Located in Contra Costa County, Lafayette is one of the coziest places to live in California. It provides its residents with a suburban feel and a great number of restaurants, coffee shops, and parks. A popular place for retirees, a significant portion of its population own their own homes–seniors and young people alike.
If you’re interested in nestling into Lafayette’s suburban charm, we’ve created this list to help. The area’s ten best custom home builders in this list were chosen based on merit, accolades, range of designs, and unique expertise.
Bay Vista Development
1850 Mt. Diablo Blvd. Suite #401, Walnut Creek, CA 94596
Bay Vista Development specializes in every aspect of custom residential design and construction. It draws inspiration from its talented and experienced team of professionals and is regarded for its meticulous methods and transparency. The company works with only the area’s best and leading subcontractors and artisans and has secured long-standing relationships with multiple great firms. It maintains a highly hands-on approach and keeps its clients in the loop throughout the entire process with the help of its very own project management software. This application allows homeowners to take charge and oversee their new homes through their smartphones and get regular updates from the firm’s team regarding everything, from construction papers to materials.
The project displayed best encapsulates the firm’s work. It spans over 6,000 square feet and was completed back in 2017. It features a traditional style homemade with the finest materials and the best amenities. Its breathtaking exteriors are made of stone and wood panels. It also has its own infinity-edge pool and showcases glass doors and windows, which allow for great views of the surrounding hillsides.
Branagh Development
3800 Mt. Diablo Blvd. Suite #200, Lafayette, CA 94549
Founded in 1917, Branagh Development is a premier development and construction firm. It is noted not only for its great custom homes but also its urban and commercial projects. It has had the honor of working on some of the best communities and neighborhoods in the East Bay, particularly Alamo, Danville, Lafayette, Moraga, Oakland, Orinda, Pleasanton, and Walnut Creek. The company begins its process with an initial consultation wherein its team gets to know its clients to get a better feel of their lifestyles and needs. It then proceeds to comprehensive planning–submitting contracts, assembling a team, working on a preliminary design, and further honing the best theme that would fit its client’s visions. Since 1986, this firm has produced over 150 beautiful homes. As a testament to its client satisfaction rate, it works almost solely and exclusively on referral clientele.
Labeled in its portfolio as the “Country Club”, the project displayed was completed in Orinda. It is a stunning modern home made of stone and glass that sits nestled in a couple of hills. Inside, it has three bedrooms, five bathrooms, and its own private tennis court. The project spans roughly 7,000 square feet and also uniquely showcases its own home elevator, a detached in-law suite, and an infinity-edge pool.
Creation7
33 Quail Court Suite #300, Walnut Creek, CA 94596
Creation7 commits itself to the design and development of luxury homes and high-end interior fit-outs. It is regarded as one of the area’s leading contractor and project management companies and extends its services throughout Northern California. It has also taken on several projects in Seattle, Washington. The firm can take on projects regardless of scale and aspect. Its team is experienced in all forms of construction, from civil engineering infrastructure to complex buildings. Its portfolio is particularly noted for its great luxury homes, apartments, and penthouses. Additionally, Creation7 is known for its accurate and comprehensive budget analyses, assuring its clients that it never overspends.
For the project displayed, the firm’s team opted for a recurring theme of straight lines, a clean neutral color palette, and infused stucco exteriors with wood elements. Additionally, its team chose to work on large glass windows and entryways, allowing in a rich amount of ambient light into its spaces.
Diamond Construction
PO Box 477, Lafayette, CA 94549
From the smallest space facelift to an entire home renovation, Diamond Construction can handle it all. The firm does not limit itself to any particular designs. It showcases expertise in various architectural themes, including the most intricate Mediterranean styles and contemporary craftsman designs. The firm offers its clients detailed budgeting, billing, and timeline analysis and maintains a highly hands-on approach. Now in its second generation of builders, Diamond Construction specializes in building custom homes and estates. Since the firm’s inception, it has worked on over 500 residential and commercial projects. With more than three decades of industry experience to offer, the firm is led by its founder Keith Stone. He and his team continue to serve new and returning clients with these excellent services guaranteed to last for years to come.
Showcased in this article is a new home estate, which best depicts the firm’s expertise. Its architecture was completed in collaboration with Michael Brinkerhoff, while its landscape was overseen by David Thone. The home itself sits in Orinda’s rolling hills. Its exteriors are made of steel windows, pre-cast window sills, and smooth stucco finishes. These are coupled with beautiful clay roofing.
James D. Rogers, Builder
42 Donald Dr., Orinda, CA 94563
James D. Rogers focuses on an extensive range of architectural themes throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. This firm is an outstanding builder and designer that has secured excellent relationships with some of the area’s best subcontractors and professionals. It takes on only a select number of projects at a time to make sure that all of its work receives the benefit of its team’s experience. This also allows its team to better address any client concerns throughout the entire process. At the firm’s helm is its founder and namesake, James Rogers. He holds a degree from the University of Oregon’s School of Architecture and Allied Arts, first getting a glimpse into the industry through his family’s construction business.
