Curtis L. Showvaker, CPBD, LEED GA
A custom home starts with understanding.
That understanding doesn’t come from design software. It comes from years of working across the full range of decisions that shape a building: site conditions, structural systems, architectural layout, and construction execution.
That’s the background I bring to every project.
About my background in construction, engineering, and design
I started by working in my father’s plastering company, learning how homes are built from the ground up. Over the years, I worked across several areas of the building trades, including finish carpentry, remodeling, cabinetry, and kitchen design. Those experiences provided a practical understanding of construction that most designers never develop.
I spent more than 20 years working as a civil, structural, and architectural designer on engineering teams. That work required me to coordinate across all three disciplines on the same projects: reading sites the way a civil engineer does, thinking through structural systems before a framing plan is drawn, and producing documents that held up to engineering review. It wasn’t one discipline. It was all three, working together.
That experience is the reason my drawings are buildable. It’s the reason I can have a real conversation with your engineer, your builder, or your surveyor without needing a translator. And it’s the reason problems that typically surface during construction get caught at the design table instead.
About my military service
Before my career in construction and design, I served in the United States Army as an infantryman from 1975 to 1979. My first posting was with the 8th Infantry Division in Baumholder, West Germany, followed by the 1st Infantry Division at Fort Riley, Kansas.
Years later, I returned to service during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm, driving tractor-trailers for the Pennsylvania National Guard’s 121st Transportation Company. In the lead up to the ground war I was garrisoned in Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia, where we came under Scud missile attack. Then, during the ground war, I hauled tons of artillery shells in support of the 3rd Armored Division.
That experience shaped the way I work: focused, accountable, and steady under pressure. Residential projects involve real money, real timelines, and real consequences. My clients deserve someone who takes that seriously.
What this means for your project
1. The land shapes the design
Every property presents a specific set of conditions: topography, orientation, drainage, access, neighboring structures. That’s why I always begin a new project with a Feasibility Study. Before a floor plan takes shape, I look at the site: orientation, topography, views, drainage, and about how neighboring structures affect the architecture. A home that’s designed for its specific site will always feel more natural than about one that could have been placed anywhere.
2. Structure informs every decision
Structural systems aren’t something that gets figured out after design. Span lengths, bearing points, and load paths affect floor plans, ceiling heights, window placements, and cost. Thinking structurally from the beginning means the design and the structure support each other, and your builder doesn’t encounter surprises in the framing stage.
3. Builder-ready documentation matters
Plans that lack coordination, detail, or site-specific thinking create problems in the field. Builders are left to interpret or improvise, costs increase, and timelines slip. My goal is documentation clear enough that your builder can price it accurately, permit it cleanly, and build it without unnecessary back-and-forth.
About my credentials
I hold the Certified Professional Building Designer (CPBD) designation, awarded by the American Institute of Building Design. The CPBD credential reflects demonstrated competency in residential building design, including education, experience, and technical knowledge of design and construction.
I’m also a LEED Green Associate, reflecting a working understanding of sustainable building practices and environmentally responsible design principles.
What this means for you: In most states, residential building designers aren’t required to hold any professional credential. Anyone can offer design services for one- and two-family homes. The CPBD designation means I’ve chosen to meet a national professional standard, one that most designers don’t have.
How I differ from an architect
Architects and residential building designers do similar work, but the path and scope differ. Architects complete a five-year professional degree and a lengthy licensure process. Residential building designers specialize specifically in designing homes rather than a generalist practice. In most states, a residential building designer can prepare construction documents for one- and two-family homes without an architect’s involvement, but only a CPBD is authorized to stamp those documents.
For a custom home, the practical difference often comes down to cost, communication, and focus. You work directly with me through the entire process, not a junior staff member. And because my specialty is residential design, the details that matter in a home get the attention they deserve.
Where I work
My practice as a residential building designer in Greenville SC is based in Greer, South Carolina, serving clients throughout:
Greenville and the South Carolina Upstate
The South Carolina Midlands
Western North Carolina
I also work remotely with selected clients in other parts of the country. Because my process relies on detailed digital modeling and clear construction documentation, collaboration with homeowners and builders works well from a distance.