Menlo Park is famous for being the hatching grounds of tech giants like Facebook and Google, but this California city is also home to premium properties priced in the millions. Zillow estimates that Menlo Park costs an average of $1,320 per square foot in contrast to the San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward Metro average of $505. Menlo Park is, simply put, one of the most coveted cities in San Mateo county.
Those who intend to build new homes in the area should consider this list of the best custom home builders in the city. Such a large investment should only be trusted to the safest hands. With that in mind, our editorial team has gathered and assessed dozens of firms in Menlo Park. We considered awards, press features, work histories, and the overall quality of projects completed by each builder.
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.
Ammirato Construction
1330 White Oaks Rd., Campbell, CA 95008
Since the early 2000’s, Ammirato Construction Inc. has been serving the Bay Area through its carefully-selected team of craftspeople and subcontractors. The Ammirato family are Bay Area natives, which has allowed them to acquire a deep understanding of the region. Operating primarily in Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties, our firm provides design, construction, remodeling, and custom home options with an emphasis on unique design, high-quality construction, and outstanding customer service lauded by previous customers.
Headed by John Ammirato whose Aerospace background with Nasa/Ames and years of commercial experience sets them apart with a strong background in engineering and construction processes. Ammirato’s team of industry professionals built the mid-century modern home displayed below. The home has a warm, welcoming environment channeled through the use of unconventional shapes created by a sleek combination of glass and wood.
Clarum Homes
412 Olive Ave., Palo Alto, CA 94306
Design-Build, general contractor, and home builder Clarum Homes is one of the prominent names in residential construction in the Bay Area. Clarum’s 25 years of industry experience is reflected in its multiple affiliations with organizations such as the U.S. Green Building Council, Build It Green, and Sunset Magazine Western Home Alliance. Clarum Homes has also brought home a number of awards, including the California Integrated Waste Management Board Award, Flex Your Power Energy Efficiency Award, and the PG&E Energy Star Award. Aside from awards, Clarum Homes’ craftsmanship has also been recognized through features in various periodicals like the SF Examiner, LA Times, In Menlo, and Palo Alto Weekly.
All these accomplishments can be found in the firm’s outstanding portfolio. Luxury homes that are built in a wide range of home styles and have passed strict construction regulations and specifications make Clarum one of the most celebrated firms on this list.
Edgewood Builders
3280 17th St., San Francisco, CA 94110
Banking on their 30 years of combined construction industry experience, John Doxsee and Evan Hendry established Edgewood Builders in 2009. Doxsee had already built quite the resume with a degree from UC Berkeley and years of rounded experience playing every role in a construction team: carpenter, foreman, project manager, and now a contractor. Hendry, as the other principal of the firm, oversaw the construction management aspect, leveraging degrees from the University of Colorado at Boulder and from UC Irvine.
The firm’s exemplary portfolio reflects the duo’s expertise. This Menlo Park residence, dubbed as the Peninsula Residence, is a prime example of Edgewood Builder’s extensive knowledge and attention to detail in construction. The Peninsula Residence exemplifies Edgewood Builders’ full-service construction qualifications. Edgewood gave the residence the Tuscan residence a unique slender stature. This one-of-one stylistic choice speaks volumes about Edgewood and its approach to home building.
Harwood Construction
2905 Carolina Ave., Redwood City, CA 94061
With its emphasis on architecture and design, Harwood Construction has established itself as one of the most fashionable home builders in Palo Alto and surrounding areas. Harwood Construction has also been recognized for its green building accomplishments: the firm received the Green Building Award from Town of Atherton in 2008 and its accreditation from the National Association of the Remodeling Industry Green Remodeling Program.
Smitty and Tambi Harwood’s adherence to striking designs, defined project plans, and well-executed building led to the development of well-built custom homes. Since 1997, the Harwood team has built homes in Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Atherton, and the surrounding area. The firm has consistently completed high-end homes on-budget and on-schedule, as repeatedly praised by former clients.
JPM Construction
151 W 3rd Ave. Suite #1, San Mateo, CA 94402
Neighborhoods in Atherton, Menlo Park, and Portola Valley count on JPM Construction and its team of tradespeople, subcontractors, and related professionals for exemplary home remodels and new build-outs. The JPM team is headed by high-end residential construction experts, John and Matthew Mills. John is a licensed general contractor experienced in both residential and commercial construction. Meanwhile, Matthew handles the sales and marketing of the company, bringing to the table an international experience, having worked in France, Cameroon, and Congo.
JPM’s residential construction services have been praised by patrons as “professional,” “collaborative,” and “sensitive to budgeting.” This traditional, yet elegant home in Menlo Park shown below is a product of JPM’s diligence as a home builder. With a contemporary twist on this traditional home, the residence fits well into the Menlo Park suburban community.
