1802 Build Co. We are a Custom Home Builder building one-of-a-kind custom homes on land you already own — or land we help you find — across Terrell Texas, Kaufman County and the wider East Texas region. Since 2017 we have taken families from a bare pasture to a finished front door: site evaluation, septic and utilities, engineered foundation, design, permitting and construction, all under one builder. You are not choosing from a plan book. You are designing a home around the way your family actually lives, on the piece of ground you already love.
Most of the homes we build go up on rural and semi-rural acreage — a family tract that has been in the family for decades, a few acres just bought off a county road, a lot inside the city limits of Terrell or Forney. Raw land is not the same as a finished subdivision lot, and building on it is not the same job. There is no water meter waiting at the curb, no sewer tap, no address, and sometimes no driveway.
That is the part of the work most builders quietly hand back to you. We do not. Before a single line is drawn we walk the property with you and find out what it will actually take to put a house there — where the good soil is, where the water drains, how far the electric run is, whether the septic field will fit, and what the county is going to want to see. Then you get a plan and a budget that reflect the real site, not a generic one.
The same site work applies if you want a workspace on the property. Plenty of our custom home clients add a detached metal shop or garage, built to match the house rather than look bolted on beside it.
We specialize in crafting custom floor plans that are distinctively suited to your preferences, creating homes imbued with a personal ambiance and a sense of being uniquely yours. Achieved through a collaborative approach, we ensure a close partnership with you at every step of the process.
Every custom home we build in East Texas runs through the same six stages. You always know where your project is and what happens next.
We start with a conversation, not a sales pitch. What are you trying to build, where is the land, who is going to live there, and what does the timeline look like? We tell you plainly whether we are the right builder for it.
We walk your property with you. Access, topography, drainage, soil, utility distance, septic area, floodplain and setbacks. You leave that visit knowing what the site is going to ask of the project before you have spent real money.
Start from a plan you already love and modify it, or design from a blank sheet with our in-house team. We plan the house around your daily life — where the light lands, where the mud room needs to be, how the kitchen works when the whole family is in it.
Septic design and OSSF permit, driveway and culvert approach, floodplain paperwork where it applies, utility applications, and the city or county building permit for whichever jurisdiction your land sits in. We run it, you approve it.
Pad and slab, structure and roof, dry-in, rough-in for mechanical, electrical and plumbing, insulation, interior finish, cabinetry, fixtures and exterior work. You see progress in our client software the whole way through, not just when we remember to call.
We walk the finished home with you room by room, work the punch list until it is genuinely done, hand over the keys, manuals and warranty paperwork, and stay reachable after you move in.
Blueprints & Precision
Our expertise spans from creating original blueprints to formulating detailed in-house designs. We excel in ensuring every aspect of your home is meticulously planned and executed with precision.
Superior Materials
At the heart of every dream home is the excellence of its materials. We select only the highest quality, most resilient materials for building your home. This commitment to excellence does more than construct homes; it builds lasting trust and ensures your investment endures for generations.
Innovative Excellence
We navigate the ever-evolving landscape of home construction, always at the forefront of innovation. Embracing cutting-edge building methods, new materials, and contemporary trends, 1802 Build Co. guarantees your home is constructed with the industry’s most modern and efficient practices.
Commitment & Craftsmanship
For us, as a custom home builder – building homes is about creating lasting legacies. We devote our entire expertise and energy to every phase of the construction process. Your vision is our mission, and we take great pride in being your chosen craftsmen for your custom-built home.
This is the section almost nobody in our market publishes, and it is the part that decides whether a build on acreage goes smoothly or turns into a year of surprises. Here is the honest version of what has to happen between a bare piece of East Texas ground and a house you can move into.
Outside a city sewer service area, your home needs an on-site sewage facility. In Texas that is permitted by the county or its authorised agent — in our main service area that is the Kaufman County On-Site Sewage Facilities office. Before a permit is issued, a licensed site evaluator has to perform a soil evaluation, and the system is then designed to the soil, the lot size and the number of bedrooms. Tighter clay soils and smaller tracts often push a site from a conventional system to an aerobic treatment unit, which also carries an ongoing licensed maintenance contract. Setbacks from wells, creeks, property lines and the house itself all have to be respected, which is why the septic area needs to be located before the house is sited — not after.
Most of our build sites are served by a rural water supply corporation rather than a city utility. That means checking meter availability for your specific tract, the tap and impact fees, and how far the line has to run. Where a meter is not available or the run is impractical, a private well becomes the answer, which brings its own drilling depth, pump, pressure tank and water quality considerations. Either way this gets settled early, because it affects both the budget and the schedule.
