Blue Ridge Custom Homes

I have several complaints about this company, but I give them five stars because I’m satisfied with my house and had a GREAT project manager. I’d do it again with them, just differently, knowing what I know now.

I can’t say enough good about my project manager, Ben Mullins. He was very helpful, informative, solved problems quickly, was readily available and communicative, and very honest and trustworthy. He advocated for me when subs made mistakes, fixed their problems, and gave frequent updates, so I always knew what was happening with my house, even if I couldn’t visit often due to distance. He’s the best part of my experience with Blue Ridge, and I’d recommend him to anyone.

The plan was strictly adhered to, and we got a home almost exactly as I drew up. No issues like HVAC returns in bad places or abrupt changes without consent. Our decisions were respected, and changes were done with our consent. Build quality, from a framing perspective, was very good. For the most part, I had good experiences with the Blue Ridge team. Most were kind, understanding, and eager to help build my dream home after Vertical Builders ghosted me post-contract.

That said, there are things to know before signing with Blue Ridge:

In the last few months, Blue Ridge switched from Excel to Google Sheets for budget sheets. This was easier to access and more accurate, but it was hard to track spending differences in line items. They were happy to go over changes, but with their cost-plus model, I had to ask frequent questions about spending.

Their ‘cost-plus’ differs heavily from my understanding of the term. They treat it as ‘if something needs doing, it’s added to your cost, not always verbally approved.’ This keeps the build fast, but budgeting is tough. I paid an extra $55k for non-selection items I couldn’t control. Assume you’ll pay $100k+ over estimates.

Blue Ridge tracks overages separately, promising to cover anything over 6% if within their control. But this '6%' includes overages on your behalf (e.g., pricier appliances), letting them overspend more on things you don’t control. Their contract grants a 15% profit margin on all work and selections, including appliances. Get these done outside the company to avoid variance and overhead. They’ve never gone over 6%, which feels intentional.

Subcontractors ranged from abysmal to okay. They used (likely) cheap migrant labor, leading to constant installation problems, poor craftsmanship with trim and paint, etc As a particularly egregious example, the subs would constantly leave the house disgusting and track mud, I would have to pay (over $1000) for cleaning up their mud, and at the end of the day the cleaners did such a poor job cleaning that I had to personally mop each floor over three times for the water to come back clear. If you can do something yourself, DO NOT pay Blue Ridge....

Selections were harebrained. We were often told ‘this is overdue’ with no schedule or warning, delaying the project by weeks. Living ~2 hours from selection sites made this worse.

The draftsman was horrific. I digitally drew up the entire plan myself expecting quick work, but he took five months for very minimal changes, often taking two weeks for simple fixes like a window unless I sent reminders. Pay someone yourself.

But thanks to Ben, my experience was overall positive, and I have a great house. Likely compared to other builders, Blue Ridge is solid, and I don't regret picking them.

We had a fantastic experience working with Kevin, Brandy, Allen, and Ricky! They were pleasant, responsive, and efficient. The price was considerably lower than other contractors, but not at the cost of the quality of the work. We are thrilled with our final product!

Blue Ridge Custom Homes: A True Lifesaver in Our Homebuilding Journey

When we began searching for a builder for our custom home, we hadn’t heard of Blue Ridge Custom Homes. If we could turn back time, we would choose them without hesitation to design and build our home from the start. This is our one regret in the process. I strongly recommend reaching out to Blue Ridge if you're considering a new build or renovation.

Our journey with Blue Ridge began under difficult circumstances. After starting our custom build, our initial builder passed away unexpectedly. For weeks, we contacted over ten reputable builders, seeking someone to step in and complete our project. Either we received no response, or they weren’t willing to take on an unfinished job. Nathan from Blue Ridge, however, responded immediately and approached our situation with compassion, understanding, and a genuine willingness to help.

Nathan wasted no time arranging site visits and assessments, and every member of their team was professional and supportive, which gave us confidence that our project could finally be completed. Nathan even took the time to personally discuss the contract with us after hours, addressing each concern we had. This level of care and dedication to service was remarkable, and we’re incredibly grateful that no other builder took on our project, as we wouldn’t have experienced this elsewhere.

