Custom Home Builder in Upstate South Carolina
From the vibrant downtown streets of Greenville to the scenic foothills near Travelers Rest and the shimmering shores of Lake Keowee, Upstate South Carolina has quickly become one of the Southeast’s most sought-after regions for custom home building. It’s a place where southern hospitality meets modern living and where Living Stone Design + Build brings over 30 years of design-build expertise to craft homes that truly belong. If you’re considering building a custom home in Upstate South Carolina, we’re here to help.
30+ Years of Design-Build Experience
Showroom in Asheville
Nationally Recognized Custom Home Builder
Quality Craftsmanship from Start to Finish
What we do
Design-Build Services in Upstate South Carolina
The Upstate draws homeowners who want a thriving regional hub, access to mountains and lakes, a strong quality of life, and homes designed that feel connected to the land. Living Stone helps clients build, renovate, and plan homes across Greenville and the surrounding communities.
Custom Homes
For homeowners building from the ground up, our custom home process starts with your land, your lifestyle, and your long-term goals. We help evaluate the homesite, design around the views and terrain, and guide the project from early planning through construction.
Renovations & Remodels
If you love where you live but your home no longer works for your life, a major renovation may be the right path. Living Stone helps homeowners rethink layouts, improve comfort, update finishes, enhance performance, and bring older or outdated spaces into alignment with how they want to live now and in the future.
Pre-Designed Floor Plans
For homeowners who want the quality and guidance of Living Stone with a more efficient design starting point, our pre-designed floor plans offer a practical alternative to a fully custom home.
Where we build
Communities We Serve
Greenville
Greer
Simpsonville
Travelers Rest
We are a preferred builder in many private luxury neighborhoods and resorts. If you want the amenities of The Cliffs, the sustainability of Olivette, or the views of Couch Mountain, we can cater to you.
Why Choose Living Stone
Why Choose Living Stone as Your Upstate South Carolina Home Builder
Building a custom home isn’t just about square footage or finishes. It’s about designing a space that truly supports the way you live. For nearly 30 years, we’ve worked with homeowners to deliver tailored design-build solutions that prioritize health, efficiency, and craftsmanship.
An approach we call Whole Living.
Our wellness-forward builds may include smart air flow and filtration systems, eco-friendly paints, glues, and sealants, and low-toxicity interior finishes and furnishings.
Credentials & Recognition
Accredited Master Builder
Certified Green Professional
Certified Aging In Place Specialist
Building Green Real Estate Certified
2021 ARDA — Bronder Residence & Hawks Nest
Asheville Chamber Small Business Leader 2021
Our Design-Build Process
One team, from first conversation to move-in day.
Our design-build model means one team guides you from the first conversation to move-in day. No hand-offs between architect and contractor. No finger-pointing. Just a clear, transparent process that our clients appreciate.
01
Discovery and Vision
We start by learning how you want to live, what matters most in your home, and what success looks like for your project. This includes budget, timeline, architectural preferences, and site considerations.
02
Homesite Evaluation
If you already own land, we evaluate the lot for slope, views, access, utilities, drainage, orientation, and buildability. If you are still searching, we help you assess potential homesites before you buy.
03
Design and Pre-Construction
Our team develops a custom design aligned with your goals, your property, and your investment level. During pre-construction, we refine scope, materials, systems, allowances, and logistics so the build phase starts with fewer surprises.
04
Construction
Once construction begins, we manage scheduling, trades, quality control, and communication. Because we are a design-build company, decisions stay coordinated across the team instead of being fragmented between separate firms.
05
Completion and Move-In
Before handoff, we review every detail to ensure your home meets our standards and yours. The result is a custom home designed around your life and built to perform beautifully for years to come.
BUILDING COSTS
What It Costs to Build a Custom Home in Upstate South Carolina
We believe in transparency on cost from the very first conversation. Building in the Upstate comes with variables, and a realistic budget depends on the lot, the design, the finish level, and the infrastructure needed to support the home.
Here’s what you can expect when building a custom home in Upstate South Carolina:
Thoughtfully Crafted
Beautifully appointed custom homes with quality finishes, solid building science, and efficient design. Carefully selected materials and purposeful detailing built to perform and feel right for years to come.