Rural electric service usually comes from a co-op, and a line extension to a house set back off the road is a real cost that varies with distance and terrain. You also need a temporary construction pole set and inspected before framing, and the permanent service inspected before it can be energised. We coordinate the applications and the inspections so the crews are never standing around waiting on power.
A new driveway off a county road needs an approach permit and, in most cases, a culvert sized to the ditch so you are not damming water onto your neighbour. Off a state highway it is TxDOT. It sounds like a small thing until the concrete truck cannot get to the pad.
The soils east of Dallas move. Expansive Blackland clay swells when it is wet and shrinks when it is dry, and it will find a foundation that was not engineered for it. We build to an engineered foundation design based on the actual geotechnical conditions of your site — post-tension slab, pier and beam, or a deepened and reinforced system where the soil calls for it. This is not a place to save money, and we will tell you so.
Drainage belongs in the same conversation. East Texas gets its rain in bursts, and how the pad is set and graded is the difference between a slab that stays dry and a decade of water problems. Parts of Kaufman, Van Zandt and Henderson counties also sit inside mapped floodplains, which brings a floodplain development permit and a minimum finished floor elevation with it.
If you already own the land, send us the address or the parcel number and we will come walk it with you. If you are still looking, bring us the listing before you make an offer — a thirty minute conversation at that stage has saved our clients a great deal of money.
1802 Build Co. Custom Home Builder, was established in 2017 in Terrell, Texas, and the team behind it carries more than one hundred years of combined building experience. Keith is on the jobsites. That is not a marketing line — it is why the client reviews on this page keep using the word “Keith” instead of “the company.” When something needs a decision, you talk to the person who can make it.
Every home we build — custom home or barndominium — carries a full one-year builder’s warranty from the day we hand you the keys, on top of the manufacturer warranties that come with the equipment and appliances we install. We walk that paperwork through with you at handover so you know exactly what is covered and who to call.
We build across Kaufman County and East Texas and we are not trying to be everywhere. Staying inside a region we know means we already know the inspectors, the septic installers, the electric co-ops and the soil.
Building is financed differently than buying an existing house, and it catches people off guard. Instead of one mortgage at closing, a custom build is normally funded through a construction loan that releases money in draws as the work is completed and inspected, then converts to a permanent mortgage when you move in. We are builders, not lenders — but we work alongside your lender through the whole draw process, and we will point you to lenders in this area who genuinely understand rural acreage builds.
Not owning the land yet is a good place to start, not a problem. We will tell you what makes a piece of ground genuinely buildable before you sign anything — road frontage and legal access, soil, drainage and floodplain, distance to water and electric, whether the tract is large enough for the septic system your house needs, deed restrictions, and what the jurisdiction will require. If you need one, we will connect you with a REALTOR® who works this area and understands land.
1802 Build Co. is based in Terrell and builds custom homes across Kaufman County and the surrounding East Texas counties. If your land is in one of these communities — or near one — we can build there.
Kaufman County is home for us. We know the On-Site Sewage Facilities office, the floodplain maps, the electric co-ops and the way the Blackland clay behaves from one side of the county to the other. Most of the homes we build sit on acreage along and either side of the I-20 corridor.
North and east of home we build in Rockwall, Royse City, Fate, Heath and McLendon-Chisholm; in Greenville, Quinlan, Caddo Mills and Lone Oak; and out toward Emory and Point. A good deal of this land qualifies for USDA rural development financing, which is worth checking before you buy.
Building a custom home somewhere in East Texas and not sure whether we cover it? Call us at 469.694.2276, Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 5:30 pm. We would rather tell you honestly that a site is too far than take a job we cannot service well.
What the word on the streets is?
This can vary in time depending on the level customization you are requesting. Proper work takes time and this questions can be answered more accurately once we have a plan in place!
A barndominium is a hybrid type of building that combines elements of a barn and a condominium. This architectural style is particularly popular in rural areas, offering a modern twist on traditional barn structures.
Structure and Design: Most barndominiums start with a metal or steel frame, resembling that of a traditional barn. They often have a rectangular shape and a spacious, open floor plan. The exterior can be clad in sheet metal, but some also feature wood or other materials for a more traditional look.
Living Space: Unlike conventional barns, barndominiums are designed with living areas. These spaces are often large and open, reflecting the expansive nature of barn interiors. The interior design can vary widely, from rustic, barn-like aesthetics to modern and luxurious finishes.
