The Best Custom Home Builders in Kentucky

Kentucky has many beautiful luxury homes — and the highly skilled builders to make them. The wealthy and exclusive communities and developments in and around Louisville, the state’s largest metropolitan area, feature high-end homes and sprawling luxury estates with all the upscale details expected of a million-dollar mansion. Lexington, Kentucky’s second city, is also home to many wonderful neighborhoods and communities, where large and intricate, elite residences are the norm. And in these Central Kentucky population centers, as well as in the rest of the Bluegrass State, there is a vast array of home builders and remodelers vying for the next luxury project.

This is a list of the top 15 custom home builders in Kentucky. They are the most experienced, skilled, and decorated residential construction firms in the state. These builders and designers create the largest, most complicated, and most expensive new homes in the region. And, for their hard work and dedication to their craft, they have earned some of the industry’s highest awards.

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.

15) UberGreen Spaces & Homes

9462 Brownsboro Road #197, Louisville, KY 40241

A leading builder of green homes in Kentucky, UberGreen Spaces & Homes is led by Sy Safi. An award-winning designer and builder of green and sustainable structures, Safi is part of a family of builders and developers and learned the business from his father and uncle. He started his eco-friendly building company in 2006, with the goal of constructing innovative, healthy, zero-energy ready, water-efficient green homes in the Louisville area. In 2012 Safi built Kentucky’s first net-zero energy, net-zero water, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum-certified model house. Safi is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati with a degree in civil & environmental engineering. UberGreen Spaces & Homes won the Greater Louisville Chamber of Commerce Health & Wellness Award for 2017.

Safi has built homes in the innovative and upscale Norton Commons development in Prospect, KY. One of Safi’s model homes featured in the community (delete: ’s 2016 home tour) is typical of what his company can achieve. Designed with architect Clive Pohl of Pohl Rosa Pohl, the 3,700-square-foot brick Italianate home has three floors and multiple rooftop garden decks with solar panels. Other green features include non-toxic finishes, a HEPA filtered fresh air system, all-season efficiency for net-zero energy usage, and rainwater collection tanks.

14) Jimmy Nash Homes

102 Mahin Trail, Versailles, KY 40383

This Lexington, KY custom home builder made a notable impression on the Lexington area’s 2017 Grand Tour of Homes sponsored by the Building Industry Association of Central Kentucky (BIA). Jimmy Nash Homes won first-place prizes for kitchen, interior features, lighting, curb appeal, landscaping, floor plan, and more, in both the $685k to $750k and the $1M to $1.4M categories. The firm also won the Best of Houzz awards every year since 2014. A third-generation builder, Jimmy Nash is one of Central Kentucky’s busier home builders, completing about $10M to $12M in new construction each year.

The company was founded by its namesake more than 25 years ago, and it builds mid- to high-end residences throughout greater Lexington and beyond. In fact, they build more custom homes than any other builder in Lexington. Jimmy Nash Homes’ projects can be found in many of Central Kentucky’s more exclusive and upscale enclaves, including the Reserve at Greenbrier, a luxury community with big tree-lined lots and homes ranging from $850k to $1.5M. The residential contractor offers interior design services with every new home. They also pay close attention to energy efficiency, putting each home through a HERS (Home Energy Rating Standard) rating process.

13) Gustin Construction

130 Dudley Road, Suite 195, Edgewood, KY 41017

Home builder and remodeler Gus McKinley founded family-owned Gustin Construction. The residential contractor builds new home and remodel projects throughout Northern Kentucky and greater Cincinnati, including in The Reserve at Rivers Pointe, in Hebron, KY — a development of luxury estates with views of the Ohio River. The company also builds homes in Crestview Hills and Fort Mitchell, KY, and elsewhere. The company has expertise in green building and sustainable design, and they take on commercial jobs in the region.

The home builder is a member of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and the Home Builders Association of Northern Kentucky (HBANK). McKinley is an expert in remodeling and retrofitting residences, so elderly family members can safely stay in their own homes. He was the first NAHB Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist in the greater Cincinnati area. He can custom design a kitchen or bathroom to be accessible to someone in a wheelchair or with limited mobility. Some of his popular aging-in-place modifications include grab bars, roll-in showers, large door openings, adjustable shelving in the closets, emergency call systems, and entrance ramps.

