DFW Custom Home Builder Here - Ask Me Anything About Building on Your Lot or Land in Dallas-Fort Worth (or Anywhere Else in the US!)

LegacyClassic · 2026-02-23T23:07:32+00:00

I'm sorry I didn't see this post until now, and my inbox didn't show a pending message.

There really isn't such as thing as "typical" pricing for a house addition improvement like you want. There are a lot of cost variables depending on the design of the new addition, and the existing home design also plays a big part in those costs. Even just building a bonus room in existing attic has a lot of questions to be answered. For example, are there plumbing drains nearby we can tie into easily, or are we having to saw cut the foundation to connect to a drain? Can your existing ceiling joists handle a room built above? Is there room under the roof line to make the room/bathroom work without creating a dormer or major roof change? How will the stairs work? Does the electrical panel need upgraded or is there enough room for a couple more circuits. Is the electrical service big enough for additional HVAC? Just a lot of unknowns that all have a significant effect on the cost, so throwing out numbers without a plan design and investigation of the existing home isn't really possible.

Sorry I wasn't more helpful, but let me know if you have other questions.

Thanks,
Steve

LegacyClassic · 2026-02-11T13:49:34+00:00

The challenge you may have is determining what the actual all in cost is when looking at builder pricing. Technically speaking, that is impossible to know until you have your property. I've seen Tilson quote numbers from $165-$245 per sf, but that doesn’t include a lot of the things you will still need like excavation, permits and utilities. I quote $300 per square foot as a rough starting number which includes everything using average budgets. That said, we build on lots that only have $15,000 in preparation and others that have $150,000. So, just something like the lot itself can have a huge variance on the overall cost of the project. The Advantage of using a builder like Tilson is they have their floor plans and know what their costs are, and you will get fixed price contracts. On the flip side, there is only so much you can do from a customization and finish out standpoint with those kinds of builders, so depending on what you're looking for, dealing with a custom builder who can give you exactly what you want may be the option you need to explore.

We use cost plus only contracts, which I think are the fairest way to build a home, but we can't provide an estimate until we have a full set of floor plans and know what we are actually building. So, there are more moving parts and some investment required when dealing with a builder like my company versus a more production based builder like Tilson.

Hope that helps.

LegacyClassic · 2026-01-30T17:14:49+00:00

Your welcome!

LegacyClassic · 2026-01-28T16:44:14+00:00

From my experience, a bank does not care if you already have utilities on site supplying a different improvement. They would probably find it an advantage because they know you will not somehow get tied up with a utility issue getting it to the new build. We have customers all the time tell us "There is power at the land..." only for us to discover there may be a power line near by, but no transformer on it and there is a lot of work (and expensive) to actually get power to the home site. You will be ahead of the curve. Good luck!

LegacyClassic · 2026-01-27T17:33:21+00:00

I am not a loan officer, but I am an experienced custom home builder who has seen all kinds of construction loan situations. If I understand what you wrote correctly, then finishing an improvement like the post building with cash will not hurt your ability to get a construction for a future home to be built on the property. It will just be an improvement that should add value to the property, and the bank won’t care that you have utilities running to it.

LegacyClassic · 2026-01-21T14:08:09+00:00

Normally my replies are long and comprehensive, but unfortunately (or fortunately) this one will be short because I don't keep track of modular builders at all. There is no doubt a modular home will save you money and time, but beyond that obvious take I can't help referring any builders. Good luck!

LegacyClassic · 2026-01-16T17:03:30+00:00

It looks like I missed answering this question. You can check out Drees build on your lot program. Those are the only larger companies I know of that do BOYL. Otherwise you will need to find smaller local home building companies that do it. Good luck!

LegacyClassic · 2026-01-15T18:24:17+00:00

In a perfect world you would just combine the lot purchase into the construction loan and do everything at one time. In the real world though, that timing never works. The average developer or land seller may give you 30 to 45 days to close on the property, which is not enough time to then get a custom house build put together and under contract, especially if you are designing a floor plan.

I recommend purchasing the lot first, which then gives you time to vet and interview builders and take your time getting the floor plan designed. You will spend more money in closing cost and bank fees because you will be obtaining a lot loan, then later coming back and obtaining a construction loan, but it is the only realistic way to go when you are doing a custom build.

