Construction
A custom home is not about square footage or a checklist of features. It is about building a house that fits how you live, on the lot you chose, in the neighborhood you actually want. For our clients in Seattle and on the Eastside, a custom home is often the cleanest way to get the layout, light, and quality they expect without fighting the constraints of an older structure.
Cornell's Quality Construction is a custom home builder serving Greater Seattle and the Eastside with more than 30 years of local experience. We focus on high quality custom homes that pair attention to detail with disciplined construction management. The result is a house that feels solid, functions well, and stands up over time.
Whether you are planning a new home on a Seattle infill lot, a view property in West Seattle, or a larger custom home in Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond, or Sammamish, our role is simple. Build what you designed, protect your budget and schedule, and maintain quality from the first footing to the last piece of trim.
Who We Work With
Most of our custom home clients fall into a few clear profiles:
- Seattle or Eastside families who have outgrown their current house and would rather build a new home on a selected lot than compromise on another resale.
- Owners of older homes on great lots who plan to tear down and rebuild a custom home that actually matches the property.
- Relocating professionals who want a Seattle or Eastside custom home that meets specific layout, office, and multi use space requirements.
- Long term owners who are building a final "forever home" and care deeply about durability, accessibility, and low maintenance.
- Investors and landowners who want a high quality custom build on a single lot in a strong neighborhood.
These clients are detail oriented and time conscious. They want a Seattle custom home builder or Eastside custom home builder who can work well with architects, manage trades, and respect both their budget and their standards.
What a Cornell's Custom Home Includes
Every custom home is unique by definition, but most projects we build in Greater Seattle and the Eastside share core components:
Site Planning and Structure
- Thoughtful siting of the home for light, privacy, and views while respecting setbacks, height limits, and neighboring homes.
- Foundations and framing engineered for our soil and seismic conditions, not just minimum code.
- Careful integration of decks, patios, and outdoor living to make full use of the lot.
Layout and Flow
- Floor plans that match how you live: clear zones for public, private, work, and kids.
- True working kitchens that connect well to dining and living spaces, not just open space for the sake of it.
- Primary suites designed as calm, functional retreats rather than oversized but awkward rooms.
- Practical circulation with storage in the right places, not leftover corners.
Systems and Performance
- Electrical, HVAC, and plumbing designed for modern loads and comfort, not just the cheapest solution.
- Thoughtful insulation, window, and air sealing choices for comfort and efficiency.
- Smart integration opportunities where they make sense, without making the house dependent on fragile gadgets.
Finishes and Craftsmanship
- Solid flooring, cabinetry, and millwork installed to a high standard.
- Tile and stone work that respects layout, proportions, and sightlines.
- Details that look clean from every angle, not just in staged photos.
A custom home is a set of thousands of decisions executed correctly, not a collection of flashy features. We pay attention to both.
Types of Custom Homes We Build
We build custom homes across a range of lot types and neighborhoods in the Seattle area:
Urban Infill Homes
Single family homes on infill lots in Seattle neighborhoods such as Capitol Hill, Queen Anne, Ballard, Wallingford, Green Lake, and West Seattle. These typically require tight site logistics, careful coordination with neighbors, and precise scheduling around inspections and city requirements.
View and Hillside Homes
Custom homes on sloped or view lots in areas like Magnolia, West Seattle, Bellevue, Kirkland, and parts of Sammamish and Issaquah. These demand serious attention to foundations, drainage, retaining walls, and structural design.
Larger Eastside Custom Homes
High end homes in Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond, Sammamish, Issaquah, Mercer Island, Medina, Clyde Hill, Hunts Point, Yarrow Point, and Newcastle, often with more complex programs: multiple suites, dedicated offices, gyms, and significant outdoor living spaces.
Rebuilds on Existing Lots
Tear down and rebuild projects on existing single family lots where the land value is high and the original house no longer makes sense to remodel. These require clean demolition planning, utility coordination, and careful sequencing to protect surrounding homes and infrastructure.
High-Quality Construction From Shell to Finish
Cornell's reputation for high-quality construction matters even more on a custom home. We focus on:
- Straight, consistent framing that makes drywall, cabinetry, and tile go in correctly.
