The Best Custom Home Builders in San Diego, California

Last updated on August 28th, 2024 at 12:59 am

Building a custom home in San Diego, CA, can be a thrilling yet daunting. San Diego’s building codes and regulations are specific and must be adhered to, requiring a contractor who understands local requirements. Additionally, they often have established relationships with local suppliers and subcontractors, which can streamline the project and lower costs. The city’s vibrant real estate market offers diverse opportunities, but selecting the right custom home builder is crucial to ensure a smooth and successful project. On average, a residential construction project in San Diego can range between $50,000 and $250,000. High-end projects can soar to $350,000 or more, depending on size, design complexity, and materials. With construction timelines stretching up to 25 weeks, even minor setbacks can significantly impact costs and schedules, making the choice of contractor even more critical.

San Diego, with its population of approximately 1.381 million residents and a median home value of $999,900, is a bustling hub of residential construction. The city boasts a plethora of construction professionals, with 208 contractors registered for residential projects, according to the local building department. This wealth of options can be overwhelming, making it essential to discern which builders have the expertise and reputation to deliver quality results. A well-chosen contractor ensures the realization of your dream home and helps avoid the pitfalls of shoddy workmanship, hidden costs, and extended timelines.

Finding a reliable contractor is a critical first step for those seeking to create a custom home in San Diego. Over the past two years, the average cost per square foot for construction projects has been $5,379.84, reflecting the city’s high standards and demand for quality craftsmanship. Our curated list of top home builders in San Diego will help you navigate this complex landscape and bring your vision to life.

Overview: The Best Custom Home Builders in San Diego, California

See Ranking Methodology at the bottom of this article to learn more.

Wardell Builders 

649 Valley Ave. Suite A, Solana Beach, CA 92075

Homes should represent homeowners and the lifestyle they choose to live, and Wardell Builders builds distinct homes that do just that. Terry Wardell has found his true passion in homebuilding. Together with his team, he has had the opportunity to construct some of the most challenging yet gratifying homes in Southern California. The stellar work done by Wardell Builders has brought the firm dozens of awards from numerous associations, including the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and the Building Industry Association (BIA). Publications such as San Diego Home/Garden magazine, Lifestyles magazine, Ranch & Coast magazine, and Tuscan Style magazine have featured Wardell Builders recently.  

This Craftsman-style home in La Jolla Cove exudes a warm, cozy atmosphere. A cobblestone fireplace welcomes you. Accordion doors gently guide you to the spacious backyard, where you can enjoy the natural scenery and relax in the rustic outdoor gazebo constructed with willow and cedar.

Smith Brothers Construction 

444 S Cedros Ave. Suite 170, Solana Beach, CA 92075

High-quality homes with a touch of elegance have set Smith Brothers Construction apart since its inception. Under the leadership of Jeff and Cheryl Smith, Smith Brothers Construction has become a premier design/build firm in California.

From interior designs, to exterior designs, to construction, clients can expect a professional team to handle their needs. The firm’s projects and consistent quality of work have caught the eye of publications including Beautiful & Dutiful magazine, LUXE Interiors+Design, and San Diego Home/Garden. The BBB accredits this custom home builder in San Diego, CA.

This lovely Modern Colonial home in La Jolla, California, looks grand yet also exudes the simplicity of modern colonial homes. The home’s exterior features a pleasing combination of white and red exterior, perfect complementing the spacious home inside. The plan was to create a home that suited California’s stunning landscapes while accommodating the homeowners’ daily needs, and the Smith Brothers team succeeded.

Mulvey Builders 

2120 Jimmy Durante Blvd. Del Mar, CA 92014

Mulvey Builders collaborates with the finest architects and designers to build a client’s dream home. Douglas Mulvey and Kevin Mulvey have led the firm.  The firm typically handles projects ranging from $20k to $1 million, tackling home remodels and custom home builds.

