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The Best Custom Home Builders in San Mateo, California

13 Min Read

Last updated on May 27th, 2024 at 10:54 am

Located in the San Francisco Bay Area, San Mateo is surrounded by beaches, national parks, historic buildings, and a number of entertainment options. Though a suburb, the city has extremely urban areas and many of the perks of big-city life. If you’re looking to build your dream home in San Mateo, read this list of the best custom home builders in the city.

Our team evaluated these firms based on the quality of their projects, the awards, and recognition they have received, their industry affiliations, the tenor of their customer reviews, and the number of years they have been in business. These builders have repeatedly demonstrated their expertise in custom home building and have constructed some of the most beautiful homes in and around the city.

If you are thinking about building a custom home, we recommend checking each builder’s license with the local licensing board, speaking to past clients, and using our bidding system to get competitive quotes from at least 3 contractors. Getting multiple bids is the best way to ensure you get a fair price and that bids include the complete scope of work.


BayWorks Construction, Inc.

P.O. Box 301, San Mateo, CA 94401

Established in 1991, BayWorks Construction has provided clients in Hillsborough, Burlingame, San Mateo, Pacifica, Half Moon Bay, and San Francisco with excellent home improvement services, from ground-up construction to kitchen and bathroom remodeling. Since its inception, the firm has built and established relationships with architects and interior designers as well as the city’s building departments, which guarantees clients a seamless construction experience.

One of the firm’s notable projects is this contemporary cape cod home. Among the beautiful features of this property are its white columns and pristine garden. Its interiors feature white crown moldings and wainscoting, as well as a vaulted ceiling. It also features a private backyard with an expansive lawn, a gas fire pit, and an outdoor kitchen and barbecue area.


Steve Nazzal Construction, Inc.

1815 Cabana Dr., San Jose, CA 95125

Well-versed in luxury custom home building, Steve Nazzal Construction has brought decades of quality construction experience to numerous custom home projects throughout Silicon Valley. Since 1988, the firm has provided professional custom home building and remodeling services to clients,  combining expertise in old-world craftsmanship and attention to detail.

One of the firm’s most impressive projects is an East Coast-style custom home that features elegant, traditional, and sophisticated details. The home’s exterior consists of white bricks and a gorgeous wood garage door. Meanwhile, its interior features a beautiful fireplace and hardwood flooring. It also has a stunning kitchen with an impressive island, white cabinets and countertops, and black wood ceiling beams that match the black-framed windows throughout the home.


Pacific Coast Builders

3207 Los Prados St., San Mateo, CA 94403

Pacific Coast Builders’ mission is to provide superior service and superb craftsmanship to clients in San Mateo County. The company puts a premium on using quality building materials to deliver uncompromising standards in each project. Joe Romeo, the company’s founder, has over 30 years of building experience, helping the company earn great reviews from its many satisfied clients. In addition to its custom home building services, the firm performs full home remodels, kitchen and bathroom remodels, tenant improvements, additions, and commercial construction services, among others.

The company’s portfolio demonstrates a preference for Mediterranean and modern when it comes to home styles. Among its many beautiful projects is this Mediterranean home with beautiful clay roof tiles, a gorgeous wooden garage and front door, and innovative landscaping. 


Clapper Construction, Inc.

821 Nevada Ave., San Mateo, CA 94402

San Mateo-based Clapper Construction is a design-build firm that has been serving clients since 1976. Wayne Clapper, founder of the company, accumulated many years of experience in the construction industry prior to starting Clapper Construction. This experience led the firm to produce first-class custom homes in the San Francisco Peninsula.

Among its many striking projects is this modern home with concrete exteriors, plenty of floor-to-ceiling windows, and accordion-style glass doors. The interior features an open-concept layout, beautiful hardwood flooring, a white-and-gray color palette, and a luxurious bathroom. A massive deck consisting of numerous seating areas also connects to the house, acting as an extension of the home’s living and dining area.


Alftin Construction, Inc.

2995 Woodside Rd. Suite #400-550, Woodside, CA 94062

Family-owned Alftin Construction specializes in new home construction and remodeling services throughout the Bay Area. In business for more than three decades, the firm has successfully completed numerous custom estate homes and complex remodels. The firm handles a select number of projects annually to ensure the quality of these homes and to make sure that each gets the attention it deserves. Additionally, the firm specializes in energy-efficient homes, home additions, multigenerational homes, pool house design and construction, home restoration, and accessory dwelling units.

In 2016, Alftin completed this contemporary transitional custom home with shingle siding and stone accents that ran from the home’s exterior to the pool area. The mountain-style home’s interior features an open-concept floor plan with dark hardwood flooring, brown walls, a vaulted ceiling, and a contemporary wood fireplace. 


