Custom Home Builder in Bee Cave and Spanish Oaks
Meridian Custom Homes is a custom home builder in Bee Cave and Spanish Oaks, and across the Hill Country west of Austin. We have been building in the Austin area since 2009, and our Monte Carmelo project in Spanish Oaks is the clearest example of the kind of home we build out here: a 4,414 square foot new build on a Hill Country site, done with the same attention we bring to our Central Austin work.
This page covers how we approach Bee Cave, what Monte Carmelo shows about our work, what a new home in this area typically costs and how long it takes, and how to get started. For the full picture of where we build and how we work, start with our Austin custom home builder page.
Building in Bee Cave and Spanish Oaks
Bee Cave sits west of Austin along Highway 71, between Westlake and Lakeway. The terrain is classic Hill Country: limestone, elevation change, live oaks and long views. Spanish Oaks is a gated Hill Country community within Bee Cave, with a quieter setting than you find closer to town.
Building here is different from building on a flat central lot. Sites tend to be larger, so the design question is less about fitting a program onto a narrow lot and more about where to place the house for views, shade and privacy. Grade and rock affect foundations, drainage and driveways, and we want to understand those conditions before anyone commits to a plan that will be expensive to build on the actual site.
We started Meridian in West Austin with speculative and custom homes, and the Hill Country side of our work has stayed with us as we grew into Central Austin. Our Barton Creek, Long Canyon and Spanish Oaks projects share a common thread: sites with real topography, larger footprints and clients who expect a home that holds up to close inspection.
Featured project: Monte Carmelo, Spanish Oaks
Monte Carmelo is a 4,414 square foot new custom home in Spanish Oaks. It is the project we point to first when someone asks what we have done in Bee Cave.
The details are what we care about most, and Monte Carmelo shows our finish-out and the level of coordination we expect between the architect's drawings and what actually gets built. We would rather you see the work than read about it, so the photos live on the portfolio page.
If you are considering a build in Spanish Oaks or elsewhere in Bee Cave, we are also happy to walk you through how that project came together and what we learned on that site.
Related Hill Country work
Bee Cave is not an island. Our clients here often look at lots in Barton Creek, Long Canyon and the Lake Travis area at the same time, and our experience across those neighborhoods applies directly to a project in Spanish Oaks.
- Sandia, a 4,496 square foot new home in Barton Creek, a few minutes east of Bee Cave.
- Standing Rock, a 5,378 square foot new home in Long Canyon in West Austin. This is the project Jonathan is proudest of, and the best single representation of our quality, finish-out, design and the client we build for.
- Antler, a 4,817 square foot new home in Anderson Mill, for a sense of how we handle a larger program.
For the areas next door, see our pages on Westlake and Barton Creek and Lakeway and the Lake Travis area.
What a custom home in Bee Cave typically costs
Our new custom homes typically run $350 to $600 per square foot, with total project budgets most often between $1,000,000 and $2,500,000. Those are typical ranges for Meridian projects, not market statistics for Bee Cave. The right number for your home depends on the lot, the design, the finish level and the site conditions.
Hill Country sites can push cost in specific ways: rock excavation, retaining walls, longer driveways and utility runs, and foundations engineered for slope. None of that is a reason not to build here. It is a reason to get a builder involved while the plans are still flexible, so the budget reflects the actual site rather than a flat-lot assumption.
If you are weighing a whole-home remodel of an existing Bee Cave house instead, our remodels typically land between $500,000 and $1,500,000. We go into the differences in more detail on our cost to build a custom home in Austin page.
How long it takes
From a first meeting to move-in, plan on about a year and a half. Construction itself usually takes around 12 months. The time before construction goes to design, our budget advice during design, the final estimate, the contract, plan review and permitting.
We do not promise faster than that, because the schedule depends on the architect's pace, the permitting authority and the complexity of the home. What we can promise is that you will know where the project stands at every step. Our custom home building process page walks through all eight stages.
How we work with you
We are a builder, not a design firm. We work with outside architects, and if you do not already have one we will refer you to architects whose work fits your project. We then join the design process early to advise on budget, give you a rough estimate to confirm pricing expectations, and produce a final estimate once the plans are nearing completion.
That early involvement matters more on a Hill Country site than almost anywhere else, because the site drives so much of the cost. We would rather tell you what a retaining wall or a long driveway will cost before the plans are finished than after.
Once we are under contract, we handle plan review, permits and construction, and we finish with a punch walk with you before move-in. After you move in, we stay available. Our clients tell us the things that set us apart are personal attention, communication, accessibility, attention to detail, problem solving and aftercare. We take that list seriously.
Meridian Custom Homes was founded in 2009 by Jonathan Traylor after years in commercial and high-end residential construction. We have built 34 homes. We are members of the Home Builders Association of Greater Austin, NARI, the Texas Association of Builders and the National Association of Home Builders. You can also see our Google reviews.
Frequently asked questions
Have you built in Spanish Oaks before?
Yes. Monte Carmelo, a 4,414 square foot new home, is in Spanish Oaks in Bee Cave. We have also built nearby in Barton Creek and Long Canyon.
Do you only work in Bee Cave, or will you build elsewhere?
We build throughout the Austin area, from Central Austin neighborhoods like Tarrytown and Bryker Woods to Westlake, Bee Cave, Lakeway and the Lake Travis area. We are open to projects anywhere in the Austin area.
Do you design the home, or do I need an architect?
You will need an architect. We do not have in-house design. We work with outside architects, can refer you to one if you need it, and join the design phase to keep the budget honest.
What does a new custom home in Bee Cave cost with Meridian?
Our new homes typically run $350 to $600 per square foot, with total budgets most often between $1,000,000 and $2,500,000. Those are typical ranges for our projects, and your site and design will determine where you land.
How long will the project take?
About 1.5 years from our first meeting to move-in, with construction itself taking around 12 months.
Talk to us about your project
If you own a lot in Spanish Oaks or Bee Cave, or you are looking at one, we would like to hear about it. Call us at (512) 809-9840, email jtraylor@mchaustin.com, and we will get back to you.