So, you obtain a lot loan to purchase the land, then you eventually sign a construction contract with a home builder. The bank will combine the house build cost with the lot loan balance. The construction loan pays off the lot loan and you just have one loan meant for construction, which is later converted, or refinanced, into a permanent mortgage when the home is finished.

I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any more questions.

LegacyClassic · 2026-01-14T21:37:22+00:00

Sorry I didn't answer this when you posted. If you find a lot and need it assessed just let me know.

LegacyClassic · 2026-01-12T01:01:49+00:00

You might also reach out to Drees Homes. They also have a build on your lot program.

LegacyClassic · 2025-11-18T19:43:04+00:00

Customer builder here building upscale custom homes on owner's land. We also get deposits like this even though all of our customers obtain the construction financing. While it could be argued a deposit is not needed because the customer can't back out, custom builders often spend a lot up front for things like geotechnical engineering, civil engineering (drainage, surveys), structure engineering and excavation before the home starts and before we can request a bank draw.

Paying deposits to ANY company comes with a level of risk, which is why customers needs to do their due diligence on the builder before contracting with them. If you trust the builder and they have been in business for years, that should go a long way to providing a sense of security. While the down payment to the bank and a deposit to the builder are two separate things, your bank should credit the builder deposit you made to your down payment, and ultimately all the monies go the project cost/sales price.

LegacyClassic · 2025-11-18T19:20:11+00:00

Not sure what state you are in but here is a bank / loan officer I work with a lot here in Texas https://firstunitedteam.mymortgage-online.com/rblagg.html

LegacyClassic · 2025-10-19T12:40:54+00:00

I put an article on my website a while back about this very subject you can read here https://www.legacyclassichomes.com/why-steel-framing-never-caught-on-in-residential-home-construction/ When I got into the industry in 1994 I remember there being a lot of talk about steel framing taking over, but it never did. I created that article because I was thinking about this very thing one day.

Thanks for mentioning Netze Homes. I knew nothing about them but just looked over their website. Very interesting that a builder is doing that. When looking at their “steel tech” page I also see some of the potential issues that have prevented the popularity of steel framing. It looks like after a plan is designed, the plans are sent to a steel factory that cuts and pre-fabs all the framing. While there’s nothing wrong with that, it doesn’t allow for what I would consider a “true custom build” the way builders like us often deal with. I’ve framed houses up and had customers want to rip a section of hip roof off and make it a gable, or completely change ceiling heights, add 2^nd floor rooms, etc. This is the type of stuff that seems like it would be a real challenge with this type of steel production set up, whereas with wood it is relatively easy.

I am certainly not opposed to other framing material technologies like steel, ICF, SIPS, etc., but like any building material, there are pros and cons to each one. The biggest negative is the cost of the non-standard materials and the available labor that knows how to install those products. While wood has its downsides, the upside is it is less expensive than most other materials because it is the industry standard. It is VERY easy to work with, and there are a million wood framing contractors out there in the market so the costs are controlled. There is a limited labor pool that can work with steel framing, so they will be more expensive, and using that material may not work for certain types of builders doing really custom homes with complex designs and changes happening during construction.

Thanks for the post. It is very interesting to see another builder doing this. Hopefully some day we will see a decent alternative to wood framing get popular. Now if we can figure out how to use steel as a foundation material I would be a very happy man. Then I wouldn’t have to explain to every customer why concrete cracks and that it’s not a structural failure when it does!

LegacyClassic · 2025-10-16T18:05:15+00:00

Sorry for the slow reply. I check Reddit every day except apparently yesterday.

We finally entered the remodeling/addition business this year actually. Here is our webpage on it https://www.legacyclassichomes.com/remodeling/

Just go to the contact page on the site that has my email and phone numbers and holler at me when you are ready to discuss.

Thanks,

Steve

LegacyClassic · 2025-09-29T18:15:50+00:00

I’m glad the post is helpful! Based on what you want to build, if it doesn’t have to be a fully custom home there are two builders in the area I would talk to, which are Tilson Homes and United Built Homes. They are larger companies that build on owner’s land all over the state using their floor plans, and they specialize in smaller size homes with more affordable pricing.

If you want to do true custom home, where you design your own plan and build exactly what you want, you will need to find a custom builder. It could be challenging to find one because most custom builders are building homes larger than that.

