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The Best Custom Home Builders in Louisiana

17 Min Read

Louisiana is home to diverse historic architecture, from stately Southern mansions, to charming New Orleans cottages, to French Acadian estates. While there is so much history and soul in the state’s historic homes, there are always new custom homes going up that both carry on and upend the region’s building traditions.

This is a list of the best 15 custom home builders in Louisiana. These firms build large and luxurious homes and take on the most complex and demanding construction projects. These are also the construction companies that earn local and national awards for their new homes and remodeling projects, who pursue prestigious accreditations, and who lead the many Louisiana builders associations. These construction companies work with the top architects and designers, and offer superior design services themselves.

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. Omni Builders

602 N. Cortez Street, New Orleans, LA 70119

Richard C. Smith, founder and principal of Omni Builders, has been designing and building luxury custom homes in the greater New Orleans area for about four decades. Smith has a master’s degree in architecture from Tulane University. He is a member of the Home Builders Association of Greater New Orleans, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), and the American Institute of Architects (AIA). His homes typically start at around $300k and go up to more than $1M.

The company typically constructs large, beautiful homes with impeccable design. Though Smith works in many different styles, his homes exude Southern style and sensibilities and fit perfectly into their upscale surroundings. Omni Builders provides architectural, construction, and interior design services. Satisfied customers and building partners have stressed the beauty of Smith’s designs and his trustworthiness as a contractor. Smith has built wonderful homes, ranging in style from Mediterranean to English Tudor, in many upscale neighborhoods and developments in and around the Big Easy, including in the English Turn community.


14. Integrity Builders Inc.

949 Austerlitz Street, Mandeville, LA 70448

A custom home builder in Louisiana, Integrity Builders constructs midscale to upscale homes throughout greater New Orleans, especially the Northshore area of Lake Pontchartrain and St. Tammany Parish. The company builds in several well-known developments and subdivisions in the area, including Hidden Creek, Bedico Creek, Springhaven, and Corniche Du Lac. Their homes typically start from $300k to $500k.  

In 2017 the NAHB named the company’s owner and president, Kenny Adams Jr., the Certified Graduate Builder (CGB) of the Year. Adams is also an NAHB Certified Green Professional and a Certified New Home Sales Profesional. He has served on the board of the Louisiana Home Builders Association (HBA) and as president of the Northshore Home Builders Association (NHBA). The construction company’s homes have appeared many times in the local Parade of Homes. They build new homes and take on remodel projects, including kitchen and bath renovations, additions, and whole-home remodels. The company typically builds fairly traditional family homes in midscale and upscale subdivisions. Their one-story bungalows and transitional homes usually have four bedrooms and three bathrooms, along with charming curb appeal and inviting outdoor-living spaces.


13. Van Alan Homes

Youngsville, LA 70592

This Louisiana custom home builder is one of the top construction firms in the Acadiana region of the state — the old French region west of New Orleans and along the gulf. Van Alan Homes builds midscale to high-end homes in Lafayette, Broussard, New Iberia, Carencro, and throughout the area. Very popular in their service area, the company has been voted within the top 3 Best Home Builder by The Times of Acadiana every year since 2014, and No. 1 for the past two years. The company has also won awards from Southern Louisiana’s House & Home Magazine, including Best in Show and the Outdoor Living Design Award.

Founded more than a 13 years ago, the builders, Van Alan and Jalyn Plaisance, have worked on more than 350 custom homes, ranging from $250k to over $1M, and ranging in size from 1,600 square feet to more than 10,000 square feet. Van Alan Homes has an A+ rating from the BBB for its superior customer service. Owner Van Alan Plaisance has a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Nicholls State University. Jalyn Plaisance, who has a background in business development and sales, serves as the company’s director of operations.


12. Creative Builders

141 Robert E. Lee Boulevard #138, New Orleans, LA 70124

This custom home builder in Louisiana has been very busy of late. Creative Builders has five large and exquisitely crafted homes featured on the 2018 Greater New Orleans Parade of Homes, sponsored by the HBAGNO. Founded by Adam Bertuglia in 2002, the residential contractor has long-term relationships with some of the area’s top subcontractors and builds throughout the New Orleans metro region. Bertuglia comes from a long line of builders and craftsmen. He learned the construction trade by working summers on jobsites.