Versatility: One of the key attractions of a barndominium is its versatility. The large, open space can be customized to include various living areas, workshops, garages, or studios. This makes them ideal for those who want a combined living and working space.
Cost-Effectiveness and Efficiency: Building a barndominium can be more cost-effective than traditional homes. The use of metal and steel often makes construction quicker and less expensive. Additionally, many barndominiums are designed to be energy-efficient, with good insulation and sustainable features.
Rural and Rustic Charm: Although they can be built anywhere, barndominiums are most commonly found in rural settings. They often retain a rustic charm, blending seamlessly with natural surroundings and offering a cozy, country living experience.
Overall, barndominiums represent a unique blend of rural charm and modern living, offering customizable, spacious, and efficient living spaces that are both practical and aesthetically pleasing.
To get started, call or fill out the contact form on the contact us page. Our experts are waiting to help and answer all your questions.
Yes, we build on your land. But if you do not have land as of yet, we can help you get connected with a strong REALTOR® to accomplish your goals!
General liability and worker’s compensation insurance are a must for any custom home builder. We are no exception and we our proud to provide security in knowing we are insured.
It is always a good idea to add energy-efficient components to your home design when possible.
Yes — that is most of what we do. We build custom homes on land our clients already own across Kaufman County and East Texas, whether that is a family tract, a few acres off a county road, or a lot inside the city limits. If you do not own land yet, we will help you evaluate a piece before you buy it and connect you with a REALTOR® who works this area.
It depends on the size and complexity of the home and on the site itself, but a realistic schedule runs from the discovery call through design and permitting before construction ever starts. Rural sites add time for septic permitting, utility runs and driveway approach. Once we have your plan and your site conditions in front of us we can give you a real schedule instead of a guess.
Honestly, it costs whatever you decide it costs. Square footage, foundation design, roof complexity, window package, cabinetry, flooring, fixtures and how much of the land work is already done all move the number substantially, and material prices change. Rather than publish a figure that is wrong by the time you read it, we will build you a written scope with real allowances for your actual plan on your actual site.
Yes. We coordinate the licensed site evaluation and soil test, the OSSF (septic) design and county permit, the driveway and culvert approach permit, floodplain paperwork where it applies, utility applications, and the building permit for whichever city or county has jurisdiction over your land.
It depends where your land sits. Inside city limits, the municipality permits and inspects to full building code. Inside a city’s ETJ, some requirements apply and others do not. On unincorporated county land, Texas counties have limited authority over residential construction, but septic, floodplain, driveway and utility-side electrical requirements still apply. We identify which set you are in during the site visit.
Yes, and it is common. We handle the rural water supply corporation tap or coordinate a well, work with the electric co-op on the line extension, set the temporary construction pole, and get the 911 address assigned so utilities can be established.
An engineered one, designed to your site. The expansive Blackland clay east of Dallas moves seasonally and will damage a foundation that was not designed for it. Depending on the geotechnical conditions we build post-tension slabs, pier and beam, or deepened reinforced systems. The engineer makes that call based on your soil, not on what is cheapest.
Absolutely. Bring a plan you love and we will build it or adapt it, work with your architect, or design the home from a blank sheet with our in-house team. We do not have a plan book you have to choose from.
Every home we build carries a full one-year builder’s warranty from the day you take the keys, and that is the same whether you build a custom home or a barndominium with us. On top of that, all of the equipment and appliances installed in your home come with their own manufacturer warranties, which we hand over to you with the manuals at the final walkthrough. If something needs attention inside that first year, you call us directly — not a warranty call center.
Yes. We carry general liability and workers’ compensation insurance on every project, and we are glad to provide certificates before you sign anything.
Both are real houses and we build both. A barndominium built around a steel frame tends to suit clients who want large open spans and attached shop space on acreage. A traditionally framed custom home tends to suit clients who want conventional rooflines, more segmented rooms and a more familiar look. Financing, appraisal and insurance work differently between the two, and we will walk you through the practical trade-offs before you commit. See our custom barndominium page for more on that side of the business.
At 1802 Build Co. 100% transparency and seamless communication throughout your unique projects journey, is just the start. That’s why we provide all our clients access to our proprietary client portal software. These innovative software tools allow you to stay updated on daily operations, track project timelines, spending, budgets and manage every detail of your custom build with ease. Packed with powerful features, our client portal ensures you have the confidence and control you deserve, making the entire process smooth, organized, and stress-free.
