Our philosophy is simple: the right renovation has the power to transform any space into one of lasting beauty, functionality and delight.
Our primary focus is renovation. We have completed major and minor projects on homes built in the early 1900’s through the 1990’s.
Our overriding goal is to bring glory to God through our building practices, our interactions with our clients, trade partners and suppliers, and in our community involvement.
Our beliefs and guiding principles: We believe in saving and revitalizing well built structures. We bring functionality and modern amenities while maintaining original integrity and character. Communication, service, value, and quality are our customer commitments. We will treat your home with respect, just as we do our own. We strive to fully utilize space. Our design must bring unique character to the home, yet stay in keeping with that of the neighborhood.
“The ICON team took our vision and utilized their wealth of skills, knowledge, and creativity to add design elements, functionality, and beauty that completely transformed our space. Everyone at ICON is dedicated to perfection, and they cared as much about our project as we did. ”
— K Rollins
ICON performs both large and small renovations. We have an Unlimited General Contractor License, and perform every job as a turn key project. We have completed projects with budgets $1 million plus and will pursue those as small as $40,000. Once we engage with you to fully understand your needs, wants and vision for your home, we will be delighted to perform any work that is required.
Realtors often have clients that need a contractor's input on home condition, necessary repairs, estimated renovation costs, etc. before they make an offer. ICON performs this service and can usually accommodate a request with a day's notice.
ICON constructs custom homes when desired by clients, as well as occasionally purchasing, renovating and selling homes.
“We have been amazed by your innovative design and ongoing refining of the project; by the superior craftsmanship, professionalism, and congeniality of the contractors you use; and by the impeccable attention to detail shown by every member of the ICON team.”
— C Franke“It was a pleasure working with ICON Builders as they brought to reality our vision for an outdoor living space. They established a relationship with us of trust, excellent communication, and effective teamwork. The project was well-managed, on schedule and cost-effective. What more can I say!”
— S Rainey
Chuck Hicks
Owner and President
Charles “Chuck” Hicks, owner of ICON Custom Builders, holds a Mechanical Engineering degree from the University of South Carolina, and an MBA from Ohio State University.
Formerly an engineer with DuPont, and a Director for Sara Lee Corporation, he turned his eye to renovations in 2005, and established his company, ICON Custom Builders. As a gifted builder with a background in engineering, he easily envisioned the potential hidden in older living spaces. He has since brought together a loyal, skilled staff and developed long term relationships with local supply companies and trade partners. Chuck is a Certified Green Professional, Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist, and EPA Certified Lead Renovator.
Chuck’s aim in working with each client is to take cramped, uninviting, or poorly functioning spaces and make them beautiful, welcoming, and usable. Integrity, excellence, and clear communication form the firm foundation on which ICON projects are based. As a result, word has spread, and the reputation of ICON Builders has grown accordingly.
Chuck highly values family and community. He has previously served as President of the Remodeler’s Council, member of the Forsyth County Habitat for Humanity Construction Committee, HBAWS board member, and Redeemer School board member, and is currently active in the National Association of Homebuilders Remodeler 20 Club, the Wake Forest Center for Private Business, and the UNC-CH Parents Council.
Chuck’s wife Shawn is a dance and movement educator, who has been on faculty at Salem College, High Point University, Wake Forest, and UNCG. They have one son, Elias, who graduated from UNC Chapel Hill in Spring 2021 and who now works in Charlotte with a wholesale real estate brokerage.
Craig Carter
Project Manager
Craig is one of three project managers for ICON Custom Builders. His responsibilities include estimation, overall coordination, and management of all on-site activities of his projects. Craig has a NC General Contractor’s License, which he maintains through yearly continuing education classes. In addition, he has earned his designations as an Accredited Builder and Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist. Craig previously operated his own renovation company in Greensboro for many years prior to joining ICON.
Dave Meyer
Architect
Dave is ICON’s in-house architect. Using CAD and Chief Architect, he designs a large number of our projects and also assists in setting up schedules and estimates. Dave has been with ICON since 2012. He worked previously with Novant in medical building construction, and had his own architectural firm in Kansas prior to moving to NC. Dave enjoys cycling, sailing, backpacking, and volunteering with Young Life College at Wake Forest University.
Don Guilbault
Master Craftsman
Don joined ICON in 2013 and drives the large white ICON van that is ever-present in the neighborhoods around town. He has incredible carpentry and cabinet building skills, and can resolve most any detailed trim issue that arises. Don is an Air Force veteran and served four combat tours in support of Desert Storm and Desert Shield. He has two sons – one in college and one in high school.
Doug Johnson
Project Manager
Doug is one of three project managers for ICON Custom Builders. His responsibilities include estimation, overall coordination, and management of all on-site activities of his projects. Doug has a NC General Contractor’s License, which he maintains through yearly continuing education classes. He previously operated his own renovation company, Nothing But Detail, for many years prior to joining ICON.
Douglas Brown
Project Manager
Douglas joins the ICON Custom Builders team as one of its newest project managers. His responsibilities include overall coordination and management of all on-site activities of his projects. Previously, Douglas owned and operated a local hardware store here in Winston-Salem for over ten years.
Hector Rodriguez
Site Superintendent
As a superintendent, Hector visits most of our job sites on a daily basis – ensuring cleanliness, moving equipment, delivering supplies, checking on progress, and coordinating subcontractor activities. He has many years of experience in cabinet installation, finish carpentry, and other construction trades.
Kali Newlen-Burden
Marketing Coordinator
Kali manages ICON’s website and Houzz account, and curates project images and digital content across various platforms. She coordinates all sponsorships, as well as designs and schedules all advertising. Kali enjoys writing editorials to share about ICON’s team, design-build process, and renovation projects. She’s thrilled to bring her talent for brand development, graphic design, and eye for detail to the team.
Katherine Yeager
Project and Design Coordinator
Katherine joined the ICON team in May of 2019. Her primary role is to guide our clients through the project timeline and selection process, helping to make every step of their home renovation easy, seamless, and fun! She assists our clients in navigating the many design decisions in a construction project – paint, tile, lighting, plumbing fixtures, countertops, flooring and overall design coordination. She also manages our ICON Custom Builders Instagram page, so follow along for a behind-the-scenes look at our latest projects!
Kathy Pressley
Office and Accounting Manager
Kathy joined ICON in 2007 as our first team member. She is a certified Quickbooks ProAdvisor and ultimately a certified sanity-saver for Chuck with all the administrative responsibilities.
Melissa Hayes
Design Coordinator
A North Carolina native, Melissa moved to Winston-Salem in 2018 and joined the ICON team in August 2022. As the daughter and granddaughter of custom home builders, she spent her childhood growing up on construction sites envisioning what the unfinished spaces would become.
In her design role with ICON, Melissa loves assisting clients through a seamless selection process to bring their visions to reality – whether they’re looking to reimagine a lived-in space or design a new space altogether.
Prior to her relocation to Winston-Salem and joining the ICON team, Melissa curated personalized events and designs through her Raleigh-based business. She has enjoyed serving her community through volunteer work with the Junior League of Raleigh – most recently leveraging her talents as the Chair of the Governor’s Inaugural Ball planning committee in 2017. Melissa holds a bachelor’s degree from UNC Chapel Hill.
When Melissa is not busy designing, you can find her spending time with her husband Chris and two boys Lawson and Rives. Melissa loves traveling, exploring new hiking trails, and trying new cuisines.
“Thank you so much for not only the amazing work all of you did in our house, but for making the process as painless (and sometimes even fun!) as it could possibly be. We felt like everyone was so respectful of our space and family, and we could not be more grateful. ”
— E&M Kehoe
