This young city in Orange County is a great place to call home due to its proximity to Laguna Beach. Though landlocked, homes on Laguna Hills and surrounding cities are often built with beautiful views, whether of the green terrain that directly surrounds them or the sea in the distance.
Our editorial team decided to present this list of some of the best custom home builders in Laguna Hills, builders who have mastered the art of building in this area. These firms are led by professionals who have many years of experience in the industry behind them.
M&J Star Construction
23482 Peralta Dr. Suite D1, Laguna Hills, CA 92653
The European kitchen of this home on Dana Point looks out on its hilly surroundings. The white center island is a good contrast to the brown wood siding on the cabinet doors. Three bar stools are lined beneath the island-top, offering space to dine across the range and its hood. The kitchen forms an open layout with the dining and living room spaces, bound by accordion French doors leading to a glass-bordered balcony with more areas to lounge and dine, along with an outdoor grill.
President Vartan Kirakossian brings over 20 years of experience to M&J Star Construction, the firm behind this home. Kirakossian has built for the retail, commercial, and restaurant industries; M&J continues to build for these sectors today. This team of skilled and hardworking craftsmen, interior designers, decorators, architects, and engineers builds and remodels homes across Orange County.
Concept One Homes
23011 Moulton Parkway Ste. J-12 Laguna Hills, CA 92653
Concept One Homes built this transitional home on Sussex Lane, Newport Beach in an open layout that centers itself on the relaxing outdoor area. The backyard can be seen upon entry, on the other end of the marble-fireplace front room. A trimmed opening leads to the great room kitchen, dining, and living room space, with varying tones of blue matching the view of the pool through the glass sliding doors. White marble appears on the center island countertop and range backsplash; nude glass tiles front the cabinets. The dining table runs adjacent to an outdoor counterpart with its own grill. The living room takes on a beach palette and is illuminated by skylights. The master’s bedroom also has access to the outdoor lounge. Through a trimmed opening is the sprawling double-vanity master bath, which features a freestanding tub, a marble and glass-bordered shower, a dresser, and a large walk-in closet on its other end. The pièce de résistance is the backyard pool, with floating lounge chairs, warmed by a fire pit in the outdoor sitting area.
President and CEO Scott Hess has led the firm since 2014, drawing from over 35 years of industry experience. The firm builds homes throughout Orange County.
ACM Construction Builder
23342 South Pointe Dr. Ste K. Laguna Hills, CA 92653
This addition project in Orange County consists of two floors constructed in a loft-style. The ground floor features a one-wall kitchenette with access to the outdoors through sliding doors. There’s also a spacious laundry room with storage space. Some gathering space lies on the second floor, along with an open balcony deck.
ACM Construction Builder has taken on projects like this throughout Orange County since 1988. President Arman Vakili has led the firm since 2010, with over 30 years of experience in the industry himself, starting in remodeling and flooring in Irvine. The team is composed of designers, engineers, Project Management Professionals (PMPs), and other Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Building Design and Construction (LEED BD+C) and the Construction Management Association of America (CMAA)-certified professionals. Aside from building residences, the team also works on multifamily and seismic retrofitting projects.
Mr. Build Construction
18100 Von Karman Ave. Irvine, CA 92612
Artful landscaping lines the entry to this modern Mediterranean home in North Tustin. The common spaces inside remain closely connected to the outdoors through sliding doors to the deck and pool areas. The living room is large and sits beneath a vaulted wood-beamed ceiling, centering around a traditional white wood fireplace. The family room is also spacious, with light wood floors and a full entertainment system. The L-shaped kitchen ends with some space to dine near the windows. It has a mix of black and white finishes and marble tops the center island. An undermount sink fronts the range, which has a gold-braced black hood. The master bath has two vanities, with gray cabinetry and marble tops to match the recessed tub and glass-bordered shower tiling. There’s also a walk-in closet and a small sauna.
The home was built by Mr. Build Construction, which has been serving Orange County and Los Angeles since 1987. The firm, led by Haim Assulin, is a member of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI). It was also honored by Luxe on its 2021 Gold List of Home Builders.
TM Grady Builders
1294 S. Coast Hwy. Suite D, Laguna Beach, CA 92651
Appropriately nicknamed Belle Maison, this French-inspired country home in Laguna Hills exudes a beautiful fairytale charm in the form of its lush brick-lined façade. It opens to an intricate metal-railed staircase in the chandeliered foyer. To the right is the coffered-ceiling formal dining room, featuring Victorian and wood-mesh dining chairs. The brickwork continues in the country kitchen, complete with a light wood range hood and cabinets beneath black resin countertops, and the sunlit conservatory. The double-vanity master bath features intricate white moldings in the cabinetry beneath the clerestory windows. Even the home theater retains this traditional aesthetic, favoring wood finishes over the more common neutral plush seats and walls. The home also features a coal mine-themed elevator and a romantic brick wine cellar.
Industry veteran Tim Grady leads TM Grady Builders, who built this elegant home. Originally a college football player, Grady went on to learn about building by completing a certificate program in Construction Management and working with a custom home builder in Orange County. He then established TM Grady in 1986, building estates like this one, as well as more modern homes. As a result, the firm has drawn the attention of publications like Luxe, who honored the firm on their 2019 Gold List of Home Builders.
