FAQ
The products
Section titled “The products”What is Story Renovations?
Section titled “What is Story Renovations?”The residential design-build product, and the software behind a Story renovation. It runs a project from first contact through visioning, design, finish selections, and the build — for the homeowner and for the team doing the work.
Its distinguishing capability is the phased design process: visioning, schematic design, design development, finish selections, and final design, with the client participating at each step. See the products.
What’s the difference between Story and Knotty Iron?
Section titled “What’s the difference between Story and Knotty Iron?”Knotty Iron is the older name. It belongs to Knotty Iron Trading Company of Denver, the entity behind the business before the Story brand, and it names the construction management application that has run the work for over a decade.
Story is the product today. It is built on the same foundation — the same projects, cost codes, budgets, contracts, and billing structure, settled over that decade of use — and it is shaped for residential design-build rather than commercial general contracting. Where Knotty Iron speaks in requests for information, submittals, and invitations to bid, Story speaks in kitchen remodels, design-build scopes, and finish selections.
For a client, the practical difference is that Story is what you use. Knotty Iron is the name underneath it.
Why do I still see the Knotty Iron name?
Section titled “Why do I still see the Knotty Iron name?”Because the brand transition isn’t finished. The name still appears in some emails, page footers, and login screens, and the design showroom still carries it in places.
It’s the same company and the same work. If a Knotty Iron reference ever leaves you unsure whether something is legitimate, ask us.
What is Story Design Studio?
Section titled “What is Story Design Studio?”AI-powered design inspiration, and the easiest place to start. Upload photos of a room, describe what you want, and get personalized design concepts back before you meet a designer.
It’s deliberately narrow. It doesn’t touch projects or budgets — it exists to turn an idea into a conversation.
Working with Story
Section titled “Working with Story”What does a Story project cover?
Section titled “What does a Story project cover?”That depends on the scope you engage under. Story supports design-build, design-only, build-only, interiors-only, and furniture-only work, and the software follows whichever one applies.
A full design-build project moves through defined phases: scope, schematic design, design development, final design, and build.
What can I see as a client?
Section titled “What can I see as a client?”Your project as it stands. Contracts and change orders, the schedule of values and pay applications, your quote with its selections, project milestones, meetings, and the design deliverables as each phase completes.
You can also raise an issue against your project and get a response back through the same thread, and documents shared with you appear alongside the record they belong to.
Access is by invitation from your project team.
I’m a vendor or trade partner. What do I use?
Section titled “I’m a vendor or trade partner. What do I use?”Purchase orders and quotes have vendor-facing views, so you see the lines addressed to you without needing access to the wider project.
Who is on my project team?
Section titled “Who is on my project team?”A Project Planner coordinates the project, a Design Manager owns the design through its phases, an Interior Designer produces the design, and a Site Manager runs the work on site. Some screens refer to the client as the “owner.”
Terminology
Section titled “Terminology”I’ve heard two different words for the same thing. Which is right?
Section titled “I’ve heard two different words for the same thing. Which is right?”Both, usually. Some terms changed with the brand, and the older ones still surface in documents and older records.
| You may also hear | In Story | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Estimate, Bid, Proposal | Quote | The priced proposal for your work |
| Request for Information, RFI | Issue | A tracked question on your project |
| Selection | Finish Selections | Choosing tile, fixtures, and paint |
| Draw | Pay Application | A progress billing against the contract |
The glossary defines these and the rest of the vocabulary.
Still have a question?
Section titled “Still have a question?”Something here is wrong or unclear. What do I do?
Section titled “Something here is wrong or unclear. What do I do?”Tell us. These docs describe how the software works, which isn’t always the same as how a particular project runs — where the two diverge, your project team is right and this page is wrong.