Their portfolio highlights the team’s versatility when it comes to home designs. They have built homes from contemporary to coastal, to modern to Asian contemporary. Here, you can see one of their Mediterranean homes in Santa Luz. The home offers a spacious yard for the pool area. It also has an outdoor fireplace where guests can gather during the soft San Diego evenings. 

Flagg

1014 Ninth St., Coronado, CA 92118

Flagg was built to address the growing demand for nautically inspired homes in Coronado. Founder John O’Brien was inspired by the “coastal” homes abundant in New England and brought this home style to the surf-lapped coast of San Diego.

Flagg has built more than 30 beautiful homes in the San Diego area and surrounding areas. With projects ranging from $1 million to $3 million, Flagg Coastal Homes has built a solid reputation in home building through the outstanding quality of its work. 

One of its projects in San Diego, California, was featured in the 2014 Coastal Living magazine. The home gives the clients a panoramic view of San Diego Bay. The picturesque coastal home was Flagg’s signature project in 2014. It includes French doors, crown molding, vaulted ceilings, and a beautiful wrapped-around deck—a perfect way to enjoy a view of the bay and marvel at California’s natural scenery.

Grunow Construction 

1121 Torrey Pines Rd. La Jolla, CA 92037

Tom Grunow comes from a family of home builders, and he can truly say he has a lifelong commitment to the industry. He certainly has been building show-stopper homes in California. With his team at Grunow Construction behind him, Tom is slowly rebuilding the neighborhood with durable, gorgeous homes.

Whether it’s a simple home remodel or a custom home, Grunow Construction treats each project with the same amount of professionalism. For the past several years, its projects have been recognized and given awards such as Bathroom of the Year, Best Contractor of the Year, and a Construction Award. This custom home in La Jolla combines a Spanish Mediterranean home design, providing amenities and interior design that perfectly complements the exterior. 

NAU Builders 

7529 Draper Ave. Suite A, La Jolla, CA 92037

For the years since he first opened his firm’s doors, Ron Nau has cracked the code for luxury home buildings. Prior to founding his own firm, Ron worked for Angel Construction, a jack-of-all-trades company. He honed his skills during this time, working but also meditating on ways to improve building practices for luxury estates.

Thus, today, NAU Builders offers clients a selection of services, from historic home remodels to custom homes and, of course, green building practices. The firm incorporates building techniques that will help sustain the environment, and that’s why it’s a LEED Green Associate, an EPA Lead-Safe Certified Firm, and a member of the US Green Building Council.

This stunning Tudor-cottage-style home in Coronado, CA, was featured in the July issue of San Diego Home/Garden magazine. The exterior beautifully displays exposed woodwork, a true Tudor trademark. Pergola arches accompany an outdoor pool. Playful colors give a fresh look to an otherwise traditional Tudor.

Daley Custom Homes 

2683 via De La Valle Suite G-146, Del Mar, CA 92014

Daley Custom Homes has been among the leading luxury home builders in the San Diego-Del Mar area. Unsurprisingly, the firm has been the contractor of choice for many who want to remodel or build the home of their dreams. Jeff Daley, a 5th generation San Diegan, grew up alongside the construction industry. The San Diego Daily Transcript recognized his knowledge in home building, which named him “Most Influential” in the industry.

The firm has completed and sold over $250 million of real estate, including celebrity estates. The firm offers custom homes ranging from $1 million to $5 million, depending on the client’s needs and requests. The firm’s portfolio highlights the variety of home styles Daley Custom provides, including homes that are durable and pleasing to the eye.

This project is located in Via Del Charro, Rancho Santa Fe, an hour’s drive from San Diego. The home boasts a Mediterranean-Spanish-inspired design. The intricate backyard ornamentation generates a gracious backdrop for dinner parties and gatherings.