12) Captiva Luxury Homes

120 Pearl Lane, Nicholasville, KY 40356

This residential builder in Kentucky is a family-owned firm with nearly 30 years of experience building beautiful and complex homes. Founded by Rory Dannenberg in Arizona, Captiva Luxury Homes made the move to Central Kentucky’s Bluegrass region a few years ago and has since built several eye-catching and unique homes in the area. The firm builds everything from small homes to luxury estates over 12,000 square feet. The residential contractor’s homes typically range from about $500k to $3M. They have built projects in many styles, including French country, contemporary, Mediterranean, and Tuscan.

Some of the high-end, intricate details and features to be found in the Captiva’s homes include harlequin and Gothic windows, 22-foot cathedral ceilings on a covered porch, custom stone fireplaces, gourmet kitchens, and wonderful wooden beams, arches, corbels, and flooring. The company also takes on home remodeling projects and commercial work. Dannenberg owns the company with his wife and partner, Nikki Dannenberg. Rory is Energy Star certified and a member of the NAHB and the Home Builders Association of Louisville. He has been building homes since 1992 and is a graduate of the University of Arizona School of Architecture.

11) JMJ Construction

PO Box 23081, Owensboro, KY 42304

This custom home builder in Kentucky was founded some 23 years ago by builder and remodeler Rick Bivins. The family-run company builds custom residences throughout the Owensboro area, and Bivins still personally oversees every project. The company has received many awards for its new builds, home designs, and remodeling projects, and it has had homes featured in the region’s annual Parade of Homes.

Over the years, JMJ Construction has won numerous awards for all home sizes in the state of Kentucky. Most recently in 2016 and also 2017, JMJ Construction won each year in all 4 categories that it entered in the Home Builder’s Association of Kentucky’s Design and Remodeling Awards. The categories included homes over 5,000 sq. feet, homes 2,000-3,000 sq. ft., remodels, and additions. A JMJ home was also featured in Kentucky Homes and Gardens Magazine. In 2018, the company won a Readers Choice Award from the Messenger Inquirer — a newspaper serving Western Kentucky. Readers of the publication named JMJ Construction the region’s Platinum Home Builder of the Year. A couple for whom Bivins and his team built a new residence in 2016 have praised the builder for his passion and for being deeply involved in their project and on the job site nearly every day.

10) Bluegrass Fine Homes

260 Walden Way, Nicholasville KY 40356

Bluegrass Fine Homes has built hundreds of homes in Central Kentucky. A native of the Bluegrass State with more than 35 years of experience in the construction trades, Marion Jones founded the home building and remodeling firm in 1996. Jones started out in the construction field when he was in high school. However, he went to work as a supervisor for UPS for many years after graduating from the University of Kentucky with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and management. He could never get the itch to build houses out of his system, so he returned to residential construction and started Bluegrass Fine Homes.

The company now builds new homes and takes on remodeling, major renovations, and home addition projects throughout greater Lexington and Central Kentucky. The firm has won numerous awards from HBA Lexington, including a three-year run of First Place awards from the Greater Lexington Grand Tour of Homes. The company was also the first to win first-place awards in all seven categories during the Grand Tour of Homes.

9) Meridian Construction

11811 Hazelwood Road, Anchorage, KY 40223

Founded by Dave Weis in 2001, Meridian Construction builds high-end homes throughout the the greater Louisville region. Located in Anchorage, one of the Louisville area’s most expensive and desirable neighborhoods, the firm also builds in exclusive upscale communities such as Beech Spring Farm, Glenview, Norton Commons, and Poplar Woods. An Energy Star builder, Weis is dedicated to building energy-efficient green homes with an emphasis on inviting outdoor living spaces, including gorgeous pools.

Meridian Construction is a frequent participant in Louisville’s popular annual Homearama residential showcase event. The firm has won numerous awards for its featured homes, including for Best Interior Trim, Most Innovative Use Of Concrete, Best Kitchen, Best Ceramic Tile, Best Use Of Masonry Product, and Best New Design Feature. Happy clients living in Meridian Construction’s many finished custom homes in Kentucky have praised the firm for its smooth process, high-quality workmanship, professionalism, and deep knowledge of the residential building process. The firm also works on commercial and remodeling jobs, including a recent bed-and-breakfast project.

