About Us
OUR MISSION
At Visual, we believe the journey to a home should be as joyful as the destination. By simplifying the complex and redefining the process, we empower you to confidently shape the future of your home, creating a space that inspires and delights for a moment or a lifetime.
OUR VISION
A world where everyone has a home.
"Nearly 1/3 of Americans are cost-burdened by rent or mortgage payments, and 1.6 billion people worldwide lack adequate shelter. While these challenges may seem insurmountable, we believe that progress begins with innovative processes and a commitment to listening and learning. By addressing inefficiencies at every level of a broken housing industry, we aim to contribute to the affordable housing crisis with smarter solutions and lasting impact."
Carl & his Human.Our Story: ORIGINS
In 1990, at just 14 years old, Carl, a Pacific Northwest native, embarked on a transformative journey. When his family purchased a piece of property, they had plans drawn up, and together with his father, grandfather, and a close family friend, Carl helped build their family home. This hands-on experience sparked his curiosity and love for architecture and design.
During his senior year of high school, Carl’s school installed an AutoCAD lab and offered its first architectural drafting courses. After graduating, Carl began working for a local architect in Port Orchard, who was transitioning from hand-drawn plans to CAD. This opportunity allowed Carl to grow alongside his mentor, learning both CAD and the fundamentals of architecture.
A few years later, Carl’s path led him to Seattle, where he joined a small firm on Capitol Hill. There, he contributed to remarkable and creative projects, including the complete overhauls of older homes for Seattle’s grunge stars and tech titans of the late 90s. In 2003, after a 12-month deployment in Kuwait during the Second Gulf War, Carl returned to the U.S. and spent more than a dozen years executing high-volume, efficient design and construction projects for McDonald’s and Starbucks, spanning thousands of locations across North America.
It was during his work with Starbucks that Carl met Frank. Frank, a New Yorker, had moved to Seattle as an in-house designer for Starbucks after leaving a high-end design firm with an emerging portfolio. With two young kids, he sought new scenery and opportunities. Frank’s recent experience included designing upper mid-level custom homes for a small local builder and developer in the Pacific Northwest. Because of their different skill sets, experiences, and backgrounds, and some shared philosophies, Carl and Frank brought those together, and the idea for Visual was born.
Over these first few years, we’ve built upon our diverse experiences and explored ways to solve persistent problems in the residential construction industry. Both of us share a deep belief in the importance of the home. It’s a place of comfort, growth, and individuality, yet the industry serving homeowners is often fragmented and inefficient. We recognized the need for a new approach—one that prioritizes the unique needs of each homeowner and addresses systemic inefficiencies.
The residential design and construction world is as diverse as the people it serves: empty nesters, young families, large families, pet lovers, and more. Economic, cultural, and personal differences create unique priorities for every homeowner. At Visual, we believe that it’s through these differences that we find strength. By listening to and understanding a wide array of perspectives, we can create adaptable, customizable solutions that meet varied demands effectively and cost-efficiently.
Building or renovating a home is expensive and complex. Homeowners often lack clear guidance on what decisions to make or whom to trust. At Visual, we aim to change that. We embrace the lessons learned from every project—both successes and failures—to reflect, listen, and improve continuously. We strive to build processes that not only address inefficiencies in the residential construction industry but also empower homeowners with clarity, confidence and beautiful spaces.
Our mission is rooted in the belief that solving the affordable housing crisis requires innovation, collaboration, and a commitment to breaking down barriers. By fixing inefficiencies at every level of this broken industry, we aim to make quality housing more accessible and attainable.
From a simple idea and a laptop to the growing company we are today, we owe much of our success to the support of our amazing wives and families and the homeowners who trust us. We’re excited to keep learning, innovating, and helping people create homes that truly reflect their lives and priorities. Together, despite our differences—and because of them—we can build something extraordinary.
Meet the Team
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Carl Nelson
Co-Founder, CEP
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Frank Bua
Co-Founder, Head Muckity Muck
Culture: Sk8.More
At 44 years Frank and I started Visual and that same year I picked up skateboard for the very first time. Today, I find myself at the skate park 5-7 days a week, and Visual is shaping the future of homes.
Skateboarding has had such a profound impact on me; it's hard to put into words. It has become my "me time," where I actively focus on being present and aware of my thoughts and emotions as they arise. These moments are meditative, and they've had a positive effect on my physical health, despite the occasional torn shoulder or missing skin.
Moreover, skateboarding has connected me with a diverse community of individuals that provide new and interesting perspectives on life. It's about getting outside, learning new skills, and embracing creativity. Every day, it reminds me to put my damn phone down and live in the moment. If my mind and body aren't aligned while skating, the concrete quickly reminds me. I try to carry that mindset beyond the skate park, but sometimes, my thoughts distract me, and I miss out on what's right in front of me. So, I keep skating, meditating, and moving forward. This is the Sk8 More Policy.
Now, you might not skate and that’s just fine, (though we'd love to have you join us if you're interested). Our hope is that you find activities that bring all of these things to your life. At Visual, we aim to create experiences that promote individual physical and mental well-being and foster an incredible community where we can all have fun together.
We've ditched the idea of work being separate from life because, in reality, that's impossible. Life should be fun, so work should be fun too. Creativity is fun. Designing a house should be fun. Building a house should be fun. We're dedicated to building a culture where work and life are interconnected parts of a whole. We firmly believe that life should be fun, and the experience should be equally enjoyable for our team members and clients.