Best Custom Home Builders in Arizona

While the idea of building a custom home in Arizona is exciting, finding and then choosing between custom home builders in Arizona can be a stressful experience. To help your home build go as smoothly and stress-free as possible, we have created a list of some of the best custom home builders AZ has to offer. 

In addition to finding contractors and builders that operate throughout The Grand Canyon State - whether that be custom home builders in Tucson, custom home builders in Phoenix, or elsewhere in Arizona, we have also added resources on what to look for when finding someone to build your custom house. Additionally, our custom home building guide gives you a step-by-step breakdown of the major stages of building a home. We have also created a guide to help you choose the right custom home builder for your project. Continue reading below for our list of Arizona-based custom home builders as well as resources specific to building a home in AZ.

Arizona Custom Home Builders

Depending on your project and what you are looking for, there are several different options to choose from when trying to find an Arizona custom home builder. One scenario allows you to work with an architect/design firm to complete the floor plan and engineered drawings for your home and work separately with an independent builder to actually complete the project. Or, if you are looking for a company that offers more turn-key solutions, you can work with a full-service design-build firm in Arizona. Our list includes a selection of custom home builders (both architects/design firms & full-service builders) that can help you realize your dream of building a custom home in AZ.

Custom Prefab Home Builders That Serve Arizona

When building a custom home in Arizona, you may want to consider working with a prefab home builder that specializes in custom construction. In addition to the more commonly mentioned benefits of prefab construction like reduced construction times and less budget overruns, prefab construction also expands the number of builder options available for a project.

By building a majority of project components off-site, home builders can accept projects in a bigger geographic area as they do not need to physically be on-site for the duration of the project. That allows, for example, a California-based builder to work on projects in areas like Phoenix, Flagstaff, or Tucson.

Below we have selected custom home builders that work with and sell to customers based in Arizona. In the event that companies manufacture components themselves rather than working with regional manufacturers, we have chosen companies located in the Western U.S. to reduce shipping costs.

Sunlight Homes - Albuquerque, NM

Sunlight Homes is a custom home designer and seller of panelized kit homes. Their work typically focuses on Southwest-inspired designs that incorporate passive solar principles and energy-efficient engineering. Typically, their homes are designed and built to achieve net-zero energy consumption. Additionally, their homes are built using energy-efficient structural insulated panels (SIPs).

Logistically, it is important to note that if you work with Sunlight Homes to design a custom home in Arizona, they are not able to complete the local build portion of the home. They do, however, provide buyers with custom home designs and a building material component package that includes SIPs, Pella windows & doors, and optionally, panelized flooring. They have designed and worked on projects throughout the U.S. and on homes that range in size from 700 square feet to 7,000+ square feet.

Example of Work: Greenhill Residence

Sander Architects - Marina del Rey, CA

While they are not actually based in Arizona, Sander Architects is an architecture firm that can work on projects throughout the United States. Their specialty is modern architecture and many of their residential projects feature contemporary designs with large windows and a mixture of materials like metal, wood, and cement. They have also won numerous awards for their work, including for both residential and commercial buildings.

When considering working with Sander Architects it is important to keep in mind that they are only an architecture firm. Therefore, you must work with an outside builder or contractor to finish the home design. Additionally, their design fee ranges from 10 - 15% of estimated project cost. In the event you do not want to manage the project yourself, Sander Architects offers construction supervisory services.

Example of Work: Desert Canopy House

Living Homes & Plant Prefab - Rialto, CA

Living Homes and their manufacturing Plant Prefab, are a Southern California-based prefab housing company. They specialize in high-end, energy-efficient residential prefab construction. When working with Plant Prefab, individuals can either work with Living Homes to either modify an existing floor plan or create a home from scratch. Alternatively, individuals that have already selected an architect or have a floor plan in mind can work with plant prefab exclusively for component manufacturing.

When working with Living Homes and Plant Prefab, it is important to know that they only work on the design & manufacturing of the home. Therefore, a local contractor is needed to prepare the build site and complete the home once modules arrive on site. Depending on your project, however, modules can arrive on-site up to 90% complete.

Example of Work: Ray Kappe Santa Monica Home

Site Built Custom Home Builders in Arizona

If you are looking for a builder that focuses on traditional, site-built construction in Arizona, you may want to consider one of these Arizona custom home builders. We have chosen them due to their history of custom construction in Arizona and their numerous positive reviews from past clients.

Stone Creek Building Co. - Mesa, AZ

Stone Creek Building Co. is a custom home builder based in Mesa, Arizona. They specialize in building fully-custom homes in the greater-Mesa area. While they do not offer in-house design services, they have worked with many custom architects to develop custom home plans. Aesthetically, many of their past projects feature contemporary designs but they include a range of sizes and finishes.

Stone Creek Building has received many positive reviews on several third-party review sites. Additionally, their past work includes custom homes in sub-divisions to luxurious single-family homes. These projects range in cost from several hundred thousand dollars to over one million dollars.

Example of Work: Cattlerack Residence

Paragon Custom Homes - Scottsdale, AZ

Pargaon Custom Homes is a custom home builder based in Scottsdale, Arizona. In addition to fully-custom new construction homes, they also work on home renovations and additions. Aesthetically, their past projects feature a mixture of contemporary and Southwestern-inspired architecture.

When considering working with Paragon Custom Homes, there are a few things to note. First, they can work either with buyers who already own land or they can consult with individuals as the prepare to purchase a lot. In many cases, they can also make complimentary site visits. Second, they have recieved numerous positive reviews on third party review websites. Lastly, recent projects include homes valued at around $700,000 up to several million dollars.

Example of Work: Lost Canyon Santa Fe Estate

Builders & General Contractors in Arizona

In the event that you want to work with an architect to design your home, you may also have to find a builder or general contractor to actually build your custom home. In many cases, architecture and design firms can recommend custom home builders that they have worked with in the past. If that is not the case, however, some alternative resources for finding a good local contractor in Arizona include:

• Local Home Builder Associations in Arizona - your local chapter of home builders often has a directory of members who can help with your project. Depending on where you are located in Arizona, 3 HBAs include:

  • HBA of Central Arizona (Phoenix)

  • Northern Arizona BA (Flagstaff)

  • Southern Arizona HBA (Tucson)

• Google - Oftentimes, searching on google maps for “custom home builders near me” or “ custom home builders in Arizona” will return results for builders and contractors in your area

• Friends & Family - like some other industries, builders and contractors also operate based on word-of-mouth recommendations

Once you find a builder or contractor in Arizona who might be a good fit for your project, some questions you may want to ask include:

• Operational History - How long have they been in business? Do they have positive reviews? Can you speak to past clients? Do they have experience building custom houses in Arizona?

• Cost - How much do they estimate your project will cost? Do they have a history of staying on time and under budget?

• Location - Are they located nearby to your project site? Are they familiar with local regulations?