GDC Construction 

1031 Silverado St., La Jolla, CA 92037

GDC Construction has been gracefully transforming the surf-lapped beaches of San Diego. In 2008, Pancho Dewhurst was allowed to lead GDC’s professional team. Pancho grew up side-by-side with his family’s construction business. His interest in homebuilding grew, and he honed this talent. He graduated from the University of San Diego with a degree in Fine Arts; then, he traveled to Florence, Italy, where his passion for home building and design came to fruition. This custom home builder in San Diego has multiple Best of Houzz Awards, as seen on their profile from Houzz.

GDC offers a wide range of services, from small-scale remodels to high-end custom homes. Typical projects range from $100k to $5 million. GDC’s portfolio repeatedly showcases both sharp expertise and playful creativity in a variety of home designs.

This stunning home in La Jolla is featured. Behind a simple façade is a grand custom-built home, complete with cutting-edge amenities, and the building is composed of native materials. A stunning pool and a spacious tennis court encourage both robust activity and much-needed relaxation.

Jackson Design and Remodeling 

4797 Mercury St., San Diego, CA 92111

Over  29 years, Jackson Design and Remodeling (JDR) has been awarded over 140 awards, accreditations, and memberships, making it one of the best home builders in San Diego. The firm was recently named one of San Diego’s 100 Fastest Growing Privately Held Companies, and JDR is continuously proving that it is a contractor of choice for San Diegans. The company is led by Todd R. Jackson, who has more than two decades of experience in home building and construction. This home builder in San Diego was featured in an article from the Wall Street Journal.

Their portfolio highlights luxury homes and comfortable living spaces, including everything from modern homes to intricate Sicilian-style homes. The firm offers a wide range of services from $5k to $1 million. 

Gracious, elegant, and relaxing: these words describe the Sicilian-inspired home featured below. JDR allotted a place for recreational activities and a place where they can invite guests for small gatherings. The homeowner’s Sicilian roots were a priority in design, and the team executed the plan brilliantly. The outdoor kitchen, the wine tasting room, the greenhouse, the garden, and other amenities make for a generous, inviting, and warm home.

Eco Minded Solutions 

9466 Black Mountain Rd. Suite 210, San Diego, CA 92126

Eco-friendly homes without compromising the quality and grandiosity of homes: that was the goal of Josh Rosenthal, Barry Thau, and David Milton when they started Eco Minded Solutions. And the team succeeded. The firm has been featured in publications like San Diego Home/Garden and Del Mar Lifestyle. Television has also saluted their work, including HGTV, CNN iReport, and KUSI News, to name a few. 

In 2017, the Eco Minded team built this Mediterranean-inspired haven just 30 minutes outside San Diego. Its owners enjoy and share with their guests the outdoor activity with indoor pleasure the home is so elegantly designed to generate. The home is valued at $1.5 million. 

Charco Design Build 

11585 Sorrento Valley Rd. Suite 104, San Diego, CA 92121

Founder Armando Flores believes everyone deserves the home of their dreams despite space, architecture, and budget constraints.  With 20 years of experience in home building, he founded Charco Design Build to deliver the better homes he knew he could build.

With a wide selection of home styles, Charco Design Build ensures top-notch quality and beauty. In recent years, Charco has received awards and citations from Ranch & Coast magazine, San Diego Home/Garden magazine, and LUXE Interiors+Design magazine. Not only are his homes award-winning, but one of Armando’s custom-built kitchens is featured regularly on “Sam the Cooking Guy,” a San Diego television staple. 

Charco Design Build’s project brings the beach to this home in Rancho Santa Fe. This modern masterpiece was completed in 2018, and it is a home projected at $500k. It features an all-white exterior and a combination of white, glass, and wood for the interior. Coastal-inspired, soft colors were employed inside the home to add a distinctive texture. Glass sliding doors lead to a relaxing pool with an open view of nature.

Streamline Development 

124 ½ East Cliff St. Unit C-4, Solana Beach, CA 92075

Paul Spadone has come a long way since his teenage years, which he spent restoring racing yachts. He has since mastered the nuts and bolts of home remodeling, and today, Streamline Development is one of the leading firms in the Solana Beach area. 