As Blue Ridge began assessing the work that had already been done, numerous issues with previous workmanship came to light. They managed these problems and coordinated with inspectors, contractors, and the county to resolve outstanding issues. Despite new complications arising nearly every week, Blue Ridge was instrumental in helping us work through each one.

Our project manager, Clay, deserves special mention. Working with him restored our faith in good service and valuing customers. He was communicative, trustworthy, and always had a calming presence, even when we encountered challenging setbacks. Clay was someone we could rely on, and his approach made it easier to accept outcomes, even if they weren’t exactly what we had hoped for. I can't express enough how valuable his presence was throughout this journey.

Ricky, another member of the team, handled a range of complex tasks, from flooring and cabinetry to trim and doors. His meticulous craftsmanship brought a sense of order to what had previously been a chaotic site. His attention to detail and patience greatly reduced our stress. The quality of his work speaks for itself.

Blue Ridge Custom Homes truly stands out. It takes skill to complete a home from start to finish, but it requires a unique level of expertise, dedication, and resilience to step in midway and resolve a mess like ours. We are immensely grateful to Nathan, Clay, Ricky, and the entire team for bringing our vision to life. If you’re considering building or renovating, talk to Blue Ridge. They exceeded every expectation.

BRCH built our home at Lake Anna. Beautiful home and craftsmanship. Brandon L. was our project manager - very attentive, kind and customer oriented.

We just finished a custom build with Blue Ridge and love our home! Our project manager, Brandon, handled our project with care every step of the way and made it very clear that he genuinely wanted to make sure we were happy. Brandon is clearly very knowledgeable in construction and we appreciated his patience explaining things to us and offering his educated opinion to help us make decisions. He went to bat for us several times with subcontractors over the course of our project to have them fix or improve things and he represented our interests very well. He took care of little things that we asked for without complaint - for example he had the tile installers replace a tile that I didn't like cosmetically - and always made us feel welcome to bring things up. Brandon really went above and beyond by involving us proactively to get the punch list together early and working through items quickly. He willingly took on more items that would have had to go through warranty, saving us time, which we really appreciated. He has great pride in his work and his enthusiasm for the project was always high. Not only that, Brandon is wonderful to work with and made it his personal mission to get to know us and align to our personalities.

All that said, we were disappointed on several occasions with the quality of work provided by subcontractors and the lack of proactive checks and balances to make sure the work was done to appropriate standards. It seems the subs do not manage the workers very well, and maybe Blue Ridge has to do more hands-on supervision as well. We have discussed this with the team at BRCH and expect they will act on this feedback.

I LOVE BLUE RIDGE! They recently completed a gut renovation of my kitchen including new flooring and paint throughout the entire downstairs. Kevin was great in setting a realistic budget that would give me everything I want but not break the bank. He also picked the most amazing vendors for my renovation.

Brandy swooped in and I would have been lost without her. She came with me to pick out materials. She knew the vision I had and was fantastic about making sure everything we got fit in the vision and together. I more than appreciated that she kept to what I wanted and didn’t try to influence to her taste (I have heard horror stories about other designers). I plan on asking her this spring to help me decorate some rooms.

Since I was living in my house during the renovation I appreciated they didn’t start the demo until everything was here and ready to go. I didn’t want to live in a house with no kitchen for longer than necessary. To some it can feel like a delay between picking everything out and the 8 weeks later for cabinets to arrive for demo to start but worth it! They were even flexible in starting the demo the week I was out of town so the dog and I didn’t have to live through the banging (I work from home).

Clay was my project manager and once again, exceeded expectations. He kept me up to date on when each contractor was coming, next steps and what to expect while living through the renovation. He was on site almost daily and answered any questions I had. I appreciate he never brushed me off. Instead he would take the time to talk me through it. Clay was on vacation one week and Allan stepped in seamlessly to keep things moving.

Overall they more than exceeded my expectations. I was finished on time and on budget (most of the budget is because I didn’t go overboard on selections which is where budgets can be blown). This could have been a stressful process but the team at Blue Ridge made it so easy!