The new home builder is dedicated to using high-quality building materials and construction techniques, and to building homes that last. The firm’s portfolio of finished projects shows off their wonderful way with brick and wood, and tile and stone. Their work includes beautiful wood flooring, elegant stairways, stylish bathrooms, and gourmet kitchens.


11. Bardwell Homes

5153 Bluebonnet Boulevard, Baton Rouge, LA 70809

Scott Bardwell founded Barwell Homes in Baton Rouge in 1999. Since then, he has developed relationships with some of the region’s best architects and designers and has built beautiful homes in some the area’s most exclusive and upscale communities. These include Vintage Place, Hilltop Place, Village at Magnolia, and Veranda, which is near Louisiana State University (LSU) and downtown Baton Rouge.

Bardell is a graduate of Texas A&M University with a degree in finance. Before starting his own residential construction company, he worked in real estate investment banking for Bank of America. The company’s head of construction is Michael Phung. He has a degree in construction management from LSU and more than a decade of experience in the industry. Bardwell Homes places design at the forefront of their building process. The firm has worked with the nationally known and lauded architectural firm Looney Ricks Kiss, as well as famed HGTV interior designer Kenneth Brown, who has worked on homes for such Hollywood stars as Zac Efron and Kristen Bell.


10. HBC

1100 MacArthur Avenue, Harvey, LA 70058

A custom home contractor that works throughout the greater New Orleans metro area, Hyman L. Bartolo Jr. Contractors (HBC) offers a full-range of architectural, interior design, and construction services. The company was founded by Hyman Bartolo Jr., more than 25 year ago. The firm builds gorgeous homes ranging from  $250k to more than $2M, and they work in various styles, from Acadian and modern to country French.

The company is a member of the HBAGNO and has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB). Their work has been featured in Builders + Architects Magazine and New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles Magazine. For many years HBC has had numerous homes featured in the Greater New Orleans Parade of Homes. The company is also notable for being chosen by the HBAGNO to build the 2018 St. Jude Dream Homes, which is raffled off to ticket-holders during the event to benefit the children’s hospital. The 2018 home is a 3,000-square-foot, two-story classic in the Lakeview neighborhood. It has four bedrooms and two-and-a-half baths and is valued at about $600k.


9. Pentek Homes

1139 Oretha Castle Haley Boulevard, New Orleans, LA 70113

Pentek Homes builds custom homes in New Orleans with an eye on the distinctive and historical details that make the Big Easy’s style so wonderful. The company builds new homes throughout greater New Orleans, including in Kenner, Metairie, Belle Chase, English Turn, Algiers, and throughout Jefferson Parish. The company constructs large, high-end luxury homes. They also take on renovations and additions, from kitchen and bath remodels to whole-home remodels. The home remodel firm is also highly experienced in historic renovation and provides all the other design-build services, including interior design.

Working in traditional Louisiana styles, such as Victorian, Greek Revival, and New Orleans cottage-style, the builder’s home design and home remodel projects tend to include New Orleans-style details, including gas lanterns, floor-to-ceiling  windows, crowned windows, wood floors, inner courtyards, and outdoor kitchens. The home building firm also has experience building modern- and Mediterranean-style homes and beach houses. Founded and owned by construction industry veteran and HBAGN-member Bo Pennington, Pentek Homes also specializes in custom millwork, including cabinets, built-in shelving, custom ceiling beams, and sliding barn doors.


8. Reve Inc.

325 Belle Terre Boulevard, Laplace, LA 70068

Reve Inc. is a leading medium-sized builder in the greater New Orleans area. The company started in 1985 in LaPlace, LA, and has constructed more than 1,000 homes in the region. The custom home builder in Louisiana is a partnership between construction industry veterans Randy Noel and Bill Bourgeois — New Orleans natives who know how to build houses in the Big Easy.