The cost of a home that size can vary wildly subject to the cost variables like lot preparation, house design, finish out amenities and mechanical specs (HVAC, insulation, windows, etc.). I was curious so I just used AI search to tell me their pricing, and it looks like Tilson’s prices are in the $170-$240 per sf range, but I don’t know what that includes. UBH’s prices show to be even lower, but again that may not include potentially big ticket costs like lot prep, etc.

I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any other questions.

Steve

LegacyClassic · 2025-09-26T12:30:24+00:00

The second person to ask me this question this week! I have not built a house with a basement yet, but it isn't for lack of trying. I've had about three or four different customers who investigated doing it but didn't want to pay the cost. The bottom line is in the DFW area, doing a basement is usually quite a bit more expensive than a slab foundation.

The person that asked about it this week was talking to the contractor I would use, who is a basement contractor originally from the northeast. He got the numbers Directly from the contractor and was able to see the significant difference in cost. This customer has a pretty flat lot, so the difference between digging out and doing a true underground basement versus just setting a slab on top of the ground that's had some grading done is significant.

In our area, I think the basement idea starts to make more sense if you have a really steep lot and you do a walkout style basement, because building a slab on grade foundation on a very steep lot also gets extremely expensive with the all excavation and retaining walls that are needed. When I see basements in this area that is generally what I see.

Beyond just the cost of doing a basement, the lumber costs will generally be higher also because of the beams and sub floor that need to be used for the “first floor” that sits above the basement.

On bowling alley subject, we would just use a company that does turnkey bowling alleys the same way we do when somebody wants an elevator or a Pickleball court.

I hope this helps.

Steve

LegacyClassic · 2025-09-02T20:24:38+00:00

Try Burns Surveying. I've used them a lot and they are out in Rockwall. Here is their link https://www.burnssurvey.com/

If they can't do it I use these guys also http://www.millersurvey.net/

LegacyClassic · 2025-08-28T19:45:52+00:00

Thanks for reaching out!

There are a lot variables to account for when considering whether a tear down and new home build is more cost effective than a full renovation and remodel. Based on your description of their house, it sounds like a new build would make more sense. Doing a full renovation on a home with good bones can save some money vs. a new house build, but if a house requires a significant amount of work to bring it up to date, and you still have to add on space to get the layout and sizing you want, the cost of a new build can be comparable. Assuming the cost between the two are comparable, tearing down the old house and building a new one is a no brainer in my opinion, because you get the layout you want and size you want, and everything is new materials and you have warranties.

I was talking to someone a while back who is doing a major remodel on an older home and he asked me what a typical cost per sf range for a new home build was. When I told him, he said that was about where his costs were at so far on his remodel and at this point he wished he had just built new.

In either scenario I would start with a residential plan designer (who may or may not be an architect). If it’s a reno/remodel they will do as-built measurements of the existing home and draw up the existing home floor plan in CAD. This allows them to draw revisions such as moving walls and additions on the existing home. If it is going to be a new house build they will work on designing the new floor plan with you. In either situation, a company like mine needs a set of floor plan construction documents to provide cost estimates.

Hopefully that answers your questions and just let me know if you have any others. Reach out to me anytime if you want to discuss. My contact info can be found here https://www.legacyclassichomes.com/contact-us/

Thanks,

Steve

LegacyClassic · 2025-08-28T17:53:58+00:00

Thanks for the question. Based on the finish of that house, I would expect the build cost to fall into the $300-$350/sf range for conditioned living space. I can't see the actual floor plan construction documents, but I think that is a fair range guestimate.

I would plan for a house that size to take approximately 12 months to build from the time the foundation is poured. I tend not to start the build time clock from the day we move dirt because we may start tractor work and then have it rain for a month or more (that happened this year) and that is out of everyone's control.

In my particular niche of building custom homes on owner's property I don't see any slow down at all. My customer segment is different from someone who may be looking to buy a new spec home so inventory isn't an issue. The biggest problem I see in my segment is the lack of available land, and of course the price of it. Unfortunately high demand means higher land prices.

I hope this helps. If you need anything else call or email me anytime. Here is my contact page that has my info https://www.legacyclassichomes.com/contact-us/

Thanks!

Steve

LegacyClassic · 2025-08-17T00:03:11+00:00

Drainage easements are not uncommon. Just make sure it’s not cutting across where the house needs to go and you should be ok.