Located in Orinda, the project displayed spans over 3,000 square feet. The firm tore down a former 1970’s structure and reworked it from the ground up. Its style is primarily a blend of Mediterranean and Mexican architecture, showcasing a distressed Guatemalan door for its main entrance, handmade roof tiles, and large-beamed ceilings.
Jetton Construction
1117-A Virginia St., Berkeley, CA 94702
Founded in 1980, Jetton Construction is an award-winning firm that has completed over 500 projects since its inception. It cultivates an environment of constant growth and communication among its team members and clients and an inclination towards contemporary designs and techniques. It collaborates with the area’s best and leading subcontractors and has secured excellent relationships with some of the Bay Area’s best artisans. Furthermore, it assists its clients throughout the process, remaining engaged and attentive to the smallest details. It comes as no surprise that the firm is the proud recipient of many awards, especially from the prestigious American Institute of Architects (AIA).
Pictured is the Ross Custom home, which the firm worked on together with Chambers + Chambers Architects and Frederika Moller Landscape Architecture. It primarily showcases a contemporary theme coupled with traditional elements like a gabled roof. It features two stories, vaulted ceilings, and large sliding doors which interconnect its living areas, kitchen, and entertainment rooms.
Kasten Builders
3419 Regatta Blvd., Richmond, CA 94804
Kasten Builders extends its services throughout the Bay Area. Its business is rooted in effective communication, quality control, and teamwork. It offers a complete range of custom home building and remodeling services and is experienced in every aspect and stage of the entire process. Its experienced team assists its clients from start to finish and has the skills, materials, and methods necessary to execute any project regardless of complexity. Leading the firm to its success, Denny Kasten serves as its president. He holds a degree in Architecture from Lawrence Institute of Technology in Southfield, Michigan, and first gained experience working with general contractors during his time as a student. Under his leadership, the firm has grown to become one of the area’s most recognizable firms that has worked in some of the best neighborhoods in Marin, Sonoma, Napa counties, and the rest of the San Francisco Bay Area.
The project displayed was completed in Stinson Beach and entailed the demolition of an old 1,500 square foot home. It now features three detached structures. One wing holds its garage and guest quarters, a living and bedroom wing, while another houses its kitchen and dining space. The firm’s team also constructed large walls with glass windows, allowing in an excellent amount of ambient light and making its interiors appear larger.
KW Builders
3381 Mt. Diablo Blvd., Lafayette, CA 94549
This project displayed is an excellent new home that features great exteriors reminiscent of a classic farmhouse theme. It depicts a modern touch, given its minimalist features coupled with timeless traditional elements: exposed beams, trellised windows, and high roofs. This project, of course, is just one of the many beautiful projects crafted by KW Builders. This firm is a licensed, bonded, and insured residential construction company that operates out of Lafayette’s office. It has worked on the construction and remodeling of numerous homes in the East Bay Area and primarily specializes in traditional, contemporary, and Craftsman-style homes. It is known for its outstanding team of carpenters and collaborations with some of the area’s leading subcontractors.
The firm is the brainchild of Jeff Wendt and Matt Kunz, who together draw inspiration from over four decades of industry experience. They are both natives of Lamorinda and hold degrees from the University of California, Santa Barbara. Under their leadership, the firm also provides its clients with accurate and realistic bids, allowing for excellent communication with homeowners.
McNamara Development and Construction
3356 Las Huertas Rd., Lafayette, CA 94549
McNamara Development and Construction is a family-owned and operated firm that operates out of its office in Lafayette. It has been in business since 2004 and specializes in single-family homes. The firm primarily focuses on comprehensive construction and designs, which are all often infused with various green elements. This assures clients of the sustainability and high efficiency of its work. The McNamara team assists throughout the entire process and ensures that each of its work receives the benefit of their great collective experience. They also showcase talent for an extensive range of designs, with their skill best seen in the project displayed below.
This bungalow depicts a classic yet modern home. It features designer finishes, four bedrooms, and three and a half bathrooms. It also has its own home office, a formal dining room, and an excellent living area. One of the firm’s best elements is its great indoor-outdoor combined spaces that lead to a back patio and expansive yard.
Wehrli Construction
696 San Ramon Valley Blvd. #241, Danville, CA 94526
Drawing inspiration from over two decades of industry experience, Wehrli Construction services the entirety of the Bay Area and Central California. The team works on a wide range of project varieties as well as architectural themes. Additionally, they utilize a highly hands-on process, with homeowners included in every phase especially the bidding process. Some of the company’s projects can be best found in Alamo, Diablo, Danville, Lafayette, Orinda, Blackhawk, Walnut Creek, Sunol, and San Ramon. Wehrli is also regarded for its great major remodels. Wehrli Construction hires only the most talented specialists, from master plumbers to top-level electricians.
This project showcases some of Wehrli Construction’s best work. The team opted for a Contemporary Classic theme. This home features elegant exteriors coupled with vast windows, a shingled rooftop, and several other unique features.