BRCH is a step above everyone else with there time and dedication with the process of making sure you are happy with everything and everyone from the selections person being there always to the PM advising on certain things with there experience in the field. I am more please through this process than ever before. So a BIG Thanks to Brandy,Tyler,Logan,Connor and the rest of the team/family .

We are currently working with Blue Ridge Custom Homes to build our dream home on our dream property. The entire process thus far has been far easier and enjoyable than we ever imagined. We just finished working with the selections team and I must thank them for all the work they put into making this process as smooth and enjoyable as possible. Megan and the team were able to efficiently guide us through the many different selections that go into building a custom home. My wife and I relied on the team's expertise for understanding different styles and materials, not to mention understanding current trends in the market. We relied on them a LOT to make cost efficient selections that are still beautiful and cohesive with our overall design. I also must thank them for their flexibility. We had to conduct many of our meetings via Zoom and Megan made this a breeze to do, in addition to coordinating meetings with all the vendors. Looking forward to the rest of our build process!

We had the pleasure of working with Blue Ridge Custom Homes (BRCH) on a custom build that also included a land purchase. From the start, the team displayed the utmost professionalism and transparency. Darren Grimes was instrumental in the initial phase of the process, helping transform a from-scratch floorplan into reality within our desired budget. With the help of drafter Bobby Hanks, we finalized the plans and began construction.

The selections process was very smooth thanks to Tyler Wilkerson, who was extremely helpful, responsive, and detail-oriented. We ran into a challenge when our initial project manager left the company, but were quickly transitioned to PM Matt Olexy and Dave Gingras from the financial side.

Matt jumped in right away and along with picking up several other projects simultaneously, seamlessly kept things moving and addressed issues immediately. His work ethic and commitment to our satisfaction was unmatched. Matt spent an unbelievable amount of time getting the project to completion and even the smallest details were attended to. Dave was also quick and efficient in addressing any budget or invoice concerns.

Having built several homes in the past, I can’t say enough about Blue Ridge Custom Homes if you’re looking for a highly experienced team to deliver a quality custom home!

We have been dealing with Blue Ridge Custom Homes for years now and they are a great customer of ours. Great communication and they really care about their product and their customers.

For the uninitiated, please allow me to explain how "cost plus" building works with BRCH. It means that the builder will not advocate for you with subcontractors who do subpar work. Instead of holding subcontractors accountable, BRCH adds the cost of fixing their errors to the total cost of the home. Tiler tiles the wrong bathroom? Added to the cost of the home. Grader leaves a pile of debris so a second grading company is hired to finish the job? Added to the cost of the home. Drywall subs forget to drywall an entire room as shown on the plans and another all-purpose handyman is hired to drywall, mud, and paint that room? Added to the cost of the home. Project manager violates protocol (and the law), orders drywall installed before inspection complete, and 75% of the drywall must be removed and rehung? Added to the cost of the home. The roof is not installed in a timely fashion, so the beautiful walnut stairs are rained on and ruined? Added to the cost of the home.

While this is deeply unethical, it does fit within the bounds of the contract, though a first-time home builder would never know. BRCH is protected by this contract that no sensible person could understand, yet the home owner would have no leg to stand on in court. I have built out a business with a cost plus builder, and I was still caught off guard by the egregious budget plundering by BRCH. Overall, we were more than $100k over budget, and we were left with a beautiful but, in many ways, inferior home.

Allow me to explain further. The flooring sub used an inferior product that scratched on move-in day when a mattress (!!) was slid across it. In several places, there is a 1/2 inch gap between the baseboard trim and the floor. Two adjacent window casements are leaking, letting water in and damaging the case. Cheap particle board/composite material was used for most of the trim. A deck landing outside a second story door (10' up) was built without concrete footings. A truss snapped when the roof was being built and, instead of replacing it, they simply sistered a 2x4 to it. There are dozens of other examples, but these are the ones that spring to mind. When/if these problems were pointed out, these either "weren't a problem" or it was "too late to fix it."