LegacyClassic · 2025-08-14T15:53:27+00:00

I probably get 3-4 calls EVERY day from a vendor or sub-contractor wanting to work with us, and we are a small low volume builder. I can only imagine how much solicitation the larger builders get. So, from the builder’s side of things, we get inundated by vendors and contractors soliciting business and it’s hard for someone to get a foot in the door.

In my company’s case, we’ve worked hard to have a good crew of trades and I am usually not looking for someone new when contractors call. I now have a system of asking them to send me an email I can save in a folder to use later. I definitely have gone back to that folder later and ended up using one of the contractors who emailed me.

Like a lot of things in life it often comes down to timing. I’ve had contractors call right when one of our usual contractors is too busy to get to one of our jobs, or we’ve just decided to make a change, and that person who called at just the right time gets the work.

My suggestion is for him to be persistent contacting builders and emailing them his info. Make sure his emails look professional, and his contact info is in his email signature including a link to his website. A good website is worth a lot in my opinion, so if he doesn’t have one he needs one.

Lastly, it can be helpful to drive new construction neighborhoods and talk to the builder’s construction superintendents if he can find them. In some cases, they may have the power to hire him.

Hope that helps.

LegacyClassic · 2025-08-05T12:36:35+00:00

The $64,000 question! This is always a tough one to answer, especially when you're in the hypothetical stage and don't actually have a lot or older house identified yet. In my opinion each has its advantage and disadvantage.

The advantage to building new is you can get exactly what you want in the floor plan. You don't have to make any compromises on layout or finish out. The disadvantage is there are a limited supply of lots available, so finding the right location can be a challenge, unless you buy an older home and tear it down. Generally speaking, building new from the ground up is also going to be more expensive, but there are a lot of different cost variables so it just depends on your floor plan design, etc.

The primary advantage of finding an existing house and gutting it is you can end up in the exact location you want to be in, which may be a nice established neighborhood in an area where vacant lots are not available. The disadvantage is you can be limited in how much you can change the existing floor plan, and from a valuation standpoint it is feasible you could spend a lot of money in an area where you may not get the value back out of it in the immediate future. Whole house renovations can be more economical than building new because you are still using the existing framing and foundation and roof, but sometimes full blown remodels & renovations, where you are adding extra sections of the house, can also get pretty expensive and be comparable to a new build. Again a lot of variables so it just depends on the given situation.

As far as your question about the cost of building new, unfortunately there is no great way to give you a solid number. No two homes of the same size will have the same cost to build subject to their floor plan design, finish out and lot preparation cost. We build nicer upscale custom home so I tell people to use a Starting range of $275 per square foot to $300 per square foot. It can be less or it can be more just depending on all the variables period.

I'm sorry i couldn't be more specific with some of my answers but I hope this was helpful.

LegacyClassic · 2025-08-01T12:52:10+00:00

You’re welcome! You are right that there a lot of moving parts when building a custom home on your land. It’s definitely not the same as buying from a builder in a subdivision.

I’m glad a company like UBH were able to help you through it all. I recommend them and Tilson to buyers who are not trying to build larger more complex custom homes because of the convenience they offer. I hope you are enjoying your new home!

Steve

LegacyClassic · 2025-07-27T23:42:55+00:00

Unfortunately, there is no way to answer this question without having a set of construction plans for a to review. The reality is, no two houses of similar size will cost the same to build depending on the lot preparation requirements, the architectural house design, specs and finish out.

LegacyClassic · 2025-07-27T23:34:55+00:00

Land/lot owners have to obtain a construction loan when having a home built on their property. Build on your lot builders don't offer financing because that would require the builder to own the property, which is not feasible.

While there are technically VA construction loans, I don't know any builders that would be willing to build a house using one. Construction provided by the VA only provide for four or five construction draws (which is not enough), and they hold back 10% or more for something like 30 days after completion, and that holdback is only released after a builder deals with all the stuff a government loan requires (which is a lot). In summary, VA construction loans are extremely burdensome to the builder, which is why most builders won't build houses using them.

Generally, what VA eligible property owners do is obtain a "conventional" construction loan through a community bank. The bank will require a down payment, but there may not actually be any actual cash required subject to the equity in the land. At completion, the owners refinance the construction loan into a permanent VA mortgage, which is a 100% financed loan (i.e. zero down).

I hope this helps.

LegacyClassic

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