A Licensed Architect & Building Contractor Firm

Sound Design Build is a licensed architectural and building contracting firm based in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. Founded by Erin Powell, the company reflects a unique blend of design expertise and hands-on construction experience. After more than a decade practicing architecture at large corporate firms in New York City and Boston, Erin made the uncommon but strategic decision to obtain her general contractor’s license—an evolution that laid the foundation for her own design-build firm.

In February 2021, Erin launched Sound Design Build while navigating the early days of motherhood. Despite being a young company, SDB’s portfolio already spans a diverse range of projects, including a ground-up veterinary clinic and office space, residential interiors and additions, residential newbuilds, and even shipping container-based resource centers in Haiti.

Balancing architectural design, construction management, and family life on the Outer Banks is a daily challenge Erin embraces wholeheartedly. Her decision to expand her credentials and take on new challenges has transformed her vision of a design-build firm into a thriving reality. She remains deeply grateful for the journey so far—and for every opportunity that continues to come her way.