Custom Home Builder in Westlake and Barton Creek
Meridian Custom Homes is a custom home builder in Westlake and Barton Creek, the hills west of downtown Austin, in the part of West Austin where the company got its start. We began in 2009 with speculative and custom homes in West Austin, and we have built in West Lake Hills, Rollingwood, Barton Creek, Barton Creek West, Regents, Travis Country and Long Canyon since. This page covers the two projects we would show a Westlake or Barton Creek owner first, what our work here typically costs, how long it takes and how we run a project.
Meridian Custom Homes was founded by Jonathan Traylor after years in commercial and high-end residential construction. We have built 34 homes, and today we work throughout the Austin area with a large presence in Central Austin as well. The overview of everywhere we build is on our Austin custom home builder page.
Standing Rock, Long Canyon
Standing Rock is a 5,378 square foot new custom home in Long Canyon in West Austin, and it is the project Jonathan is proudest of. He considers it the best representation of the company's quality, finish-out, design and the client we build for. If you want to understand what we aim for on every house, start there.
We say that plainly because owners choosing a builder at this level deserve a plain answer to the question "what is your best work." Standing Rock is ours. The project page carries the photographs.
Sandia, Barton Creek
Sandia is a 4,496 square foot new custom home in Barton Creek. It is the project to look at if you own a Barton Creek lot, or a lot in Barton Creek West, Regents or Travis Country, and are planning a house of similar scale. Sandia and Standing Rock are different houses, but they come from the same approach to design, budget and finish.
Further west, our Spanish Oaks project, Monte Carmelo, is a 4,414 square foot new build in Bee Cave. It is covered on our Bee Cave and Spanish Oaks page.
Building in the hills west of Austin
Westlake and Barton Creek lots are different from the central lots we also build on. They tend to be larger, with more slope, more rock and more distance from the neighbors. That changes the design, the site work and the budget, and it is one of the reasons we want to be in the design conversation before the plans are finished rather than after.
Several of these areas, including West Lake Hills and Rollingwood, are their own municipalities, and permitting follows the jurisdiction the lot sits in. Plan review and permits are a defined step in our process, after the contract is signed and before construction starts.
Where we have built in this part of town:
- West Lake Hills and Rollingwood (Westlake)
- Barton Creek
- Barton Creek West
- Regents
- Travis Country
- Long Canyon
Nearby, we have also built in Northwest Hills, Escala and Anderson Mill, and in Greenshores on Lake Austin. We are open to projects anywhere in the Austin area.
What a Westlake or Barton Creek custom home typically costs
Our new custom homes typically cost $350 to $600 per square foot, and a typical total project budget is $1,000,000 to $2,500,000. Our whole-home remodels typically run $500,000 to $1,500,000. These are the ranges we see on our own projects, not market-wide statistics.
Where a specific house lands depends on the size of the house, the complexity of the design, the level of finish and the conditions on the lot. Sloped, rocky lots can affect the site work, which is why we want to see the lot and the plans early. We give a rough estimate during design to confirm pricing expectations, then a final estimate once the plans are nearing completion. A fuller discussion is on our cost to build a custom home in Austin page.
How long it takes
About a year and a half from the first meeting to move-in. Construction itself is about 12 months. The time before construction covers design, estimating, the contract, plan review and permits, and we would rather spend it settling the plans and the number than start construction with open questions.
How we work
We do not design in-house. We work with outside architects and refer you to architects if you need one. What we bring to the design table is cost: while the architect is drawing, we are pricing, so the number does not arrive as a surprise when the drawings are done. From there the process runs in eight steps.
We join the design phase early to advise on budget, give a rough estimate and then a final one as the plans firm up, handle plan review and permits, build in about 12 months, and walk the finished house with you before move-in. The full eight steps are on our process page.
Each step is described on our custom home building process page.
When clients tell us what sets us apart, they talk about personal attention, trust, relationships, communication, accessibility, quality, attention to detail, problem solving, aftercare, reliability and accountability. 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 see our Google reviews for what past clients have said in their own words.
Whole-home remodels
We also take on whole-home remodels, typically in the $500,000 to $1,500,000 range. Two examples are Shadyrock, a 2,904 square foot remodel in Northwest Hills, and Glenview, a 1,797 square foot remodel in Bryker Woods. If you own an existing house in Westlake and are weighing a remodel against new construction, we can give you an early rough estimate on either path.
Frequently asked questions
Have you built in Westlake and Barton Creek?
Yes. We have built in West Lake Hills, Rollingwood, Barton Creek, Barton Creek West, Regents, Travis Country and Long Canyon. Sandia in Barton Creek and Standing Rock in Long Canyon are the two projects to look at.
Which project best represents your work?
Standing Rock in Long Canyon. It is the project Jonathan is proudest of, and he considers it the best representation of our quality, finish-out, design and the client we build for.
What does a custom home here typically cost?
Our new custom homes typically run $350 to $600 per square foot, with total budgets of $1,000,000 to $2,500,000. Those are the ranges on our own projects, and your lot, design and finish level set where you land.
Do I need an architect before I call you?
No. We work with outside architects and will refer you to architects if you need one. We then join the design process to advise on budget.
How long does it take?
About a year and a half from the first meeting to move-in, with construction itself taking about 12 months.
Talk to us about your project
If you are planning a new home or a whole-home remodel in Westlake, Barton Creek, Long Canyon or anywhere in the hills west of Austin, call Jonathan Traylor at (512) 809-9840, email jtraylor@mchaustin.com. Tell us about the lot, your timeline and the budget you have in mind, and we will tell you honestly whether we are the right fit.