We've built custom homes in some of the most established golf communities across Western North Carolina, Upstate South Carolina, Lake Norman, and East Tennessee. That includes everything from mountain properties overlooking the fairways to homes near lakes and private...

I’ve spent thirty years building custom homes, and I’ve noticed the same pattern almost every time a project goes sideways. It’s rarely bad luck. More often, the trouble started months earlier, before the first shovel ever hit the ground. The wrong builder was chosen....

I'm proud to share that Living Stone Design + Build took home six awards in the 2026 American Residential Design Awards, including two Grand ARDA wins, the program's highest distinction. ARDA is the American Institute of Building Design's premier award program, and...

A bad home inspection report does not automatically mean the house is a bad deal. In many cases, the bigger problem is what happens in the first 24 to 48 hours, when buyers see a long list of issues but do not yet know what any of them actually cost to fix. That is...

When a home appraisal comes back lower than expected, it can put an otherwise solid deal at risk. But a low appraisal does not automatically mean the home is overpriced. In my experience, low appraisals usually come down to one of three issues: inaccurate information...

People often use remodeling and renovation to mean the same thing. In everyday conversation, that usually isn’t a problem. But when you’re planning a project, setting a budget, and trying to understand how much work is actually involved, the difference matters. A...

Short answer, no, not automatically, and that single gap is responsible for more confused homeowners and misleading bids than almost anything else in this industry. If a builder hasn't told you specifically whether their price per square foot includes your covered...

People ask me this question expecting a simple answer, usually something like "don't start in January" or "avoid winter." The honest answer is more interesting than that, and it's not what most people expect. In Western North Carolina, cold usually isn't the biggest...

I get asked this question in nearly every first meeting, and I understand why most builders dodge it. On a flat lot, we're currently seeing $500 to $750 per heated square foot, while a sloping lot can range from $700 to $1,100 per heated square foot. Nobody wants to...

If you're planning a custom home or a whole-home remodel, you are about to interview several builders, and every single one of them will tell you they're reliable, experienced, and easy to work with. That's not useful information — every contractor says that. What's...

We've built custom homes in some of the most established golf communities across Western North Carolina, Upstate South Carolina, Lake Norman, and East Tennessee. That includes everything from mountain properties overlooking the fairways to homes near lakes and private...

I’ve spent thirty years building custom homes, and I’ve noticed the same pattern almost every time a project goes sideways. It’s rarely bad luck. More often, the trouble started months earlier, before the first shovel ever hit the ground. The wrong builder was chosen....

I'm proud to share that Living Stone Design + Build took home six awards in the 2026 American Residential Design Awards, including two Grand ARDA wins, the program's highest distinction. ARDA is the American Institute of Building Design's premier award program, and...

A bad home inspection report does not automatically mean the house is a bad deal. In many cases, the bigger problem is what happens in the first 24 to 48 hours, when buyers see a long list of issues but do not yet know what any of them actually cost to fix. That is...

When a home appraisal comes back lower than expected, it can put an otherwise solid deal at risk. But a low appraisal does not automatically mean the home is overpriced. In my experience, low appraisals usually come down to one of three issues: inaccurate information...

People often use remodeling and renovation to mean the same thing. In everyday conversation, that usually isn’t a problem. But when you’re planning a project, setting a budget, and trying to understand how much work is actually involved, the difference matters. A...

Short answer, no, not automatically, and that single gap is responsible for more confused homeowners and misleading bids than almost anything else in this industry. If a builder hasn't told you specifically whether their price per square foot includes your covered...

People ask me this question expecting a simple answer, usually something like "don't start in January" or "avoid winter." The honest answer is more interesting than that, and it's not what most people expect. In Western North Carolina, cold usually isn't the biggest...

I get asked this question in nearly every first meeting, and I understand why most builders dodge it. On a flat lot, we're currently seeing $500 to $750 per heated square foot, while a sloping lot can range from $700 to $1,100 per heated square foot. Nobody wants to...

If you're planning a custom home or a whole-home remodel, you are about to interview several builders, and every single one of them will tell you they're reliable, experienced, and easy to work with. That's not useful information — every contractor says that. What's...