Mission City Construction
1940 Lafayette St. Suite G, Santa Clara, CA 95050
Versatility separates Mission City Construction from the competition. With an extensive list of services and self-performed trades from consulting to quality management, the firm has captured the residents of the San Francisco Bay Peninsula and South Bay. Since its establishment in 2007, Mission City has built multiple single-family homes through its acclaimed technical proficiency and comprehensive construction knowledge.
Mission City Construction’s principal, Aaron Van Roo, is a UC Berkeley alumnus and a decade-long builder. Van Roo believes that collaboration with all stakeholders is key to the firm’s success. The firm’s Design-Bid-Build process produces consistent, optimal results at the most competitive pricing. Mission City builds custom residential projects with a painstaking process that starts with consulting and Building Information Modeling (BIM) and is completed in collaboration with designers and architects.
Pacific Peninsula Group
718 Oak Grove Ave., Menlo Park, CA 94025
When it comes to picturesque, extravagant homes, the Pacific Peninsula Group has emerged as one of the leading names in the Menlo Park area. Since its establishment in 1989, Pacific Peninsula has captured the admiration and respect of clients through its well-regarded, smooth, and efficient construction process. Founders Stephen Ackley and Bradley Smith’s love for contemporary art and architecture has kept the company on top of the game: the pair continuously spots modern trends and finds ways to match them to clients’ tastes.
Due to the firm’s high-level curation and construction, homes built by Pacific Peninsula are no stranger to the press. With features from Veranda Magazine, Luxury Home Quarterly, Garden Design Magazine, California Home and Design Magazine, Gentry Magazine, and Dream Home Book, Pacific Peninsula builds homes that are proven crowd-pleasers. This home, for example, is a luxury rendition of a contemporary California home. The home flows smoothly out of its green environment and the refined stone bricks that make up the residential walls complete the organic effect.
Phillip Price Construction
16945 Malaga Dr., Morgan Hill, CA 95037
Armed with over 30 years of construction experience, Phillip Price Construction operates as a trusted contractor, remodeler, and home builder in the Bay Area. The firm has completed dozens of custom homes, additions, and remodels ranging from 500 to 4,500 square feet, a testament to the firm’s flexibility.
The firm’s founder and namesake Phillip Price has been working since 1977. He gained experience as a carpenter and a foreman prior to the firm’s establishment in 1985. Doing so enabled Price to have an acute understanding of the construction processes and allowed him to conceptualize the firm’s philosophy of building with a transparent, open approach. The company sets honest expectations and quotations and pairs them with a 12-month warranty and an extended 10-year liability for latent defects.
This Mediterranean custom home in Menlo Park has been meticulously built according to the homeowner’s specifications, leading to a 3,300-square-foot open floor plan, four bedrooms, a family room, and storage spaces. Setting the grand features of the home aside, what takes the project to the next level is the use of rare materials like limestone, quartzite, and alder wood.
Plemons Construction
1125 Guinda St., Palo Alto, CA 94301
Since 1961, the Plemons family has been conducting home construction and remodels all over Palo Alto and its surrounding area. Now run by third-generation builder Scott Plemons, the firm still maintains time-honored traditions of high-quality construction, fair pricing, and commitment.
Generations of the family business and construction expertise is displayed in Plemons Construction’s portfolio of elegant, welcoming projects. This contemporary farmhouse in Menlo Park has a lighthearted touch that embraces visitors with visual hospitality. The cream tone of the home that extends to the interiors brings unity to the homey atmosphere. Plemons did a splendid job fusing the Farmhouse with the Contemporary. Using French windows and a single color palette, the firm successfully made the traditional Farmhouse surprisingly, even shockingly, hip.
Sigura Construction
1300 Memorex Dr., Santa Clara, CA 95050
Diamond Certified and Prime Buyers Certified builder Sigura Construction is an institution of over 15 years. This family-owned business has more than two decades of construction experience, thanks to founder Ilan Sigura’s early experience in the field. Sigura began learning from his father at the age of 16 and continued to develop the craft after he moved to California from Israel. Today, Sigura Construction is a prominent builder in the neighborhoods of Santa Clara and San Mateo.
Homes such as the 5,200-square-foot home in the photo display Sigura’s professionalism and attention to detail. This home was built to match a New England home style, along with its amenities. This project has a four-layer crown molding, elevated ceilings, and matching landscaping. Despite the grandeur and lavish features, the home was completed within budget and within the timeline requested by the homeowners.
How can I find a home builder near me?
Read our latest articles on the best custom home builders near Fremont. 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.