If you are properly horrified by this account, please brace yourself for the most astonishing part of our story of working with BRCH. Despite setting a move-in date for two weeks after final inspections were scheduled, we were told THE DAY BEFORE MOVE-IN that our house was not ready and we could not move in. We were homeless for 4 months, staying in hotels, with friends, and in short-term rentals. We had to put 4000 sq ft of belongings into storage. We had to board our pets and beg our friends to take our chickens and quail on to their farms. BRCH agreed, verbally and in writing, to cover the extraordinary expenses we incurred during this time, $20k. They reimbursed us $3000 and refused to honor the rest of their commitment. Fortunately for us, the courts agreed with us on this part.

Should anyone doubt the veracity of this tale of woe, I would happily provide photos, emails, and receipts showing each and every word is true. I would strongly advise against doing business with this builder.

My BRCH team helped make my home addition ideas become reality! The sales rep Kevin B did a wonderful job kicking off the project. He listened to my concerns and questions and provided all the right answers. He helped me work through the contracting process and provided me a realistic estimate to complete the work. My project superintendent Clay B. did a wonderful job coordinating the work and keeping me informed of progress. Clay worked through each detail to my satisfaction, was there to answer questions and provide assistance whenever and for whatever I needed. The PM Allen C was very responsive and was available whenever I needed him. I would definitely recommend the BRCH team for your new home addition!

Building our house was a process, we were in talks with blue ridge for over 3 years while we looked for land and tried to find the best floor plan for our family. I honestly think I changed floor plans about 4 times. With each step all my questions were answered and my concerns were addressed. For our build we had the honor of working with Brett Cline, our esteemed project manager and his counter part Dave Gingras. Brett's dedication, expertise, and leadership have truly made this project a remarkable success. His meticulous attention to detail ensured that every aspect of the construction process was meticulously planned and executed to perfection. Throughout this experience I never felt like he didn’t understand our concerns. I highly recommend Brett Cline for any future projects.

We also had the pleasure of working with Katherine Minix as our selections person. She was AMAZING !!!! I am very much type A personality but Katherine made me feel at ease. When communicating with her she always answered my questions and gave me great advice.

Overall our building experience was positive.

First I want to say this is my first experience at building a custom home. We also relocated from the west coast so the building process and materials are different. That being disclosed I wanted to give people who are considering building a few things to consider.
1. Some contractors were good and cared about their work others had no pride in their work. The framing crew was a 5/5. The tile installation was 2/5 - chipped tiles in every space, showers were subway and look terrible in spots, black grout mixed with white caulk in the seams look like mildew always. Painters 2/5 sloppy, overspray on the floors and fixtures, baseboards not painted completely, caulking was sparse. Stain on painted surfaces. Woodwork has dents and divots everywhere- cabinet door in built ins look cheap. I would give 4/5 on trim. Plumbing was a mess but finally 6 weeks after move in we found the issues. I felt like they were fine with band aid fixes.
2. The budget was unrealistic. Not knowing what to factor in and not being told what expenses in addition to consider was very difficult. Expect to end up 100k over budget. We heard that from several people.
3. Don't pay for things out of pocket and expect to be reimbursed at the end like we were told. It is just deducted from the end total which if you had other plans for that money that is not helpful. Also paying out of pocket doesn't save you any money you have to pay a percentage to the builder.
4. Plan to be on-site all the time to ensure things are done right. It was a full time job.

Do the research on the "custom" builder. Know their processes. Know how they vet their contractors. Don't leave anything for your build on site- things get stolen. Get educated before the process.

On a positive note we have a home we designed and now that we are making it ours we love it.

Pros: Project manager, Christian Garcia, took over the project mid way through the job. Our 2 prior project managers were great but one had a health scare and the other moved on to the commercial project management world. Christian was able to turn our build around and was customer focused and easy to work with. Christian has years of experience in the industry and was a great addition to our project.

Cons: Really too numerous to name in detail. If I did not have a background in estimating residential and commercial insurance claims, along with experience as a carpenter, this job would have taken much longer than a year to complete a 1800 sf existing walk out basement for my 79 year old Mother in Law suite. The subs used were hit or miss and I found myself acting as a PM daily to be sure things were addressed. We had electrical, plumbing, framing, mechanical, trim, paint, flooring, window, door, elevator, shower issues all that should have been caught by a custom builder.
In the end the co owner, Heather, stepped up, corrected the deficiencies, issued credits back for workmanship issues and my Mother in Law was very pleased with the results.