Streamline Development’s projects range from $50k to $2 million for custom homes. Its portfolio highlights outstanding works, from simple home remodels to high-end custom homes, and includes a wide variety of styles and amenities. 

A contemporary home in La Jolla captures modern beach vibes with clean, modern lines juxtaposed against a green landscape. The result: a pleasantly blurred line between indoor comfort and outdoor activity. This project was valued at $1.5 million.

J Walsh Construction 

3065 Rosecrans Place, Suite 206, San Diego, CA 92110

J Walsh Construction retains a team of experts who are working towards a better way of life for San Diegans. As a child, Jon Walsh was surrounded by architectural design and construction. He was fascinated with building, and he honed his skills by working with different European craftspeople. He opened J Walsh Construction after moving to San Diego.

J Walsh Construction is known as a premier contractor in the area. In the February issue of LUXE Interior+Design magazine, they featured Jon Walsh as he talked about the trends in home building for 2017. J Walsh Construction handles small remodeling projects from $15k to custom high-end homes to $1.5 million.

This stunning home in La Jolla, CA, features a sleek and modern design.  Situated toward the peak of Mt. Soledad, this home’s luxury feature is its stunning view. J Walsh Construction included 15 skylights that provide generous amounts of sunlight, moonlight, and starlight.

Both Well Inc.

1298 Prospect St. 2G, La Jolla, CA 92037

Both Well Inc. is a family-owned business founded on a commitment to quality design, attention to detail, and priority for client needs. Founders Matt Bothwell and Thayer Flynn are 3rd generation builders from San Diego. Twelve years in the industry has refined their skills,  and they’ve gone from small-scale projects to projects amounting to $1M.

The firm has been awarded the 2018 Gold Nugget Award of Merit and the 2017 San Diego Architectural Foundation Orchid Award. Bothwell works on diverse styles, including modern, contemporary, Craftsman, and Spanish. Featured below: a Spanish Mediterranean-style home 13 miles outside San Diego. The home is valued at $4.6 million with a total of 5500  square feet. 

Ranking Methodology

To evaluate the performance of builders, our methodology employs a systematic approach that considers various factors contributing to customer experience and satisfaction. We focused on assessing the custom home builders in the San Diego, California area. The methodology involves assigning weightings to specific categories based on their significance in determining customer service quality. Here’s the breakdown of the categories and their respective weightings:

• Average Customer Satisfaction (35%): This metric represents the average rating given by customers across the same review platforms as the Average Customer Satisfaction Score. A higher average rating indicates greater overall satisfaction with the service provided.
• Service Rating Score (25%): We analyze the ratio of high (4-5 stars) to low (1-2 stars) ratings for each business across multiple review platforms: Google, Houzz, and Yelp. A higher percentage of positive reviews contributes to a higher score, reflecting better customer satisfaction.
• Complaint Percentage (25%): We analyze the ratio of complaints to total reviews for each business. A lower complaints ratio indicates better service quality and results in a higher score.
• Business Hours and Availability (10%): The operating hours of each business are assessed to gauge accessibility. Companies with extended operating hours are awarded a higher score, as they offer greater convenience to customers.
• License Status (5%): We verify the licensing status of each contractor with their local licensing board to ensure legal compliance. Companies with valid licenses receive a higher score, reflecting professionalism and adherence to regulations.
• Total Score: We determined the overall rating for every contractor by calculating a weighted average, with the category weight determining the amount the subscore contributed to the total score 

Additional Note: Service Rating Score, Average Customer Satisfaction, and Complaint Percentage are calculated with a Bayesian estimate to account for if the contractor has a low number of total reviews. A Bayesian average is a statistical method used to calculate the average of a set of data points while taking into account prior information or beliefs about the distribution of the data. It combines the observed data with a prior distribution to generate a more accurate estimate of the true average.