THE TARTAN TEAM
Book a Call

New construction · Custom homes · Clark County, WA

Building a custom home in Clark County

We guide you from the first look at land to the day you move in: finding and checking the lot, matching you with the right builder, negotiating a contract that protects you, and keeping a careful eye on the build as it goes up. The custom builders working in the county are profiled here, so you can see the options before we start.

custom builders serving Clark County
43custom builders serving Clark County
builders in the 2026 Parade of Homes
8builders in the 2026 Parade of Homes
fee schedules compared
7fee schedules compared

We've worked the builder's side of new construction. Now we bring that experience to yours.

Nick sold 39 new homes for New Tradition Homes, and Dave is a master electrician and builder. We know how builders price, schedule and negotiate, which allowances run short, and what to look at before the drywall goes up.

The builders

43 custom builders working in Clark County.

What each one builds, where, and at what price, checked against each builder’s own materials as of Oct 9, 2026. Narrow it to a few that fit, and we’ll help you choose between them.

43 builders

Narrowed it down to a few builders?

We’ll compare their contracts, pricing, allowances and finished work with you before you decide.

Compare them with us

Looking for a home in a new community instead? Compare every new-construction community.

Parade of Homes

Who has built the Parade, year by year.

The Building Industry Association of Clark County’s GRO Parade of Homes runs each September at one site, with several builders showing finished homes. It’s one of the best ways to see a custom builder’s work in person.

How we help

We’re with you as far as you’d like us to be.

Finding the right builder

We learn your land, budget, timeline and taste, recommend the builders whose work and price range fit, and brief them on your project, so your first meeting starts with what matters to you.

Builder selection and the contract

We put competing proposals side by side, test the allowances against what you actually want, and negotiate the terms that matter most on a custom build: fixed price or cost-plus, change orders, the draw schedule, lien releases and the warranty.

Full representation, land to keys

We find and vet the land, guide the design and selections toward choices that hold their value, follow every draw with you and your lender, and walk the build with you at each stage. Our construction background means we know what to ask about before the drywall goes up, and we coordinate the licensed inspectors who check the work.

Whichever you choose, the scope and the fee are set out in a written Engagement Proposal before you commit.

How a custom build works here

From land to move-in, with us at every step.

  1. 1

    Land and feasibility

    It starts with confirming the land can carry the home you want: a legal lot, city water and sewer or a septic system and well, and no surprises in wetlands, slopes or flood areas. On rural land, Clark County Public Health's soil and site evaluation ($1,580 in 2026, good for five years) comes before any septic design.

    How we help: We search for land with you, pull the county maps and records, and line up the soil, well and utility checks (done by the county and licensed designers) before you're committed to a lot.

  2. 2

    Choosing a builder

    Some builders work only on their own lots, some build on yours, and some do both. Price range, style and how much design help they offer vary widely.

    How we help: We match you with the builders who fit your land and budget, verify each one's L&I registration, bond and insurance, and set up the first meetings with us in the room.

  3. 3

    Design, pricing and the contract

    Plans come from the builder's designer, an outside architect or a plan you bring. Pricing firms up as the plans do, and allowances for finishes are where most budgets move.

    How we help: We compare proposals line by line, set allowances to what you actually want, and negotiate the contract: price structure, change orders, the draw schedule, lien releases and warranty. Anything that calls for legal advice goes to a real estate attorney.

  4. 4

    Permits and fees

    The city or the county issues the building permit depending on where the land is. In unincorporated Clark County, new-home permits averaged about 65 days from submittal to issuance over the past year; Camas reported 28 days in early 2026. Impact fees and utility hookups vary by tens of thousands of dollars by city, as the table below shows.

    How we help: We build the fees into your budget from day one and keep the permit timeline in view while the builder handles the application.

  5. 5

    Financing

    A construction loan pays the builder in draws as work is completed, then converts to a regular mortgage (one-time close) or is refinanced at the end (two-time close). You can buy the lot at the construction-loan closing, and on Fannie Mae single-close loans the build period is capped at 12 months, 18 in total.

    How we help: We connect you with lenders who do construction loans well and make sure the builder, budget and timeline fit the loan before you sign.

  6. 6

    The build and move-in

    Lien releases from the builder's subcontractors and suppliers with each draw mean you pay once. Inspections before drywall and before closing, and a walk-through before the warranty period ends, keep issues fixable at the builder's expense.

    How we help: We follow each draw with you and your lender, collect the lien releases, walk the site with you at key stages, and schedule the licensed inspectors who check the work, so nothing is missed on the way to your keys.

What it costs beyond the build

The numbers that move a custom budget.

Impact fees and utility hookups are set by the city or county, not the builder, and they differ by tens of thousands of dollars across Clark County. These are the published figures for one new single-family home.