My 2 cents- make sure to not only view their renovation completed work, but also interview the project manager and their list of subs closely. The subs were the real issue on our job, that and a lack of customer centric communication with the initial sales person pitching the job.
All in all, our final PM did a superior job righting the titanic.

We advised them at the onset that we were not your typical client. Both my wife and I work for property insurance carriers, have estimating backgrounds in design and rebuild, and both work from home. If this were not the case, we are unsure what may have been undetected.

Be careful with the contract, once signed your only recourse (if unresolved by the owners) is to arbitrate. That is a costly and potentially project ending scenario. Luckily co owner Heather Wiley, along with Christian, took a volatile first 6 months of build and smoothed out the remainder of the project.

We used Blue Ridge Custom Homes for a large renovation project. We were incredibly happy with the process and the final renovated project. We loved working with Kevin, Clay, etc. We also love our new home. We would definitely choose Blue Ridge again for our next projects. Thank you!!!

We worked with Kevin Brungard at Blue Ridge when we were thinking about an addition to our current home. He was great! He took the time to hear what we were thinking and made great suggestions to improve our project. We never felt pushed to make decisions. He did a thorough job of going through every detail of our project to give us the best estimate possible. We will use them in the future!

I contracted with Blue Ridge Custom Homes to build a custom carport and pergola. They knocked it out of the park, and the final product exceeded my visions. Kevin and Clay were amazing to work with; they were professional, attentive and very responsive. We had to make some adjustments as the project progressed, but Clay and his crew kept things moving along. I highly recommend them for your project. I will definitely work with them again on my next project!

the team did a great job with our house. Brett was so patient and transparent with the work, any challenges, and brought possible solutions to solve the problem in the most cost efficient and timeline efficient ways. The contractors they use were professional and helpful as well.
While there were some hiccups along the road, as in all custom home builds, Brett, Dave and team did a great job in walking us through it all and answering all my questions. they even had some personal touches and care along the way.
I am so glad we chose BRCH for our house and that Brett was our project manager! He was the best!

We absolutely love our new home, thanks to BRCH. We knew we wanted to use BRCH for our home build once we learned who they were, years prior to us starting this process. From starting the entire process with Nathan Wiley, to working with our project manager Matt, to getting our keys and after, we had a great experience overall. Communication was clear from the beginning, consistent, they were all very responsive, friendly, and informative. I appreciate how transparent they were from the start and throughout. We fully customized our new home and the vendors that Blue Ridge partners with helped make those processes smooth. They answered all questions we had throughout, helped ease stress that came about, and helped quickly fix some minor issues that arose with certain products or services. We highly recommend BRCH and would use them again in the future (for small projects- we're never leaving this home!)!

We are so pleased with our home renovation, and we very much enjoyed working with Clay and the staff at Blue Ridge. The quality of the work is top notch, and Clay did a great job of guiding us, providing options and solutions along the way. We would highly recommend Blue Ridge and look forward to working with them again on future projects!