8) Crawford Builders

110 Ferndale Pass, Lexington, KY 40511

A family-owned, high-end custom home building company, Crawford Builders has been constructing beautiful and long-lasting homes in Central Kentucky for more than 40 years. The firm also works on home remodeling projects and has a team of highly skilled in-house designers, project managers, and contractors. The company has a reputation as one of the elite builders in Bluegrass.

Crawford Builders is an active member of the HBAK, BIA Central Kentucky, and the NAHB. The firm has won numerous awards from these and other groups over its more than four decades of home building in the region. These include multiple Builder of the Year and Remodeler of the Year Awards, as well as awards for historic preservation, new home design, and a Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2017, the firm won an award for Best New Home Design in the $750k to $1M category.

Mac Crawford founded the company in 1978. He learned how to build while growing up on a farm in Kentucky and while serving in Vietnam. A true family affair, Mac’s wife, Terri Crawford, is a designer with the firm, and his son, Chip Crawford, came on as a partner in the 1990s.

7) Atchison Heller Construction

3399 Tates Creek Road, Suite 210, Lexington, KY 40502

This award-winning, upscale Kentucky custom home builder constructs new homes, remodels, and commercial projects throughout Central Kentucky. Owner John Atchison is a longtime construction industry veteran and a Lexington native. He graduated from Centre College with a bachelor’s degree in economics and business management. Co-owner Steve Heller graduated from the University of Kentucky (UK). He worked in floors and interiors before joining the company in 1997. Austin Heller, also a UK grad, is the company’s project manager for remodeling and custom homes, and he is a member of the Remodeler’s Council of the HBAL.

The residential contractor has won many awards from the HBAL, including Best Whole House Renovation Over $500k. The construction company has frequently participated in Central Kentucky’s annual Grand Tour of Homes. For the 2016 event in Lexington, the company featured a wonderful, high-tech new home filled with gorgeous hardwoods. The home features three stone fireplaces, a bar, a spiral staircase with an iron wine rack, and an amazing master bath with heated floors.

6) Artisan Signature Homes

10636 Meeting Street, Prospect, KY 40059

Louisville custom home contractor Jason Black founded Artisan Signature Homes after more than 13 years with award-winning local builder Stonecroft Homes, where he was a founder and managing partner. Black has a bachelor’s degree in business administration and an MBA from Bellarmine University. A local building industry veteran and leader, he has served on the boards of directors of the BIA Greater Louisville and the elite Southern Living Custom Building Program, of which Artisan is a member. Black has built more than 100 homes throughout the greater Louisville area.

Artisan Signature Homes’ projects typically range from $400k to $2M and can be found in upscale neighborhoods, such as Norton Commons, Valley View, and Glenview Park. The company has had homes featured in the annual Homearama event sponsored by BIA Louisville. In 2016 it won the event’s First Place Favorite Builder honor for a 6,000-square-foot, four-bedroom, six-bathroom home in Norton Commons. The home features a great-room with a 22-foot ceiling and a 10-foot sliding glass door that leads to a patio, as well as a wraparound front porch overlooking a park.

5) Cutter Construction

4209 Alexandria Pike, Cold Spring, KY 41076

Founded by Jim Cutter in 1993, Cutter Construction builds houses in all price ranges throughout Northern Kentucky and greater Cincinnati. The company also takes on remodeling and commercial construction projects throughout the region. Cutter is one of the leading lights of Northern Kentucky’s home building scene. He has served as president of both HBANK and HBAK. He is a graduate of Northern Kentucky University with a degree in construction management and participated in the HBANK apprenticeship program. Cutter Construction has received more than 300 industry awards for its new home and remodeling projects.

The firm builds in many different communities and in all price ranges, from under $200k to more than $1M, in communities such as the Estates of Wiedemann Mansion in Newport, KY. Cutter Construction has several times won the HBANK Builder of the Year Award. In 2016 the company also won the group’s Design Award for new home 3,000 to 5,000 square feet. In 2017 the contractor won the Remodeler of the Year Award from the Building Industry Association of Northern Kentucky. Cutter Construction has an A+ rating with the BBB and has won the Torch Award for Ethics.

