Best of Houzz is an annual award from the home-renovation platform Houzz, given to the professionals its community rates most highly for design or customer service.
View award source (opens in new tab)Public evidence profile · Checked July 2026
Hand Built Designs
Awards & recognition
1 independent award
Trust Score
33out of 100
- Rated 5.0 from 10 reviews
How this score is worked out
Rating5.0 / 5
Review volumeLow · 10
Independent sources1 independent public source
CredentialsNo credentials shown yet
How this score is made up
What customers say24.9 of 60
Independent checks6 of 30
Track record2.5 of 10
See the independent checks
- Ways to reach them4 of 4
- Reviewed on more than one site0 of 6
- Registered company details0 of 6
- Photos of their work0 of 10
- Industry recognition2 of 4
Missing evidence lowers the score because we can't check it. It doesn't mean it doesn't exist. Claiming a profile never changes the score. Evidence context, not a guarantee of workmanship.
Independent recognition
Awards & recognition
These are independent third-party awards: recognition earned from review communities and trade bodies, never paid placement.
Source-listed gallery
1 photoPhotos listed on Houzz
These sources do not label every image as completed work. The gallery may include projects, people, logos or certificates, so it does not count as completed-work evidence.
Reviews · public evidence
What customers say
These review totals are published independently on the named public source below, not testimonials this business chose to show. We show the aggregate rating, review volume, and source attribution we hold so you can weigh the evidence yourself.
5.0out of 5
Where these reviews are published
- Houzz10 reviews · 5.0 avg
Local context
Rated 5.0, in line with the local average for kitchen designers in Galway
Across 5 kitchen designers in Galway, the typical rating is 5.0 out of 5. We compare against the same businesses a homeowner would find searching for this trade locally.
Sources
1 named public sourceWhere this information comes from
Everything on this page is drawn from named public sources. Where a source provides a public link, you can open the original and dig deeper.
Review sources
Public evidence last checked July 2026
About
Hand Built Designs specializes in bespoke kitchen design and occasional furniture. The furniture is characterized by its simple clean lines and emphasis on practicality and functionality. These principles dictate the entire approach to each project be it a simple occasional piece or a complex design scheme. Hand Built Designs was established in 1998 by Mark Hand, a Fine Art Sculpture graduate with a background in Film & Television Art departments and prop making. Working on numerous period interior film sets in the U.K. ignited his interest in furniture and on returning to Ireland, after some time working with a master instrument maker, he started taking on furniture design commissions. The company is based in a purpose built studio/workshop located by the shores of Lough Corrib, just twenty minutes north of Galway City.
Services they list
Bespoke CabinetsBespoke Kitchen CabinetsBespoke Kitchen PantriesBespoke WorktopsKitchen DesignKitchen RenovationPantry DesignUtility Room DesignBespoke Fitted FurnitureBespoke ShelvingCabinet RefacingCabinet Refinishing
Listed on public sources or the business's own website; check directly that they cover your job before you book.
Independent checks
About this business
How long they've really been tradingThey state they've been established since 1998, but the earliest independent source we can find is 2018. Worth asking them about the gap.
They say, established1998Award-winning since2018
Your own checks
What to check before you hire
Worth checking yourself
Only a few public reviews are shown. Ask for recent references you can contact.
Their public evidence comes from a single source. Look them up on another site before deciding.
No credentials are shown here and the business has not claimed this profile. Ask to see certificates and insurance directly.
In Ireland, gas work must by law be done by a Registered Gas Installer (RGI) and electrical work by a contractor registered with Safe Electric. Verify the registration on the public register before any gas or electrical job, as using an unregistered installer is illegal and dangerous.
Agree an itemised written quote with staged payments tied to completed work rather than a large cash deposit up front, and confirm the tradesperson's public-liability insurance before they start.
Ask to see a portfolio of completed work like yours, plus recent references you can contact.
Want an extra legitimacy check? Run the Cowboy Checker on Hand Built Designs before you contact them.
Run Cowboy Checker →Good to know
Common questions about Hand Built Designs
Is Hand Built Designs a legitimate business?
Hand Built Designs has 10 independent public reviews, rated 5 out of 5. This is independent public evidence gathered from named public sources (no ads, no paid placement), not a guarantee of workmanship. If anything here is out of date, the business can request a correction.
What do customers say about Hand Built Designs?
Hand Built Designs has 10 public reviews, averaging 5 out of 5. The reviews section shows the aggregate rating, review volume, and review source information we hold.
How do I know Hand Built Designs' reviews are genuine?
Hand Built Designs' 10 public reviews come from a named public review source. MyTrustedTraders brings this public evidence together with no ads and no paid placement: we show the review source information and aggregate rating we hold rather than selling rankings, so you can weigh the evidence for yourself.
Has Hand Built Designs won any awards?
Hand Built Designs holds 1 independent award, including Best of Houzz winner: 2018. These are third-party awards: recognition that has to be won, not self-issued.
What does Hand Built Designs specialise in?
Hand Built Designs lists specialist services including Bespoke Cabinets, Bespoke Kitchen Cabinets, Bespoke Kitchen Pantries, Bespoke Worktops, Kitchen Design, Kitchen Renovation. If your job is one of these, look for it in their listed services or ask them to confirm for your project.
Noirin Brady Interiors
27Trust ScoreBuilding a public recordout of 100
5 reviews
Claudia Doherty Interiors
26Trust ScoreBuilding a public recordout of 100
4 reviews
Finlay Kitchens, Wardrobes & Interior Specialists
24Trust ScoreVery little to go onout of 100
2 reviewsFamily-run · Design service
RFL Interiors - Rooms for Living
21Trust ScoreVery little to go onout of 100
1 review