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 small and large-scale projects on a variety of homes built in the early 1900s through the 1990s.
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.
Our guiding principles: We believe in saving and revitalizing well-built structures. We improve functionality while maintaining the home’s original integrity and character. We strive to fully utilize each space and bring a unique charm to the home.
Our values include communication, service, and quality. We treat every home with respect, just as we do our own.
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 is one of four 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 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 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 is one of four 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 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.
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.
Jim is ICON’s newest project manager. Stay tuned for more info about what he brings to the team!
Kali manages ICON’s website, coordinates sponsorships, and designs and schedules all advertising. Kali enjoys writing editorials to share about our team, design-build process, and renovation projects. She’s thrilled to bring her talents for brand development and graphic design to the team.
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!
Katherine grew up in Winston-Salem and currently resides there with her husband, Logan, and new baby Libby. Prior to joining the ICON team, Katherine worked in the nonprofit world with a background in large-scale fundraising events, business development and community engagement.
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.
Luke joined ICON in August, after interning with us last summer. His responsibilities include assisting the project managers and team with their various projects. He graduated from Clemson University with a degree in Business Management in 2022, and he obtained his MBA from Ohio University this past year.
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.
“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.”