Custom Home Builder in Tri-Cities, TN
From the college-town energy of Johnson City to the planned greenways of Kingsport and the entertainment scene in Bristol, the Tri-Cities region of Northeast Tennessee offers a rich mix of mountain landscapes, growing communities, and an attainable, four-season lifestyle.
As Living Stone Design + Build expands into the region, we bring 30+ years of award-winning design-build experience to homeowners looking for more than a standard build. Whether you are planning a custom home, reimagining an existing property, or exploring one of our pre-designed floor plans as a smarter starting point, our team can 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 the Tri-Cities
The Tri-Cities attract homeowners who want mountain views, room to breathe, a lower cost of living, and homes designed to feel connected to the land. As we expand into Northeast Tennessee, Living Stone helps clients build, renovate, and plan homes across the region’s three anchor cities and 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Stone helps homeowners rethink layouts, improve comfort, update finishes, enhance performance, and bring older or outdated spaces into alignment with how they want to live now and in the future.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.
Start Your Build
Ready to Build in Tri-Cities?
Let’s talk about your land, your vision, and what it takes to build a home that truly belongs in the mountains.
Where we build
Communities We Serve
Johnson City
Kingsport
Bristol
Why Choose Living Stone
Why Choose Living Stone as Your Tri-Cities Home Builder
You’re not just hiring someone to build a house. You’re choosing the team that will guide one of the biggest investments and most personal projects of your life. Living Stone is for homeowners who want thoughtful design, a clear process, and a home that feels as good as it looks.
We specialize in custom homes, luxury mountain homes, healthy home building, and build-on-your-lot projects. As an established, nationally recognized Western North Carolina builder now expanding into Tennessee, we bring a proven process to your Tri-Cities build. We go beyond building code to create spaces that support healthier indoor environments and responsible material choices, an approach we call Whole Living.
An approach we call Whole Living.
Our wellness-forward builds may include smart airflow 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
National Custom Home Builder of the Year NAHB 2023
Best in American Living Award 2022
ARDA, Bronder Residence & Hawks Nest 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 consistently describe as the opposite of stressful.
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, site considerations, and performance goals.
02
Homesite Evaluation
If you already own land, we evaluate the lot for slope, views, access, utilities, drainage, orientation, and buildability. 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 the Tri-Cities
We believe in transparency on cost from the very first conversation. Every build 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 the Tri-Cities:
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.
Mountain Signature
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.
HOMESITE PLANNING
Build on Your Lot or Find the Right Homesite
Whether you already own property 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 property may look beautiful at first glance, but create major challenges with driveway access, grading, utilities, or buildable area.
AWARD-WINNING HOMES
Featured Homes From Our Award-Winning Portfolio
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 · Johnson City Homeowner
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQs About Building a Home in the Tri-Cities
Does Living Stone build in the Tri-Cities?
Yes. Living Stone is an established, award-winning custom home builder based in Western North Carolina, and we’re expanding our design-build services into the Tri-Cities of Northeast Tennessee to include Johnson City, Kingsport, Bristol, and the surrounding communities. You get a builder with three decades of proven experience, now bringing that process to your Tennessee build.
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 the Tri-Cities?
Most Living Stone custom home projects run 14 to 24 months from design to move-in. Site conditions, permitting timelines, 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 off 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.
Why build a custom home in the Tri-Cities?
The Tri-Cities have become one of the most sought-after relocation destinations in the Southeast, drawn by Tennessee’s no state income tax on wages, four distinct seasons, mountain access, and a cost of living that makes homeownership attainable. The region is anchored by Johnson City, Kingsport, and Bristol, with major employers in healthcare, education, and industry. It’s a setting where a thoughtfully designed custom home can take full advantage of mountain views and the natural landscape.
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 regional climate. Homeowners care about the environment, and we build homes that reflect that in ways you can see, breathe, and feel in your utility bills.