Both Noel and Bourgeois learned the business at a young age. Bourgeois worked for his father-in-law’s construction firm and went on to earn a business degree from the University of New Orleans. Noel worked his way up to vice president in his father’s building company before going out on his own with Bourgeois.

A well-known and highly reputable contractor, Noel was recently elected 2018 chairman of the NAHB. Noel has also served on the NAHB Board of Directors and as a member of the executive board, and he was president of the HBAGNO and the LHBA. Noel was named Builder of the Year by the HBAGNO and was inducted in to the Louisiana Builders Hall of Fame.


7. Troyer Builders

3900 N. Causeway Boulevard, Suite 105, Metairie, LA 70002

A high-end luxury home builder in Southeast Louisiana, Troyer Builders constructs big and beautiful Southern-style mansions with exquisite details. The company has perfected its own style of home — one that, according to Principal and Founder Greg Troyer, is a “fusion of classic old world craftsmanship, modern design techniques and traditional New Orleans symbolism.” Troyer founded the company more than 14 years ago and has since built more than 200 homes in the New Orleans area. The company’s upscale homes typically start around $500k and range up to more than $5M.

The company is a member of the  Northshore Home Builders Association (NHBA), the NAHB, and the HBAGNO. The team is a regular participant in the area’s prestigious Parade of Homes. For the 2018 event in greater New Orleans, five of Troyer Builders’ new homes are featured. These include a wonderful 4,000-square-foot home in the English Turn Golf and Country Club, a 4,737-square-foot home in The Oaks, and a 3,761-square-foot home at The Parks of Plaquemines.


6. Daryl May Construction

344 Baind Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70808

Upscale home builder Daryl May has constructed more than 250 homes throughout Baton Rouge, Ascension Parish, and Zachary. He has built and renovated homes in popular neighborhoods, such as Southdowns, the Garden District, Bocage, and Old Goodwood. The Louisiana custom home builder has also developed and built some its own neighborhoods and subdivisions, including Province at Moss Side, Hundred Oaks, University Club, and the 143-lot Oaks on the Bluff.

May founded the residential construction company in 1994, and over the years he has gathered a highly experienced and talented team of new home and remodeling professionals. May is a graduate of LSU. The firm’s work has been featured in House & Home Magazine, Sage, The Advocate, and Builder + Architect Magazine. The company, which has an A+ rating from the BBB, works with some of the region’s top architects and designers. In 2014, May built a home designed by the Cockfield-Jackson Architecture firm that won Architect Magazine’s Rose Award for Best Residential Home Design.


5. +one design and construction

7648 Old Hammond Highway, Baton Rouge, LA 70835  

Founded in 2005 by Fritz Embaugh and David Baird, +one design and construction (also known as plus one) builds architecturally significant homes throughout greater Baton Rouge, LA. Embaugh has a bachelor’s degree in architecture from LSU’s Agricultural and Mechanical College. The firm, which has an A+ rating from the BBB, also has locations in Dallas, TX, and Las Vegas, NV.

The company has worked on a number of projects that have won awards from the AIA. In 2016, a law office expansion the company completed won the Rose Award for Design Excellence from the AIA’s Baton Rouge affiliate. The company also won a 2012 Gold Rose Award for Design Excellence for its “Scissor House” project, and a Merit Award from the AIA Louisiana for its “Kiwi House.” That project also won the AIA National Small Project Award in 2011, as well as the Custom Home Magazine Design Award the same year. The firm was also named to LSU’s list of the Top 100 companies in 2013, 2014, and 2015.


4. Blair Construction

16119 Highland Bluff Court, Baton Rouge, LA 70810

A leading custom home builder in Baton Rouge, Blair Construction specializes in energy-efficient, fully automated luxury properties. Founded by husband and wife Chip and Theresa Blair in 1988, the company has been building gorgeous homes throughout south Louisiana for three decades. The company has built more 300 homes in the state.

