Seattle, Washington is known for its stunning natural beauty, thriving economy, and vibrant cultural scene. Located in the heart of the Pacific Northwest, Seattle offers residents and visitors access to some of the most striking landscapes in the world, including the Olympic and Cascade Mountains, Puget Sound, and the San Juan Islands. The city is also home to a rich and diverse population with diverse cultural and artistic offerings.

If you want to build a custom home in Seattle, the list below features the leading custom home builders to consider. Our team handpicked the firms after evaluating their portfolio, backgrounds, awards, industry affiliations, and press features. These builders are known for their exceptional craftsmanship, attention to detail, and ability to create homes that reflect the unique character and style of their clients. Whether you’re looking for a modern waterfront home, a traditional craftsman-style home, or a contemporary mountain retreat, you will find a builder on this list that can bring your dream home to life in the striking city of Seattle.

Hammer & Hand

2450 6th Ave. S #100, Seattle, WA  98134

Established in 1995 by two Reed College graduates, Sam Hagerman and Daniel Thomas, Hammer & Hand began as a remodeler of historic Portland homes. Its work quickly expanded, however, and now includes new home building, commercial construction, and the execution of both traditional and modern designs by the region’s top architectural firms. In 2011, Hammer & Hand expanded to Seattle and into the Bullitt Center, the noted Living Building, and the greenest office building in the world.

Since founding Hammer & Hand in 1995, the studio has been guided by an ethic of quality, durability, and beauty embodied in John Ruskin’s words from over a century ago. It builds to last, which is the most fundamental definition of sustainability.

Inside Design, Design Milk, Dwell Magazine, Seattle Met, Intel Small Business, Proud Green Home, Curbed, Daily Journal of Commerce, GreenBuilder Media, and Gray Magazine have featured some of its exemplary projects.

Prestige Residential Construction

1200 S Angelo St., Suite A, Seattle, WA 98108

Since 1981, Prestige Residential Construction has partnered with homeowners and design professionals to produce residential projects of the highest quality. Its portfolio shows a mix of architect-designed homes, historic home renovations, and remodeling projects of both modest and expansive scales. 

Under the leadership of Jeff Santerre as its founding principal, Prestige goes out of its way to build long-term relationships with the people it serves. In addition to its collective expertise, the studio’s team keeps current on technical advances and design trends. This is critical to collaborating with design professionals on sophisticated, sustainable projects that benefit from well-honed problem-solving skills.

Prestige Residential Construction holds memberships with the Master Builders of King & Snohomish Counties, is a Built Green Member, Environmental Protection Agency Lead Safe-certified, and is recognized by the National Kitchen and Bath Association.

Eakman Construction

751 Kirkland Ave., Kirkland, WA 98033

As a premier custom home building company serving Kirkland, Bellevue, and the greater Seattle area, Eakman Construction knows what it takes to impress. It works hard to ensure that their expectations are not just met but exceeded in everything it does. From its initial consultation to the moment it hands the homeowners the keys to their new home, it knows its clients will find themselves impressed with its commitment and quality of their services. 

Eakman Construction has been in business since 2011 and is affiliated with the American Institute of Architects Seattle and Remodelers Advantage. It also received the 2021 Guildmaster Award, aside from being featured by City Lifestyle Magazine, WIVT, NewsChannel 34, Puget Sound, and Business Journal.

Better Builders

4800 California Ave. SW, Seattle, WA 98116

Better Builders believes the foundation of its success is understanding the dreams and goals of its customers and translating those dreams into an exceptional space with quality materials and fine craftsmanship. As a Seattle, Washington residential design and construction firm, it strives to enhance its community through leadership in sustainable development.

The company runs under the leadership and direction of Walter Bill Babb and Peter Baughman. Walter earned his degree in construction engineering from Iowa State University, while Peter’s experiences have varied from carpenter, lead carpenter, project manager, production manager, and now in sales.

Better Builders is a Master Builders Association and Built Green member that shares the mission to promote environmentally friendly home-building methods and practices. Its goal is to incorporate sustainable products and processes into each project.

McKinstry Stauffer Yang Construction

3304 Beacon Ave. South, Seattle, WA 98144

McKinstry Stauffer Yang Construction is a high-end residential and commercial construction firm with a reputation for excellence throughout the Pacific Northwest. Over the past 40 years, it has remained committed to its values of honesty, integrity, and respect. The studio specializes in quality craftsmanship and the careful stewardship of its clients’ investments. It is also exceedingly vigilant in organizing and tracking the many choices crucial to the project’s success. 

Many of the company’s team members have design backgrounds, allowing them to collaborate with architects and owners with strong collective knowledge in design delivery. Its seasoned experts are led by Joseph McKinstry, Billy Stauffer, and Wes Yang, and together, they are equipped to guide with design services or the process of referring and choosing the appropriate architect or designer.

Schenkar Construction LLC

1752 NW Market St. 520, Seattle, WA 98107

Established in 2007, Schenkar Construction offers a full range of construction services for both residential and light commercial projects. It works with its exacting clients before, during, and after the construction, tailoring services to meet their needs. The firm’s services range from building major structures to small residential remodeling, renovations, and light commercial construction. With 25 years of combined experience, Schenkar provides various construction solutions to ensure the best possible outcome for its clients.

Leading the Schenkar Construction team is Alex Schenkar, who has 26 years of experience in the building and remodeling industry. He attended the University of Colorado and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Design from the College of Architecture and Planning. Schenkar provides each client with one-on-one attention and communication, serving as senior production manager and the day-to-day contact with customers during construction.

Axiom Design Build

5424 Ballard Ave. NW Suite 204, Seattle, WA 98107

Axiom Design Build is a Seattle-based architectural firm and general contractor. A family-owned and operated company, it specializes in high-end, custom residential projects. The firm’s services encompass the total project cycle of construction, from concept drawings to construction completion, offering its clients a full turn-key experience. 

As co-founder and principal architect at Axiom, John Cashman is instrumental in leading project programming, client relations, business and community development, and team growth. He collaborates closely with Axiom’s leadership team to manage project flow and quality control. In addition to leading Axiom’s design teams on each project, Cashman works closely with clients during the design and construction phases to ensure the design intent is maintained throughout and that the project stays on budget and within schedule.

The studio believes that its collaborative design-build process engages and benefits its clients. Axiom’s design and construction professionals provide creative design and building solutions for every project to maximize function, beauty, and budgetary needs.