Any recommendations, suggestions, experience with custom builders. Lakewood/M Streets area?

Bella Vita Custom Homes seems to have a big presence in that area.

The homes I've seen them complete look pretty nice.

J. Parker Custom Homes - doing a home on Belmont ave now.

Another vote for J. Parker. Good Outfit

I can write the construction and the perm if you are interested.

Jeff

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Bella Vita Custom Homes seems to have a big presence in that area.

The homes I've seen them complete look pretty nice.

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However they don't fit the area or neighborhood. They make it look like Plano.

Also, not likely they are truly customs. I'm sure you have a selection of floor plans to choose from.

If you want a truly custom go find an architecture firm.

Unless you already own the dirt, your builder will depend on who does own it....probably the builder. If you really want to live there, you need to determine exactly where first and then try to find an available lot. Lots of stuff to do before you start picking builders.

BTW, I can talk you out of it. I've built over 30 in that general area.

I have a place in Lakewood Heights specifically. Curious why you are saying you would talk me out if it.

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I have a place in Lakewood Heights specifically. Curious why you are saying you would talk me out if it.

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My apologies. Lakewood is great but same lot buying rules apply. I was referring to the M-streets specifically.

Bella Vista does way more remodel than actual new homes. Not even sure I've ever seen them do a new build.

Maestri is big in East Dallas and I think he's an Aggie. Architecture firm. His houses look pretty sweet. A bit more modern than what is typical in East Dallas though and all of the ones I've seen new are in the $800k> range.

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Bella Vista does way more remodel than actual new homes. Not even sure I've ever seen them do a new build.

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Vita not Vista homie www.livingbellavita.com.

Beware of all of them. I have first hand experience with M Streets. You must oversee or do it yourself to get the job done correctly in Dallas. BC '88

...so no good ones?

There is a nice Tudor going up in the 5400 blk of Ridgedale. Does a decent job of matching original surrounding M-Streets homes.

(Stan) McWhirter Custom Homes is the contractor I believe, but I don't have any first-hand experience with them.

I have 2 homes being built next door to me. (Lake Highlands)

New Leaf. Avoid at all costs.

Highland Classic Homes. Awesome. The head guy ( temporary brain freeze, can't remember his name) comes out every evening with a level and goes around inspecting the work that was done that day. Quailty home. Can't say a bad word about them.

Mark Dann runs Highland Custom homes and puts out a great product.

Mark is a nice guy. I emailed him basically to complain about the size/cost of custom homes in LH, and he was very responsive/helpful. I want a new ~2,600 SF house for ~$500k including the lot, and it isnt possible. The builders have to build 3,500+ SF McMansions to recoup their costs and make money. I dont need a huge house, just a new efficient one that I can set up the floorplan how I want it.

Maestri designed our house, Kovar Homes built it. 6500 block of Kenwood. A gray tudor that looks like its been there for 70 years, but that was the idea. We tore down the 1951 two BR ranch we bought four years earlier.

We used Mark Dann at Highland Classic Homes to build our home in LH and love it. I'd recommend him to anyone. Happy to speak in more detail if interested.

nm

It would depend on what type of house you are looking to build. Are you looking to build something that would have fit in to the original neighborhood or looking to build a more suburban looking house?

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I'm using Christman Fifer to build ours. Still early in the process, but no complaints.

I liked Mark Dann a lot; it was a tough call between him and Fifer. Hopefully you can't go wrong with either.

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Fifer will do my remodel next year.

So I should have been more clear. Lakewood Heights is pretty much wild west as far as look goes. It is not in a conservation district like M Streets/Greenland Hills. There are a lot of McMansion suburb style houses and also some different newer looks all mixed together (Tuscan, Prairie, Modern). My house was built in 1934 and is just a little cottage with 80s era updates so no point in keeping in line with that.

I'm a designer for an architecture firm in East Dallas. Just sent you a PM.

John Webb with Heritage Homes is building ours right now. We aren't building in East Dallas, but I'm sure he'd be interested. He's putting several up in Southlake right now.

Check out Larry Nix, www.nixgroup.com. He was are referred to us and we have used him for a few remodeling projects. We are very happy with the quality of work. I believe his primary business is new homes, but he also does remodeling projects.

I met Larry at his place on Shadydale. Very nice guy, but his off-the-cuff prices were HP level.

Just saw this thread. I'm doing a new build on my lot in Preston Hollow.

Curious about the "avoid at all cost" comment on New Leaf? They're actually on our short list. Anything specific reasons?

Will revisit Highland Custom Homes. The couple of his homes that I looked at last fall felt a lot like Plano/Frisco/Allen homes (not knocking quality, just the style felt that way) and it felt like we were going to struggle getting to a more transitional style.

Also looking at New Summit http://www.newsummithomes.com/contact/ - their schtick is 100% home automation. Demos really nice but might be overkill. Finish work seemed nice and they've got a lot going on in Bluffview and M Streets these days.

Talked with Mark this morning - he's got some more recent builds which are more transitional and even some more modern stuff which look nice. He's pretty much fully booked through year end (great problem to have!) and since he focuses on LH I might not be a good candidate since then he has to shuttle crews a few miles west just for one project.

If there are other custom home builders you've used lemme know.

nm

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I'm using Christman Fifer to build ours. Still early in the process, but no complaints.

I liked Mark Dann a lot; it was a tough call between him and Fifer. Hopefully you can't go wrong with either.

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Fifer will do my remodel next year.

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Fifer is in middle of my remodel. Pretty extensive job. I asked him and he has 10+ jobs going right now.

Again, Mark Dann is good option. Those are the only two I would consider besides my mom**, who is a GC, but only does remodel stuff and pretty particular in who she picks as clients.

**I didn't use her, because I quit mixing family and business.

Another thing is you want a builder that isn't driving all over DFW everyday.

If there is problem, you want him there ASAP, not stuck in Bluffview.

The most anal person I know just picked Bella Vista to build for them after interviewing about 10 builders.

Thanks guys. Polled a few real estate agent friends this morning and the general consensus is that New Leaf generally puts together a good product but may be going through the growing pains of trying to become a bigger builder and having a ton of both rebuild a new build projects going concurrently.

To be clear, Fifer does new builds as well as remodels? Everything on his website looks like it's oriented to renovations.

Agree completely on getting a neighborhood builder. Meeting tomorrow with Chris Ogden, who's done two houses on my street an another one a block north.

That's another intriguing thing about New Summit - they have 2 houses on my street where they've just poured the foundation. So they have *some* activity nearby. They're new enough in Dallas (done mostly mid-cities and west) that I can't get a real feel for them. My take after meeting with them yesterday is that they're closer to a mass-producer of homes than a truly custom home. Cabinets are built to order offsite and then installed, they have a single vendor for hard surfaces, windows, HVAC, etc.

Got another name today - Tanner Rivera of Tanner Homes.

nm

Yep... and he only does pier and beam.

My house is pretty extensive remodel.

If you want to see pics, ping Jon Deats on Facebook.

Thanks guys - any data points on other builders are good to have!