4) Stonecroft Homes

5932 Timber Ridge Drive, Suite 202, Prospect, KY 40059

Stonecroft Homes is one of the Louisville area’s leading high-end residential contractors. President David P. Lutes has a master’s degree in engineering from the University of Louisville and is a graduate of General Electric’s prestigious Technical Leadership Program. He developed an appreciation for home building in his teens while helping his brother remodel homes, and he started his own firm after working for GE for a decade.

The company is a member of the Southern Living Custom Builder Program and builds upscale residences and luxury estates throughout Oldham County, Shelby County, and Southern Indiana. The firm’s million-dollar-plus mansions can be found in exclusive communities, such as Poplar Woods, Glenview Park, Equestrian Lakes, and Harrods Glen, where one of its spectacular luxury homes has an indoor tennis court. Stonecroft Homes has participated in the region’s Homearama event many times, showcasing its exquisite properties built in various styles, including Queen Anne, Georgian, Craftsman, and contemporary.

3) Padgett Construction Inc.

1501 Nicholasville Road, Lexington, KY 40503

So respected are this residential builder’s skills that the company got the job to renovate the only Frank Lloyd Wright house in Kentucky — a Prairie-style house built in 1910 in Frankfort for the Rev. Jesse R. Zeigler. Tom Padgett, a graduate of UK, founded the company in 1984 and has built and remodeled more than 400 homes in greater Lexington. Partner Chris Peoples, also a graduate of UK, has worked for the company for more than 30 years. Third partner Greg Padgett, a graduate of Auburn University with a degree in construction management, is a second-generation builder with a lifetime in the trade.

The company has received many awards from local Lexington and Kentucky state builders groups, including 15 Outstanding Project of the Year Awards for new homes and seven for remodeling and historic renovations. Better Homes & Gardens has named the company one of “America’s Best Builders,” and Custom Home Magazine included it among the Top 15 Custom Home Builders in the US. The firm was selected for Southern Living Magazine’s prestigious custom builder program. Their work has been featured in Kentucky Home & Gardens and Builder|Architect, and the company was profiled for the 2016 third edition of the Luxe Interior + Design book The Luxury of Home.

2) P.L. Lyons Architectural Builders

11503 Main Street, Louisville, KY 40243

Custom home contractor Perry Lyons has more than 40 years of experience in the greater Louisville building industry. Together with partners Ben Robbins and Adam Gallagher, P.L. Lyons Architectural Builders constructs upscale homes and remodel jobs throughout greater Louisville, including in Douglas Hills, Lake Forest, Fox Run, and Poplar Woods.

Lyons is a past president of both the Greater Louisville BIA and the HBA of Louisville, and he chairs a committee for the HBAK. Robbins is an architect and graduate of the Savannah College of Art and Design. He has been in the building industry for more than 15 years and focuses on high-end residential design. Gallagher is a licensed contractor with a degree from Carnegie Mellon University and has served as on the board of the greater Louisville BIA.

The firm works with its clients throughout the home-building process, from lot selection to design to construction. Every year the firm participates in the Louisville area’s Homearama showhouse event. In 2017 the company had three homes featured on the tour in Poplar Woods, and in 2016 they showed two homes in Norton Commons.

1) Wolford Built Homes

7804 Springfarm Glen Drive, Prospect, KY 40059

Tennessee custom home builder Ron Wolford has built or remodeled more than 700 luxury properties in greater Louisville. Founded in 1974, Wolford Built Homes constructs high-end homes and estates in some of the area’s most exclusive and upscale communities in Central Kentucky. Their homes can be found in Indian Hills, Anchorage, and in Prospect’s Spring Farm, where the median home price is over $1M.

Wolford’s homes have been featured on the MTV show Cribbs, and in magazines such as Kentucky Homes & Garden, Sophisticated Living Magazine, and Luxury Home Quarterly. The firm frequently wins local awards for its work, including the 2016 HBAL President’s Grand Award for New Construction and Grand Award for Remodeling Design for Whole House Remodel. Wolford grew up in the industry and learned the trade from his father while working for the family construction company. He graduated from Western Kentucky University with a degree in business.

How can I find a contractor or home builder near me?

Read our latest articles on the best residential contractors and home builders in and near Kentucky. If you don’t see your city or project type below, just let us know – we are happy to create a tailored recommendation list just for you.

Custom home builders in Lexington

Custom home builders in Louisville

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.