Chip Blair is an NAHB Certified Graduate Builder and Certified Green Professional. He graduated from LSU in 1986 with a bachelor’s degree in construction, and he was a member of the school’s Construction Student Advisory Board from 2004 to 2010. Active in the Capital Region Builders Association (CRBA), Chip served as the group’s president, as well as on the boards of directors of the LHBA and NAHB. The firm has participated in the CRBA’s Parade of Homes for 19 years.

The company has won several awards for its work, including four national technology awards from the Consumer Electronic Association (CEA) for its innovative automation systems. The company has twice won the CEA Mark of Excellence Award for Custom Home of the Year, as well as the CEA Mark of Excellence Award for Best Integrated Security System and the Innovative Housing Technology Award.  


3. Holyfield Construction

2371 Tower Drive, Monroe, LA 71201

Joe Holyfield founded this custom home builder in Louisiana back in 1974. The Monroe-based firm has more than 40 years of experienced building new homes, remodeling projects, and major commercial projects throughout the region. The company has a highly experienced team of in-house construction experts and designers and is an Energy Star partner. A family-run business led by Joe Holyfield, Chris Holyfield, and Lisa Holyfield, the company also works on commercial projects, including building an office park and an outpatient clinic for the US Veterans Administration In Ruston, LA.

Working with Studio Brooks + Emory, Holyfield recently built an 7,572-square-foot, $1.5M home near Louisiana Tech University. The amazing home features an an exterior of corrugated metal siding, concrete, and corten steel. It has a gorgeous, private back lawn and an outdoor kitchen with direct access to the main indoor kitchen. The interior features motorized drapes, a window wall that opens onto a private courtyard, two custom steel staircases, and Brazilian Koa wood floors.


2. Centanni Construction Group

2156 3rd Street, Unit D, Mandeville, LA 70471

Founded in 1960 by Vincent Centanni Sr., Centanni Construction group builds custom homes and remodel projects throughout Louisiana and the New Orleans metro area, including Jefferson, Tammany and Tangipahoa parishes. The company is led by three generations of the Centanni family. Vincent Centanni Jr. is in charge of new construction operations; Marcela Centanni heads the firm’s remodeling, interior design, and customer relationships arms; and Vincent Centanni III is head of estimating, scheduling, and marketing. A graduate of LSU with a degree in construction management, he is also a licensed landscape contractor and a realtor.

The company frequently has projects featured on the annual Northshore Parade of Homes. In 2016, the company won awards during the event for Best in Show, Best Kitchen, and Best Master Bath Design for a wonderful Creole cottage in Village of Terrabella. The 1,900-square-foot home is listed at about $555k. The firm’s 2018 Parade of Homes entry is located next door to its 2016 and 2017 Parade Award winners in Covington’s Village of Terrabella. The 4,345-square-foot, West Indies-style home features a wet bar, a butler’s pantry, an outdoor kitchen, and a custom terrace. The three-bedroom home, listed at $824k, was designed by the Andy McDonald Design Group, an award-winning architecture firm based in Mandeville, LA.


1. Miller Building Company

2800 Hessmer Avenue, Metairie, LA 70002

One of the most experienced and respected home builders in the state, Miller Building Company constructs high-end luxury residences throughout the greater New Orleans metropolitan area. The company has been family owned and operated for four generations and has built more than 600 homes. The firm was founded in 1971 by Wayne Miller, a contractor with more than 50 years of experience in the industry. The company is also headed by Chance Miller, a graduate of Tulane University, who joined the firm in 1993.

Miller Building Company is a member of the HBA of Greater New Orleans, the LHBA, and the NAHB. The residential contractor has won awards from the HBA of Greater New Orleans, including the group’s Builder of the Year Award. The firm’s work has been featured in Southern Living Magazine. Typical of the firm’s multimillion-dollar mansions is a five-bedroom, seven-bath, 6,200-square-foot French Provincial-style home in Metairie, LA. The $2.9M home features a custom saltwater pool, a climate-controlled wine room, three fireplaces, two laundry rooms, an elevator, and a 220-year-old antique door.


How can I find a home builder near me?

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

Custom home builders in Baton Rouge

Custom home builders in New Orleans


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.