While most people associate Henderson with its sister city, Las Vegas, or its scorching desert summers, the gateway to southern Nevada is also known for its luxury communities and wealthy neighborhoods. Henderson is home to MacDonald Highlands, a millionaires-only neighborhood that currently ranks seventh on a list of the highest per-capita incomes in the U.S. Other affluent developments in the area like Ascaya and Seven Hills equally boast palatial homes that range from $1,450,000 to $30,000,000.
If you are looking to build a desert contemporary masterpiece or Mediterranean oasis, these ten custom home builders in Nevada can make your dream house come true. Most of these builders have an Unlimited B license in the state. This means they can work on projects of any size because of their history and financial abilities. The firms on this list have also been recognized and awarded by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). In ranking these firms, our team considered the firms’ awards, press recognition, quality of projects as shown in their portfolios, and versatility types of projects.
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.
10) Las Vegas Luxe Design/Build
8565 S. Eastern Ave. Suite #150, Las Vegas, NV 89123
Established in 2004, Las Vegas Luxe Design/Build has created more than 25 high-end custom homes in various luxury communities in Henderson and Las Vegas. The firm’s projects that range from $500,000 to $10 million can be found in the area’s affluent neighborhoods, such as Roma Hills and MacDonald Heights. Modern contemporary homes and Tuscan villas are just some of the homes in the firm’s portfolio.
The firm is run by husband-and-wife team Wayne and Dian Gazzo, who have 45 years of combined experience. When he was 15, Wayne apprenticed under his father and upon turning 20 started his first custom home company in Pittsburgh. Today, Wayne has built more than 80 custom homes ranging in size from 2,500 to over 10,000 square feet.
Aside from its outstanding work, Luxe Design/Build’s straightforward and honest approach to the construction process is also appealing to Vegas Valley residents. The firm’s efficiency is also evident from client testimonials that describe how the firm has complete enormous amounts of work in record times.
9) Dream Construction Co.
3255 Pepper Ln. Suite #106A, Las Vegas, NV 89120
Dream Construction Company is a general contractor that creates custom homes and conducts renovations in Las Vegas and Henderson. It is the product of the combined efforts of Cyndi and Ray Huff. Cyndi’s 30-year construction experience started with a family plumbing business in Arizona. She then launched a concrete business with her husband Ray in the Phoenix valley. Ray continued his career working as vice president of operations for a national home builder in Las Vegas. Ray’s vast knowledge of land development and home building combined with Cyndi’s expertise in the finer details makes Dream Construction a holistically competent firm.
Southwestern, Modern Contemporary, and the Mediterranean are the main styles the firm uses in creating custom homes. The firm ensures that each home has its own personality and exhibits the perfect blend of old and new. Other services the firm offers are kitchen and bathroom remodeling, home additions, historic restoration, and exterior work. The firm is also adept at commercial renovations. Recently, the firm has lent its expertise in residential construction to HGTV’s “Property Brothers.”
8) Elegant Homes
9512 W Flamingo Rd. Suite #103, Las Vegas, NV 89147
Design-build firm Elegant Homes boasts large, opulent homes favored by discerning clientele throughout Las Vegas and Henderson. What started as a business that built homes in the 2,500-square-foot range now builds homes as big as 20,000 square feet priced at $1 million and up. These mansions have been featured on MTV “Cribs” and are owned by sports celebrities such as former NFL players Steven Jackson and Brian Kelly, as well as University of Oklahoma basketball coach Lon Kruger.
The firm was started by Ranny McKee in 1992, after a traumatic accident that left him quadriplegic at 25. Through vigorous rehabilitation and support from friends and family, McKee was walking again just after seven months. His determination manifested in his work, as he completed 50 homes in the company’s first 25 years in operation.
Research, technology, and careful planning are at the core of each Elegant home. McKee oversees only a few homes at once so he can pay attention to each detail and research new technologies that clients might want incorporated into their high-end home. He also prefers to work with a group of five or six qualified subcontractors for each trade, stating that competitive bids ensure quality. Featured here is a custom home the firm completed in The Ridges. Various natural stones, such as imported granite, vein-cut limestone, pebblestone, and organic white quartz, were used, giving the home an elegant look.