In January 2023 we moved into a house that previously had only existed in our dreams. Blue Ridge Custom Homes turned our vision into the home we now live in.
We had heard about BRCH from a friend who had previously worked with them. From our first conversation with Nathan W. we knew that Blue Ridge was the team we could trust to build our dream home. Nathan explained the Blue Ridge way of building and how they differ from other builders. Blue Ridge specializes in building unique, and often very complex, homes. And the home that we dreamed of would be unlike any house we’d ever seen. Nathan and his team were the perfect partners for us.
Next, Nathan J. helped us find the perfect property in the area where we wanted to live. Nathan helped us to quickly buy the property at a fair price. After closing on the property, Nathan J. and Dave G. met us at the property to help us choose exactly where to build. They showed us many options and explained the pros and cons of each. Thanks to their guidance, we were confident that we made the best choice. We were so excited when Dave marked out with tape the footprint of where our home would someday be. But when Allen C. came on as our Project Manager, it got REAL!
We had the unfortunate timing of building right in the middle of the covid pandemic – when supplies were scares and the cost of most materials seemed to climb every day. But because Allen has so much experience building custom homes, he knew how far in advance we would need to order materials to keep on schedule. He encouraged us to pick out our appliances and anything that would need to be custom built well in advance of when we would need it. This ensured that even with the supply chain delays, we would still have them by the day we needed them. Something we admire most about Allen is his ability to plan and schedule tasks and deliveries with precision. We never had a situation where one subcontractor was waiting on another to finish before they could start. Allen planned things so well that there were even days when three or more contractors were on sight at the same time, working in different locations on different aspects of the build and never got in each other’s way. It was amazing to see how fast and efficiently the house came together under Allen’s direction.
As the initial framing was being completed, Brett C. joined the team to assist Allen. Brett complimented Allen’s organized approach and kept everybody on task and on time, including us. Like Allen, Brett kept in touch with us on a regular basis and reminded us of decisions we still needed to make. Thanks to Brett’s guidance, we made necessary decisions early enough for him and Allen to manage them so that we caused no delays.
One of the things we most appreciated about Blue Ridge was the way they kept us informed throughout the entire process. Dave G., Allen C., and Brett C. worked together to keep us apprised of where we were in relation to the budget and schedule. We always knew where we were on budget, how much room we had for upgrades, and when/where we needed to cut back. And this was no easy task in the middle of covid when prices changed up or down daily. But the team helped us make educated decisions throughout the entire build; they made sure we understood the impact to cost and timing that our decisions would make. Molly at Mollybydesign was also critical in helping us pick styles and products that matched our dreams but fit our budget.
We had never had a house built before, and just the thought of it was overwhelming. But the entire Blude Ridge Custom Homes team led us, supported us, educated us, and encouraged us from the day we decided to build with them all the way through the days after we moved in. We worked closely with the Blue Ridge team and we now consider them all friends. If we ever build another home, we will not waste time talking with other builders, we will go straight to Nathan W. and ask for Dave, Allen, and Brett to be our Project Management team. Blue Ridge Custom Homes is hands down the BEST there is.

I am so happy with the two bathrooms Blue Ridge renovated in our home. Kevin Brungard responded incredibly quickly to my request for a consultation, listened to my vision and he delivered my dream bathroom !! Clay Brimijoin was our project manager and I couldn’t say enough about him. He was responsive to texts, questions & concerns and made me feel very confident about the work being done in our home.
I highly recommend Blue Ridge Custom Homes for your renovations.

I worked with Kevin and Clay to have a room closed in. The whole process was seamless. I appreciated the fast responses and clear communication.

These guys are a family owned company that goes the extra mile. I highly recommend. In fact we are going to be talking to them real soon. Great people!!!

The Blue Ridge team, especially our project manager, Joe Meza, was wonderful to work with. We brought our blueprints from a designer we worked with independently and they were 100% on board with helping us make our dream home a reality. Their communication was outstanding and they gave us realistic expectations for cost and timing. They made the custom home building process much easier than we thought it would be. We are thrilled with the results and are really enjoying our new home. We heartily recommend Blue Ridge.

Joe Meza is great! We love him and he became family throughout this process. He’s incredibly knowledgeable about the industry and makes informed and thoughtful decisions. He was truly a blessing to work with!

We contracted with Blue Ridge Custom Homes to build our dream home. It turned out beautifully! I can't tell you how happy we were with the job Matt did with the house. He was usually very quick about answering questions and taking care of different problems that came up. Even Nathan, the owner, responded quickly when I had questions! It was also nice to get the bi-weekly reports from Dave so we could see what was being done and what the purchase price looked like it was going to be. After we closed on the home they were quick to make some repairs that were needed. I would recommend Blue Ridge Custom Homes to anyone looking to build their own home.

Blue Ridge Custom Homes were amazing to work with from start to finish. They were very thorough with our budget and always strived to communicate clearly. Our project manager, Joe, was awesome to work with as well. He not only listened to all of our concerns but he also brought things to our attention to make our build even better. We couldn’t be happier with our new house and we would recommend BRCH to anyone who is seeking a builder.