- Window and door installations that are square, weatherproofed, and aligned with interior and exterior finishes.
- Millwork and built ins that match the design intent and align cleanly room to room.
- Tile layouts that coordinate with plumbing locations, niche placements, and transitions instead of being forced to "make do."
You feel that level of care every time you open a door, walk across a floor, or look down a hallway.
Where We Build Custom Homes
We serve the same core geography as our remodeling work, with additional focus on lots that support custom new construction:
- Seattle: Capitol Hill, Queen Anne, Ballard, Fremont, Wallingford, Green Lake, Madison Park, Madrona, West Seattle, Magnolia, and other neighborhoods where infill or rebuild custom homes make sense.
- Eastside: Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond, Sammamish, Issaquah, Mercer Island, Medina, Clyde Hill, Hunts Point, Yarrow Point, Newcastle, Woodinville, and Bothell.
- North & South King County: Select lots in Shoreline, Lake Forest Park, Kenmore, Renton, and nearby areas where zoning and market values support custom home projects.
Because we also remodel extensively in these markets, we understand local expectations, inspector preferences, and how a finished custom home should feel in each neighborhood.
Our Custom Home Process
Custom homes in the Seattle area are complex. Our process is built to keep them clear and manageable.
- Initial conversation and property review
- We review your plans if you already have an architect, or discuss your goals and property if you are still early in the process.
- We talk through budget range, rough timeline, and any obvious constraints based on lot, access, and jurisdiction.
- Preconstruction and planning
- Working with your architect and engineer, we review drawings for buildability and sequencing.
- We develop preliminary pricing based on the design and help identify areas where early adjustments will have the biggest impact on cost or schedule.
- We outline a clear preconstruction agreement so everyone knows what is happening before construction starts.
- Permitting and detailed pricing
- We coordinate with your design team to submit for permits in Seattle, Bellevue, or your local city.
- While permits are in review, we refine pricing, confirm allowances, and lock in key material and subcontractor selections.
- You receive a detailed construction contract with defined scope, exclusions, and change order processes.
- Construction
- Site work, foundations, and framing proceed according to the approved plans and inspection schedule.
- Mechanical, electrical, and plumbing rough in is coordinated across trades to avoid conflicts and rework.
- Interior and exterior finishes are installed in a controlled sequence, with regular quality checks.
- Your project manager keeps you updated with schedule, milestones, and decisions needed from you.
- Completion and handoff
- We walk the home with you, room by room, generate a punch list if needed, and resolve every item.
- You receive documentation on systems, finishes, warranties, and maintenance.
- We remain available for questions after move in so you are not left guessing about how anything was built.
Budget, Timeline, and Realistic Expectations
Building a custom home in Greater Seattle or the Eastside involves real commitments of money and time. We address that directly.
- We will not quote teaser numbers that ignore site work, utilities, or realistic finish levels.
- We will be clear about what drives cost: structural complexity, site conditions, foundation type, glazing, mechanical systems, and finish level.
- We will set realistic expectations for schedule, including design, permitting, and construction, and adjust them based on weather, inspections, and supply conditions, not wishful thinking.
You are not hiring Cornell's to be the cheapest custom home builder. You are hiring us to build a house that feels right, functions correctly, and holds up over time in a demanding climate and market.
Why Homeowners Choose Cornell's for Custom Homes
Clients choose Cornell's as their Seattle custom home builder or Eastside custom home builder because we:
- Bring more than three decades of local building experience to every project.
- Work comfortably with architects, engineers, and designers as a true construction partner.
- Treat structure and systems as seriously as visible finishes.
- Maintain organized sites and clear communication from excavation to move in.
- Care about how the home feels and functions long after the last inspection is signed off.
Start Planning Your Custom Home
If you are considering a custom home in Seattle, on the Eastside, or elsewhere in King County, you need more than a contractor who can frame walls. You need a builder who can manage complexity, protect quality, and deliver a house that actually matches the life you plan to live in it.
Contact Cornell's Quality Construction to discuss your custom home plans. We will review your property and drawings, talk through options and constraints, and give you a clear, honest view of what it will take to build the home you have in mind.