7) Level Development Group
15 Brianza Ct. Suite #100, Henderson, NV 89011
Philip Kaffka started his construction career at 18 as a carpenter. He learned framing and trim carpentry and soon ventured out on his own as a framing contractor. Banking on his heritage known for generations of craftsmanship throughout Europe, he continued to succeed in residential home building. Since 1976, he has been building in California and many western states. By 2004, he settled his career in Henderson, building large custom homes and renovations.
Kaffka’s extensive hands-on background is what differentiates Level Development Group from other contractors. While the firm now offers a variety of large-scale services such as construction management, commercial building, and planned communities, the firm’s design-build approach to custom homes is still what clients often look for. The firm ensures that each home gives a feeling of being personally handcrafted for the homeowner.
Spanish Mediterranean homes are the firm’s specialty. This main home and casita feature roof tiling, stone walls and columns, and hand-laid stone archways. In the pool, bright custom tile reflects desert sunsets and add a touch of luxury to outdoor entertainment.
6) Gramly Construction
4265 Butler St., Las Vegas, NV 89129
Gramly Construction is among an elite group of luxury home builders that have created LEED-certified homes in Nevada. As a member of the US Green Building Council, Gramly Construction is credited for creating the first Silver LEED-certified home in the state. The firm also remodels multi-million dollar estates and builds commercial tenant improvements.
The firm’s owner and founder, Mike Gramly, has extensive experience in all phases of custom home building. He began his career in 1981, framing single-family homes, townhomes, and commercial buildings in Colorado. He started Gramly Construction In 1998. During his 38 years in the industry, his projects have grown from providing carpentry and framework services to developing private custom home communities, including (2) 2.5-acre parcels with five custom homes ranging from $1 to @2 million.
Modern, Spanish, Tuscan, and Mediterranean-inspired homes populate the firm’s portfolio. Impeccable detail and polished construction are testament to the firm’s hands-on supervision by its expert team of builders and craftsmen. Featured here is the rear elevation of the firm’s Silver LEED-certified home. The modern creation surrounded by drought-resistant greenery is made to look like a desert oasis.
5) Sun West Custom Homes
6675 S Cimarron Rd. Suite #100, Las Vegas, NV 89113
When it comes to luxurious and expensive homes in the Las Vegas Valley, Sun West Custom Homes is the go-to contractor. It specializes in spectacular estate homes valued at more than $2 million. It has designed and built more than 150 custom homes and is responsible for creating more than half of the 25 most expensive residences in southern Nevada.
The firm was launched in 1978 by Cynthia Coletti in Florida. After several years of designing and building extraordinary homes in the Sunshine State, she moved the company to Colorado and continued to develop the firm by introducing new materials and techniques. By 1989, the company has found its home in Las Vegas and has contributed immensely in the valley’s most prestigious planned communities. Today, the firm is captained by Cynthia’s son, Daniel. The second-generation designer and builder manages an accomplished design-build team that creates award-winning projects throughout Henderson and Las Vegas.
The firm’s portfolio is filled with award-winning custom homes that range from Spanish Mediterranean to Desert Contemporary styles. The firm has won numerous Silver Nugget Awards, including Home of the Year for four consecutive years, from the Southern Nevada Home Builders Association. It is also credited for building and designing the NAHB 2019 New American Home in affluent Ascaya. The home is characterized by contemporary-modern design, minimal decoration, abundant glass, and flat rooflines. It also boasts notable details like a vanishing edge pool, a wall of telescoping glass doors, and pocketing patio doors. The firm will once again design and build the New American Home in 2020.
4) Raftery Homes
3030 S Durango, Las Vegas, NV 89117
Raftery Homes is known throughout the Vegas valley for its high-caliber projects and architectural masterpieces. Its country club estates and mountain homes feature angled rooflines, split leveling, and indoor-outdoor amenities. An example of this is the Promontory Residence, a National Best in American Living Awardee near Lake Tahoe. This modern retreat features natural stone from Montana and oak ceilings. The kitchen and dining area feature floor-to-ceiling windows that offer beautiful views of the surrounding city.
Responsible for these multi-million dollar homes is Jack Raftery, the head of the company. He has more than 30 years of construction experience with a background in finance and development. With his business acumen and a perfectionist outlook on construction, the firm has won other Best in American Living Awards from the NAHB International Builders Show, awards from the Street of Dreams, and a prestigious feature in The Wall Street Journal’s “House of the Day.”