Blue Ridge Custom Homes built our dream home all the way from helping us find the land to handing us the keys. I'm not going to gush and go on and on, but if there is one thing BRCH truly excelled in was the quality of communication---any questions or issues that arose were quickly acknowledged and addressed by our build team of Dave, Allen, and Brett. A custom-built home is a complex and long process; having a team whom we could trust in went a long way to having the best outcome.

P.S. Shout out to Molly by Design, amazing help and fantastic designer!

This was our first experience building a completely custom home and it was very stressful, but Blue Ridge made it a smooth process overall and showed professionalism and patience throughout the process.

We had quite a few changes thrown at them including switching lots at the last minute while permits were being pulled. Nathan Wiley, the owner was very understanding and patient with us as we maneuvered through these changes.

The quality of work is the best you can get. My Project Manager, Jerome J, and his team member Brent was very thorough and easy to work with. Dave G, was very good to work with and he provided a detail explanation of where we stood budget-wise.

We definitely recommend them to anyone considering a custom home! Huge thank you to the entire BRCH team for helping us build our custom home!

We had such a positive experience building with Blue Ridge. This was our first time building, so everything was new to us and BRCH made us feel comfortable every step of the way.

Chris Coiner was our lead Project Manager and I can’t say enough about him—he’s excellent. Chris is detail oriented, knowledgeable, organized, personable and easy going. Building can be stressful especially if you’ve never done it before. Chris kept us in check, kept us and all contractors on task, and made us feel confident though the process.

In addition to Chris we also had the pleasure of working regularly with a few other members of the BRCH team. Joe Meza supported Chris with Project Management and was wonderful to work with. He’s incredibly knowledgeable on all aspects of building so we were thankful to be able to bounce ideas off of him and get his opinions throughout the process. We also loved working with Filo. Anything that needed to get done or required a bit more attention and touch ups, Filo was the guy. He’s always got a smile on his face and I’m convinced there’s nothing he can’t do!

I highly recommend Nathan and his team at Blue Ridge! Huge thank you to the entire BRCH team for helping us build our custom home! Let’s do it again some time ;)

Blue Ridge Custom Homes just completed our new home. After looking for land throughout Hanover, Goochland, and Powhatan we kept seeing the occasional Blue Ridge sign and noticed how nice the homes looked. We made an inquiry which was quickly answered and the rest is history. From pre-sale discussions to the finishing touches we felt the team listened to our desires and followed through on our wishes. Our Project Manager, Joe Meza, was great to work with throughout the building process. He was responsive, calm, and addressed our frequent inquiries and requests.

During pre-sale, Darren Grimes fully informed us about the house building process and how Blue Ridge partners with the customer. We gained a lot of confidence with BRCH during those initial meetings with Darren. It was a long and arduous process, but Joe Meza, Chris Coiner, Nathan Janocka, and Darren Grimes made it happen.

A word about their cost-plus pricing system. Make sure you take the time to fully understand how their budgeting and cost process works. Once you do, you will never feel that anything is being hidden from you or they are padding their profits behind the scenes at your expense. From contract to completion, we dealt with massive swings in lumber prices and inflation spiked almost everything purchased for our home. Our home price went up from contract to completion. But we worked hard with BRCH to keep it under control.

We started our custom dream home in October of 2019 and a few months later the pandemic hit, shutting everything down. There were many hiccups along the way during our build which could be blamed on the effects of the pandemic and a crazy increase in the housing market and new construction homes, but many were from sloppy vendors. Blue Ridge has stuck with us through all of it. Adam and Ryan(our project managers) took care of any issues that came up. Adam had continued to stand by us helping and insuring any warranty issues are taken care of and completed.

Really happy with our new home and appreciate the efforts of our PM, Joe, to correct and anticipate issues, coordinate several visits to the site, and follow up on dozens of items to deliver a great house.

My wife and I just built our dream house / retirement home. We found a Carolina Farmhouse design with wrap around porch that we loved. Blue Ridge had never built this house(and actually), we could find anything online where this house had been built.

We worked with Blue Ridge on the design and drawings to come up with the house that we wanted. While construction took 9-1/2 months in 2022, Blue Ridge delivered us a finished product that we are thrilled with. The house went over budget but that was caused by the changes that we added along with material costs being so high. Blue Ridge absorbed some of those cost overruns which made the final price tag acceptable.