Regional benchmark, structure only

$177 median · $214 average per sq ft

Contract price for homes built on the owner's land across the western U.S. in 2025, excluding land, site work and fees (U.S. Census Bureau). A starting point for context, not a Clark County custom-home budget.

Source

A local builder's planning range

$400–$700 per finished sq ft

Renew Design + Build's published planning range for a well-appointed Clark County custom home. It often leaves out garages, outdoor living and site work, which can be significant on custom lots.

Source

Septic site evaluation

$1,580

Clark County Public Health soil and site evaluation, 2026 fee ($3,446 in winter). Design review adds $632 to $718.

Source

Rural land, 1 to 20 acres

About $68,000 an acre

Median of 60 vacant-land sales in 2024 recorded by the Clark County Assessor (our tabulation; buildability not shown).

Source
WhereSchool impact feeParkTrafficWater, sewer and otherSchedule
Vancouver$2,786 (Vancouver SD) · $0 (Evergreen SD)$6,130$2,006 to $3,750 by district$7,552 water + sewer2026
Camas$6,650 (Camas SD)$7,896 to $13,712 by home size$4,262 south · $11,047 north$16,945 water + sewer; fire fee $0.72/sq ft2026
Ridgefield$16,880$4,414$5,733, plus subarea fees in some areas$16,803 water + sewer2026
Battle Ground$10,760 (Battle Ground SD) · $7,790 (Hockinson SD)$4,538$3,943$21,923 water + sewer; fire fee $1,0192026
Washougal$0 (Washougal SD) · $6,650 (Camas SD)$6,848$8,275$11,563 water + sewer; fire fee $0.68/sq ft2025 sheet
La Center$3,502$2,842$7,561 (an increase is proposed)$7,800 sewer; water through Clark Public Utilities2024 sheet
Unincorporated county$0 to $16,880 by district (changing Nov 12, 2026)$1,998 to $5,572 by district$3,221 ruralRural lots: septic and well instead2023–2026

Fees change, often on January 1, and some depend on the exact parcel. Unincorporated Clark County’s school impact fees change on November 12, 2026. Confirm current figures with the jurisdiction before you budget.

Washington protections

What the law gives you, and what we make sure the contract does.

We walk you through each of these before you sign, and keep them working for you through the build.

  • Washington contractors must be registered with L&I and carry a bond ($30,000 for a general contractor) and liability insurance. Look up any builder at secure.lni.wa.gov/verify.
  • Before work starts, the contractor must give you a signed disclosure statement covering its bond, your right to ask for lien releases and the risk of paying twice (RCW 18.27.114).
  • Anyone who supplies labor or materials can file a lien within 90 days of their last work. Lien releases with each draw are the simple way to stay clear of that.
  • Washington has no statutory new-home warranty for single-family homes, so the written warranty in your contract is the one that counts. Read what it covers and for how long.
  • Construction-defect claims follow a notice-and-repair process before any lawsuit (RCW 64.50), and the statute of repose is six years from substantial completion (RCW 4.16.310).

Before you sign

The questions we ask every builder with you.

  • Can I see your L&I registration, bond and insurance, and the disclosure statement you give before work starts?
  • Is this a fixed-price or cost-plus contract, and how are change orders priced?
  • What allowances are in the price, and what do they buy at today's prices?
  • What's the draw schedule, and will you provide lien releases from subcontractors and suppliers with each draw?
  • What warranty do you offer, and who handles warranty requests?
  • Who is my day-to-day contact during the build, and how often will we walk the site?
  • Can we visit a home you're building now and one you finished a few years ago?

Start here

Let’s plan your build.

Tell us about your land, budget and timeline. We’ll recommend the builders worth talking to, set up the meetings, and guide you through land, contract and construction as far as you’d like.

Let’s find the right builder for your home.

Tell us about your land, budget and timeline. We’ll recommend the builders who fit, compare their proposals, and protect your interests from contract to keys.

Questions buyers ask

No. Some builders sell their own lots, and we can help you find land and check it before you buy, so you know the site works for the home you want. If you already own land, we'll start there, because the site often shapes the design and the budget.

Someone whose only job is your side of the project. The builder's team is there to sell and build their homes; we help you choose the right builder, check the land before you commit, compare proposals and allowances line by line, and negotiate a contract that isn't the standard state form. Then we follow every draw and inspection through to move-in, with a construction background that helps us spot issues early. You still work directly with your builder every day, with us alongside you.

Custom means designed for you, usually on your land or a lot you pick. Semi-custom starts from the builder's plans and lets you change layout and finishes. A spec home is one the builder starts or finishes before it has a buyer, so you choose from what's built or from the selections still open. We'll help you decide which fits your timeline and budget.

It depends on how much you'd like us to do, from helping you find the right builder to full representation from land to keys. We set the scope and the fee out in a written Engagement Proposal before you commit, so you know exactly what you're getting.

Realtor Gone Rogue

Subscribe