3) Merlin Custom Home Builders
6408 S. Arville St., Las Vegas, NV 89118
One of the most accomplished firms on this list, Merlin Custom Home Builders boasts more than 30 decorated years of custom home building throughout southern Nevada. It was hailed as the 2017 National Custom Home Builder of the Year by the NAHB. The firm also built one of the only two world-class luxury homes in ultra-exclusive Shadow Creek and did remodels for the other house. Since its establishment in 1989, the company has built more than 200 extraordinary homes and estates ranging from $1 million to $25 million. Merlin Custom Home Builders also have a license to work in High Rise buildings.
Bart and Stephen Jones are the principals behind the company’s success. Stephen founded the firm using the knowledge he gained from his mentor, Audie Coker. In 1994, his brother, Bart, joined Merlin and spearheaded its transition to a technologically advanced company without sacrificing its focus on long-lasting client relationships and timeless craftsmanship. The firm’s work has earned top features in more than 70 local and national publications, including Architectural Digest, Builder Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Chicago Sun Times, The Orange County Register, The Philadelphia Inquirer, and Luxury Las Vegas.
Merlin had the privilege of building this sprawling modern piece as the first home in the exclusive Estates at Reflection Bay. The design aesthetic of iconic architect Frank Lloyd Wright is alive in this home designed by Vernon Swaback—the last living apprentice to train under Wright. A 20-foot Coronado stone fireplace, infinity pool bordered by a 30-foot-long fire feature, and clerestory windows that offer lake views are just some of the home’s prominent features.
2) R.W. Bugbee & Associates
8635 W Sahara Ave. Suite #550, Las Vegas, NV 89117
R.W. Bugbee & Associates is a third-generation general contracting company that has been serving the Vegas valley since 1977. It all started with Robert W. Bugbee, who was one of the pioneers of residential construction and development in Las Vegas. In 1952, Bugbee began to change the city’s landscape as a planning commissioner. After ventures in real estate and small starter homes, he created R.W. Bugbee & Associates with his son Scot as president. The company continued to flourish and is now an award-winning firm under the leadership of Scot’s son, Nick Bugbee.
Like most luxury builders on this list, the firm has an unlimited building license in the state of Nevada. This enables it to create a home as big as the client can dream. The firm also works with high-profile architects to complete its magnificent works. Included in the firm’s list of architect partners are Richard Meiers & Partners, designer of the Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art and the Getty Center, and Mark Ross Johnson, who designed the Grand Canyon Skywalk. By working with powerhouse architects and accomplished subcontractors, the firm attracts some of the area’s top clientele, such as local luminaries, casino owners, CEOs, and other prime movers.
A perfect example of the firm’s spectacular work is a home in luxurious Ascaya. The contemporary residence zig-zags across a triangular lot away from the hill for privacy. Its most notable feature is the rammed-earth walls, which were paired with a mix of metal and steel to give the home a unique look. Thirty-inch-thick walls blend with the desert landscape into the overall architecture and also serves as an energy-efficient element.
1) Blue Heron
685 Dragon Peak Ct., Henderson, NV 89012
Blue Heron showcases the industry’s best practices and state-of-the-art products in its ultra-luxe homes dotting Clark County. Its portfolio is filled with sprawling contemporary residences that incorporate desert views, topography, and other environmental cues into the design. The design-build firm builds in Henderson’s most affluent communities like the Marquis Seven Hills, MacDonald Heights, and even The Ridges in Las Vegas.
Its modern mansions have gained the attention of the NAHB, who has chosen the firm three times to build the New American Home. It is also the first firm in the program’s 30-year history to be selected in all three categories, serving as architect, interior designer, and builder. It has also graced the covers and pages of prominent magazines such as Builder, The Chicago Tribune, Builder/Architect, Vegas, and The Wall Street Journal. Its list of awards is equally impressive, with national and local accolades such as the Gold Nugget Award from the Pacific Coast Builders Conference, Excellence in Design Awards from the NAHB, and Las Vegas Parade of Homes Awards.
For The New American Home of 2015, Blue Heron built a $2.5 million “green” home and debuted it at the International Building Show. Las Vegas bling was incorporated into the desert masterpiece, including two backlit bars, the ultimate entertainment courtyard, and a glass table that creates the illusion that objects placed on top are suspended in water. The home also surpassed the standards of LEED Platinum and the NAHB’s Emerald, making it one of the greenest homes in the country.
How can I find a home builder near me?
Read our latest articles on the best custom home builders across Nevada. 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.