Signature Collection
Expansive, highly personalized homes with premium finishes throughout, custom millwork, and advanced energy systems. Every material selection is intentional, every detail considered.
Legacy Residences
Exceptional homes with no compromises. Architectural complexity, artisan craftsmanship, and the finest available materials inside and out.
Every project is different. The right investment level depends on your lot, your design goals, and the finish level you’re after. We’ll give you a clear picture from the very first conversation.
Start Your Build
Ready to build in Upstate South Carolina?
Let’s talk about your land, your vision, and what it takes to build a home that truly belongs in the mountains.
HOMESITE PLANNING
Build on Your Lot or Find the Right Homesite
Whether you already own property in the Upstate or are still searching for the right site, Living Stone Design + Build can help you evaluate what’s possible before you commit.
If you already own land, we evaluate the lot through the lens of design, construction feasibility, access, orientation, views, and cost implications. This helps you make smarter early decisions and avoid expensive surprises later.
If you are still looking, we can help you think critically before you buy. Not every lot is a good custom home lot. A lakefront property may look beautiful at first glance but present challenges with setbacks, flood zones, or utility access. A hillside parcel in the foothills may have grading or driveway costs that aren’t obvious until you dig deeper. We help you see all of it before you commit.
AWARD-WINNING HOMES
Featured Homes Built in the Upstate Region
Asheville NC
The Bronder Residence
2021 American Residential Design Awards. A mountain contemporary that responds to its wooded lot with considered materiality and indoor-outdoor connection throughout.
Western NC
Also recognized in the 2021 ARDA awards. A ridgeline home designed around its views — sited to capture the mountain panorama from every primary living space.
Western NC Mountains
Elk Mountain Zen
Best in American Living Award winner, 2022. A primary suite designed as a complete retreat — with spa bath, private deck, and craftsmanship that earned national recognition.
They built the home we wanted, and followed our vision to a T. The process was the opposite of stressful — I have no regrets.
Living Stone · Upstate South Carolina Homeowners
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQs About Building a Custom Home in Upstate South Carolina
Do you build anywhere in South Carolina, or only in the Upstate?
Living Stone builds exclusively in the Upstate region of South Carolina. We are a region-specific builder, not statewide. If you’re planning to build in Columbia, Charleston, or along the Grand Strand, we’re not the right fit. But if the Upstate is where you’re headed, we have 30 years of roots in this specific region.
What's the difference between a custom home builder and a semi-custom builder?
A semi-custom builder offers a menu of floor plans with limited modification options; you choose from what they have. A custom home builder starts from your life and designs around it. Living Stone builds fully custom homes where the design, program, materials, and site response are specific to you. We also offer pre-designed plans as a cost-efficient starting point that we then customize fully.
How long does it take to build a custom home in Upstate South Carolina?
Most Living Stone custom home projects in the Upstate run 14 to 24 months from design to move-in. Lakefront or hillside sites, permitting timelines in certain counties, and the scope of finish selections can all affect the schedule. We map out a realistic timeline in our first conversations and stick to it.
Do I need to own land before contacting you?
No! And in many cases, talking to us before you buy land is a smart move. We can walk a potential site with you and give you a builder’s perspective on slope, access, utilities, and buildability before you commit. We’ve helped clients avoid costly mistakes by evaluating sites early.
What does design-build mean, and why does it matter?
Design-build means your architect and your builder are the same team, working under one contract. In a traditional model, an architect designs the home and hands it to a contractor creating friction, cost uncertainty, and finger-pointing when problems arise. With Living Stone’s design-build model, one team is accountable for everything, from your first sketch to your final walkthrough.
Are you familiar with Upstate South Carolina’s county permitting requirements?
Yes! This is one of the major advantages of working with a builder who has been in this region for 30 years. We manage permitting as part of our process and have established relationships with local planning offices that help us move efficiently.
What is Living Stone's "Whole Living" approach?
Whole Living is our philosophy that a home should be as healthy as it is beautiful. In practice, it means smart air filtration systems, low-toxicity paints and finishes, eco-friendly sealants, and energy systems designed for the Upstate’s climate where hot, humid summers and mild winters demand thoughtful building science. Upstate homeowners are deeply connected to the outdoors, the lakes, and the foothills, and we build homes that reflect that in ways you can see, breathe, and feel in your utility bills.