Located in Riverside County, Corona is best characterized by its hot summers and warm winters. It was once known as the “Lemon Capital of the World” and is now noted for its ethnically diverse community, scenic campsites, and beautiful acres of parks and recreational facilities. The latest census records a population of over 160,000 residents and a suburban atmosphere, perfect for growing families and young professionals. In addition to classic Californian Spanish revivals, homes here often feature craftsman and bungalow architecture, as well as modern and Mediterranean themes.
After conducting extensive research on the area, this list compiles 12 of Corona’s best general contractors behind some of its best custom homes. They were chosen based on work history, media presence, and the accolades they have been lauded with throughout their years in business. Several of these firms have also had their work featured in noteworthy publications and maintain affiliations with vital industry organizations.
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.
Leising Builders
1260 Via Vista Rd., Fallbrook, CA 92028
Now on its third generation of builders, Leising Builders offers work throughout Southern California and provides a full range of design-build services. It specializes in ground-up residential construction projects, as well as entire house remodeling and home addition projects. The firm assists in every facet of each project it takes on and is known for its unique turn-key solutions. It also completes all of its homes on time and within budget. Potential clients can take a look at its project’s 3D renderings and walkthroughs for a better idea of what to expect from their finished project. The firm specializes in modern and Spanish colonial-inspired homes and provides Tuscan and Mediterranean themed spaces as well.
The featured project displays one of these European inspired homes. The team showcased its exquisite woodworking ability in the exposed beams, custom cabinetry, trimmings, and custom millwork.
Cornell Custom Construction
5670 Schaefer, Ave. Ste H., Chino, CA 91710
Serving Southern California for over 25 years, Cornell Custom Construction is recognized for the many new luxury homes it has built over the years. The firm has built residences in Orange County, South Orange County, Riverside, Los Angeles, and San Bernadino. Twenty of these homes were built in one guard gated luxury community. These unique homes varied in size from 6,000 sq. ft up to 12,000 sq.ft., and all of them were custom built for different clients with different styles and finishes. The firm has built across a range of sizes and styles over the years—everything from 4,000 square feet to over 13,000 square feet—and in the Tuscan, Spanish Colonial, and Craftsman styles that suit California’s sunny and warm climate so perfectly. Some of these high-end homes were also built for sports stars, affluent business owners, and inspirational speakers.
Though the firm is already known for building homes for numerous high profile clients, Cornell Custom Construction’s reputation was firmly established after it won multiple awards for a 13,000 sq ft home they built in 2002. This home was built on a two-acre property with layers of retaining walls and a guest home.
Toby Cornell is a third-generation builder who grew up in the trades and took over the company 22 years ago, after his father Thomas Cornell decided to move out of the area. More recently, Cornell Custom Construction also started building commercial sites for clients who want higher end products than most commercial contractors can provide. He attributes this to his luxury home roots and being able to bring that detail-oriented mindset to the commercial division. To learn more about Cornell Custom Construction, please visit their Website at www.cornellcustomconstruction.com or their Instagram page @cornellcustomconstruction.
HartmanBaldwin
100 W Foothill Blvd., Claremont, CA 91711
HartmanBaldwin employs a design-build approach and specializes in historic restorations, home additions, and custom homes and extends its services throughout Orange County and Los Angeles County. Given its expertise for historic renovations, it is often the leading choice for projects that require a deep understanding of specific architectural styles. The firm has constructed and renovated some of the most beautiful homes around Southern California’s most historically significant areas. In 2018, it was named the 15th best remodeling company out of 550 firms ranked nationwide by Remodeling Magazine. Comprised of an award-winning team of architects, Certified Interior Designers, project managers, artisans, and craftsmen, the firm consistently demonstrates a flair for a wide array of designs, including contemporary, Tudor, English, Mediterranean, and traditionally-inspired architecture.
Sleek, open, and scenic, the following project best encapsulates the firm’s excellent craftsmanship. Originally built in 1958, this hilltop home was once lost in a wildfire before its owners decided to rebuild it with HartmanBaldwin. It has beautiful 365-degree hill views and several skylights, expansive glass walls, and numerous corner windows without posts to give residents and guests seamless views of the area. Longer overhangs were also installed to keep the home cool by protecting the building from the sun’s rays.