Wilkinson Construction

206 14th Ave., San Mateo, CA 94402

Wilkinson Construction is a general building and general engineering contractor serving clients in San Mateo, Hillsborough, Burlingame, Atherton, Palo Alto, and the surrounding areas. Founded in 1990, the firm has built a team of construction experts and artisans that delivers quality services for all types of projects. It has a sister company, Wilkinson Preservation, Inc., which handles repairs and renovations.

Among the company’s many notable projects is a stunning modern home in Portola Valley. The 6,543-square-foot home features concrete and wood elements throughout the exterior of the property. Inside the home features a number of sliding glass doors that open up to beautiful outdoor living areas. The home also boasts of an indoor gym, a pool, and a spacious outdoor seating area.


Bay West Builders

1500 Tacoma Way, Redwood City, CA 94063

For over 20 years Bay West Builders has honed its skills in custom home building. The firm’s mission is to deliver the highest quality homes for its Peninsula clients and build long-standing relationships with them. In its many years in business, the firm has developed a reputation for its keen attention to detail and streamlined home building process tailored to suit disparate client schedules and lifestyles.

In a joint venture with JLS Design, Bay West constructed the Eichler Revisited residence. The exterior of the home features channel Redwood siding. Floor-to-ceiling glass walls surround the property, providing the homeowners with picturesque views and uninterrupted indoor-outdoor space.


Bay Area Custom Homes

611 Industrial Rd. Suite #1, San Carlos, CA 94070

With more than 25 years in the construction business, Bay Area Custom Homes founder Jason Skinner has helped clients build their dream homes. The San Carlos-based firm is dedicated to delivering timeless craftsmanship and attention to detail. The firm is conversant with a number of home styles, including modern, Tudor, traditional, farmhouse and contemporary, Bay Area Custom Homes has shown its expertise and versatility in custom home building.

In 2017, Bay Area Custom Homes constructed this Modern Coastside Retreat. In a joint venture with Aleck Wilson Architects, the company built this incredible contemporary home featuring integrated color smooth stucco exterior and sliding. Interior features of the home include an open-concept floor plan with an overhead clerestory and a custom, board formed concrete fireplace surround. Wooden elements are also found throughout the home, from its engineered oak hardwood flooring to the custom-built staircase with storage and a unique elevated platform bed. 


SPE Construction

1700 S El Camino Real Suite #100, San Mateo, CA 94402

Specializing in high-end residential new construction and renovation, SPE Construction has built a reputation for its meticulous custom workmanship. The company’s team has decades of construction experience, which has helped the firm build a track record of producing high-quality projects. Paul Yu, president and founder of the company, has almost three decades of experience in real estate construction. Together with his team of qualified construction professionals, the company provides Bay Area clients with outstanding results and cost-effective solutions.

One of the SPE’s most notable projects is a 6,500-square-foot custom home in Hillsborough. In a joint venture with J.C. Engineering, the firm constructed this gorgeous home with six bedrooms, five full and one-half bathrooms, and a powder room. It also features elegant hardwood flooring and a grand spiral staircase.


RC Wehmeyer | Design | Build

1204 Burlingame Ave. Suite #7, Burlingame, CA 94010

RC Wehmeyer | Design | Build is one of the most reputable design-build firms in California; it has been serving Burlingame, Hillsborough, and San Mateo clients since 2011. Founder Rob Wehmeyer has over 20 years of construction and design experience. He launched the company with a singular mission: help clients reimagine their homes. Wehmeyer is also a member of the American Institute of Building Design and is involved in all aspects of the business. Whether the project starts at the planning stage or the construction phase, RC Wehmeyer | Design | Build provides reliable and affordable plans that are tailored for each client.

In the Baywood Neighborhood, the company performed a major interior and exterior design-build service for a modern farmhouse home. The home’s exterior features white siding with dark blue decorative shutters. Meanwhile, all-white kitchen cabinets and a subway tile backsplash provide a pleasing contrast against black countertops, which provide the space with a modern yet traditional feel. Multi-tone hardwood floors were also used throughout the home.


JPM Construction

151 W 3rd Ave. Suite #1, San Mateo, CA 94402

JPM Construction delivers exceptional full-service construction work throughout Atherton, Menlo Park, Portola Valley, and the surrounding mid-peninsula areas. The company’s focus on high-quality craftsmanship has earned the company numerous five-star reviews from its many satisfied clients. JPM Construction prides itself on its open lines of communication and its attention to detail, all of which results in seamless and stunning projects. From additions and large-scale, full-home remodels to ground-up custom home construction projects, the firm has consistently delivered superb work.

