As custom home builders, our goal is to provide a perfect fit from start to finish.

Ongoing Staff Training and Development

At Dolphin, our professional architects have over 80 years of combined experience and our project managers are State licensed builders, all of whom are dedicated to bringing our clients' dreams to life. Ongoing architect training through the American Institute of Architects (AIA) as well as national seminars and conferences keep our Architectural staff sharp and focused. Our builders are all members of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), and constantly attend classes on better building techniques, green building, new products and the like.

Motivating Employees

Dolphin Architects & Builders is a privately owned but employee profit sharing company. We take pride in the professional and financial success of our employees, who then ALL collectively strive to design and build the highest quality homes in the Charleston area.

What should clients bring to the table and contribute during the construction process?  What can they do to help make the relationship a success?

In the custom home business, an educated client makes the best partner. Dolphin wants to ensure that prospective clients fully understand the advantages to design/build in today's market. The nuances of design/build are what give clients not only a more efficient process but also one with a high value for dollars invested. Dolphin Architects & Builders ask that our clients bring their ideas to the design meetings. These can be photos/ sketches or just thoughts as to what they want their home to be. We work tirelessly to turn those dreams into a reality that our clients can live in and enjoy every day. To achieve this goal, honest ongoing communication between us and our clients is imperative, and, in the end, helps turn our clients into our friends.

Is there anything else you'd like people to know about you and your company?

Dolphin delivers for our clients and our community alike. From man power on a Habitat for Humanity house to underwriting the Charleston Symphony Orchestra's Gospel Choir, Dolphin is deeply rooted in the community. Dolphin lends philanthropic support and resources to a variety of local organizations. With countless successful client relationships and strong ties to the neighborhoods in which we live, work and play, the Dolphin family is dedicated to building a better community one home at a time.