La Placa Construction
Huntington Beach, CA 92648
La Placa Construction started out as a small remodeling firm headquartered in Monrovia and has since grown into becoming one of Southern California’s premier custom home builders. It specializes in luxury projects and primarily builds in communities located in Los Angeles County, Orange County, and San Diego County. To this day, it is still family-owned and is actively led by its founder Gaetano La Placa, who oversees each project. Under his leadership, the firm has cultivated expertise for Spanish colonial, Mediterranean, and traditional mansions and estates. Its work is often distinguished by its detailed moldings and trimmings, stucco work, and excellent command of European architecture. It is a recipient of the Golden Nugget Award, and it was the firm behind the restoration of the Anaheim White House.
The firm’s style and expertise may be best seen in the project we’ve chosen to feature above. Notice the intricacy of the main entrance’s archway, emphasized by the generous use of large windows and glass doors. Stucco exteriors were used to complement the tiled walkways, and the La Placa team also made use of several unique fixtures and custom iron details for its entrances and banisters on several of the home’s terraces.
Legacy Custom Homes
1000 Quail St. Suite #220, Newport Beach, CA 92660
Established in 2013, Legacy Custom Homes specializes in contemporary and traditionally inspired houses. Its work is often distinguished by its exteriors, glasswork, and custom finishes. The firm’s team also has an excellent command of European themes and showcases a portfolio filled with breathtaking Spanish revivals and modern estates. It provides free design consultation services and collaborates with its architects, engineers, and clients throughout the entire process to ensure the incorporation of homeowners’ lifestyles into their new homes. It is a family-owned company led by two fourth-generation builders, who both have an extensive background in the construction industry.
The chosen project displays the firm’s modern work. For this contemporary mansion, its team made rich use of glass elements to emphasize the recurring theme of straight lines and to give the home a feeling of spaciousness. Unique fixtures complete this elegant, minimalist masterpiece.
Mur-Sol Builders
119 E St. Joseph St., Arcadia, CA 91006
Founded in 1976, Mur-Sol Builders is a family-owned and full-service construction company headquartered in Arcadia. It works on residential, commercial, and multi-family projects and boasts of a portfolio filled with luxury homes. From grand Mediterranean estates to Spanish revivals and quaint English inspired cottages, the firm’s work is often distinguished by its custom millwork, moldings, and exquisite finishes. Since its inception, it has worked on hundreds of projects and has secured a solid reputation for itself for its excellent craftsmanship and fine attention to detail. Servicing the entirety of Southern California, the firm is currently led by Jasen and Josh Grohs under whose leadership, Mur-Sol has had the privilege of being repeatedly published, including in the Pasadena Star-News.
The featured project best exemplifies the firm’s command of European architecture. If you look closely, you may notice several of its team’s custom finishes and millwork in the home’s exterior and wrought iron entrances. The Mur-Sol team also opted for curved, large windows, giving the home just the right touch of modern design.
Opulent Design-Build
9471 Irvine Center Dr. Suite #150, Irvine, CA 92618
Opulent extends its services throughout the entire Orange County area and provides a full range of general contracting services. It also handles project management, permitting, and engineering. It employs the latest green building techniques and is also known for its excellent customer service. Because of its adoption of the design-build approach, it is able to better control costs, making it more than equipped to deliver its projects on time and within budget. Manned by an experienced team of architects, designers, and builders, Opulent has also worked on several large-scale development projects and was the company behind the completion of multiple 600-unit spaces. Focusing more on its single-family residential work, the firm is distinguished for its kitchens, luxurious entrances, and master bedrooms and bathrooms.
The featured project depicts its Spanish colonial work, with hints of inspiration from classic French architecture. This may be observed through the pale blue shutters, the choice of windows, and trellises for the growth of plants creeping up across the home’s exterior.
How can I find a home builder near me?
Read our latest articles on the best custom home builders near Corona. If you don’t see your city below, just let us know – we are happy to create a tailored recommendation list just for you.
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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.