In Atherton, JPM Construction built a modern industrial home in collaboration with Jim Maliksi & Associates. Grey concrete, wood trip siding, and plenty of glass windows can be found on its exterior. Interior features of the home include beautiful hardwood flooring, a spacious kitchen with gray cabinets, marble kitchen countertops, two kitchen islands, and a huge master bath with a soaking tub. Sliding glass doors lead to a cozy indoor-outdoor seating area.


Gehrels Custom Homes

2453 Palm Ave., Redwood City, CA 94061

Gehrels Custom Homes is a family-owned and operated company that specializes in custom home building, remodeling, and extensive renovations in the Bay Area. Jason, owner of the Redwood-based firm, has over four decades of construction experience, and although the firm was established just in 2013, many clients rave about Gehrels Custom Homes’ services. Since then, it has completed numerous projects, with home styles ranging from craftsman to villa and costing $50,000 to $8 million.

One of the company’s notable projects is the Del Monte House in San Mateo. The home features an open-concept floor plan with light hardwood flooring, a massive eat-in kitchen island, blue-gray cabinets, and a white backsplash. It also features a vaulted ceiling with white porch ceilings and skylights in the kitchen and dining area. Other impressive features include exposed ceiling beams and a sliding barn door in the master’s bedroom.


Kasten Builders

3419 Regatta Blvd., Richmond, CA 94804

Kasten Builders focuses on creating long-standing relationships with its clients. Since its inception in 1972, the company has impressed clients with its superior craftsmanship, project management, and efficient communication. Among the specialties of the company is building modern, high-end, and contemporary smart homes throughout the San Francisco Bay area. Though the firm’s projects have been mostly located in Tiburon, Belvedere, Mill Valley, and San Francisco, the company now serves Alameda county. Throughout the years, Kasten Builders has amassed awards and recognition, including the American Institute of Architects Award for its Two Way House project. The firm has also been featured in Design for Living Magazine and Marin Home Magazine.

In San Mateo, Kasten constructed a stunning industrial home featuring a gray exterior, glass doors and windows, and a spacious deck with an outdoor grill and dining area. The modern and minimalist home also features light-colored hardwood floors with darker-colored cabinets and a modern brick fireplace. Skylights provide natural lighting in many parts of the home, most notably in the kitchen and hallway.


Sigura Construction

1300 Memorex Dr., Santa Clara, CA 95050

With more than 25 years of experience in the industry, Sigura Construction is one of the top general contracting companies serving the areas of Santa Clara, San Mateo, and San Francisco. The family-owned and operated company provides interior and exterior remodels, custom home ground-up construction, residential and commercial additions, multi-unit projects, and fire and water damage repair services. For eleven consecutive years, the firm has received the Diamond Certified award, given to general contractors that rate the highest in quality in a detailed customer satisfaction study. The firm is also a member of notable industry organizations like the Better Business Bureau, NARI, and more.

Among Sigura’s most impressive projects is this Palo Alto New England-style home. It features custom molding, four-layer crown molding, high ceilings, a two-car detached garage, and a full outdoor kitchen. This 5,200-square-foot property was completed on time and on budget.


Tracery Professional Builders, Inc.

251 E Hacienda Ave. Unit C, Campbell, CA 95008

Campbell-based firm Tracery Professional Builders is a full-service residential remodeling and custom home construction company serving clients in the South Francisco Bay Area. Since its founding in 2000, the company has built a reputation for the long-term durability of its projects as well as the impressive expertise its team has demonstrated. Mark Macdonald, Owner and President, has degrees in Construction Management, Structural Engineering, and Architecture. This vast background has enabled the company to deliver well-crafted projects, which have earned highly positive reviews from satisfied clients. Additionally, Tracery Professional Builders is a member of NARI, BBB, USGBC, and the National Kitchen and Bath Association, and is certified with Passive House Institute U.S.

One of the company’s notable projects is this contemporary craftsman home in Atherton. Designed by Stan Hindman, the structure features wood and iron elements with glass and steel accents throughout. Its interior consists of beautiful hardwood flooring, glass stairs and walkway, vaulted ceilings, a massive eat-in kitchen, and a two-sided fireplace.


How can I find a home builder near me?

Read our latest articles on the best custom home builders near San Mateo. If you don’t see your city below, just let us know – we are happy to create a tailored recommendation list just for you.

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About Our Rankings

This list takes a range of ranking criteria into consideration, including but not limited to: work history, customer satisfaction, awards and recognition, geographic area of work, cost, building permits, and clientele. We spent over 40 hours researching local contractors before calculating the final ranking for this post. If there is additional information about your business that could affect these rankings, please fill out this form and we will take it into consideration


Get Bids For Your Build

If you are thinking about building a custom home, we recommend checking each builder’s license with the local licensing board, speaking to past clients, and using our bidding system to get competitive quotes from at least 3 contractors. Getting multiple bids is the best way to ensure you get a fair price and that bids include the complete scope of work.

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