I definitely recommend Blue Ridge Custom Homes if you are building a house. Nathan Wiley, Adam Pillsbury and Dave Gingras were great to work with. And, a special Thanks to Bobby Hanks for his work on our drawings and creating our dream house on paper.

Building a custom house is very stressful. Blue Ridge did a great job a keeping us informed and helping us make the right decisions to get the finished product that we wanted. I won't build another house.... but, if I did, I wouldn't hesitate to call Blue Ridge back for our needs.

You can view our house on the Blue Ridge website - Farina house.

Sincerely, Tony Farina

Santa came early this year for me!

In October of this year, my project manager and team at Blue Ridge Custom Homes helped make my dream come true ! I came to them with a dream and a paper plan and from start to end and all the craziness in between of my selection process indecisiveness.
Joe & the BRCH team were always there to guide and support my decision making and kept the train rolling throughout the whole process. I could not have asked for a better PM & builder to help make my dream home come true! I am truly grateful I chose them as my guide in this complicated but satisfying and gratifying endeavor. My home is on their website along with countless other happy customers.

Blue Ridge Custom Homes made my dream of building a contemporary home a reality. I knew I would never find what I really wanted within my budget in the Richmond area. I did a lot of research on options and a custom build seemed to be the solution. I couldn’t have done this without Blue Ridge’s financing option. From the beginning Nathan Wiley and Nathan Janocka helped me figure out the first steps in the process and begin the land search. Over a year went by and I was beginning to think this project wouldn’t happen due to the intense competition and expensive prices during the first year of COVID. Thanks to Nathan J., I was able to get an amazing lot without a crazy bidding war. I still tell everyone that I’m so lucky to have gotten the perfect location AND the perfect home. That doesn’t happen in real estate!

From there, the build part of the project was stressful and exhausting for reasons out of everyone’s control (thanks COVID and inflation). I knew a custom build was going to be a lot of work, but I really didn’t know what that meant until I was in the thick of it. As a single parent, it was tough to work all day, come home and do the kid stuff, and then log back on the computer for hours to work on house stuff. But thanks to Blue Ridge and Molly By Design, I made it through and am so happy with the outcome. I loved the transparency with the regular budget reviews and seeing all invoices that came through. It helped me stay on budget, which was very important to me.

I will echo another reviewer about PM challenges. I had my PM switched twice mid-project which I believe impacted momentum on my project and added a layer of confusion, but I’m sure even if that didn’t happen, some other delay or issue would have taken its place. The building industry as a whole isn’t proactive--it’s reactive-- so there was a lot of reacting to things that weren’t thought about earlier on. There were also some mistakes and communication mishaps that had to be solved. It’s just the nature of the custom home beast but if you’re very organized and pay attention to details, if you can roll with the punches and find the humor, and if you speak up and ask lots of questions, you’ll be fine. Adam Pillsbury is a very experienced PM and did a great job coordinating all the moving parts and addressing concerns. Dave Gringas provided invoices and fielded questions, which was tremendously helpful as the project was in its final months.

Another bright spot in this process was the add-on option with the Molly By Design Team. I could not have survived this without Molly and her team! They provided clear guidance and instructions and helped me navigate this entire process. And on top of all that they provided amazing design and selections advice, and they cared. And they answered so many questions and let me vent, which wasn’t really in their job description so I greatly appreciate their patience and support. The vendors were the worst part of this process. Most were unresponsive or took weeks to get a hold of, and by that time prices had jumped up or items were discontinued. I recommend that you do your homework and get quotes from other vendors on your selections, and if you see something you really want go ahead and buy it. It’s extra work on top of everything else but definitely worth it and it will keep your stress levels down.

Bottom line, Blue Ridge Custom Homes is a premier custom builder and can get you in your dream home. The transparency was my favorite part and I appreciate the superb communication, customer service, and coordination that they provided throughout the entire process. They care about quality and making things right. All of the stressful, frustrating bits are totally worth it once you’re in a home where every little detail was hand-picked. It’s so rewarding and a great accomplishment!

Blue Ridge Custom Homes built our house and did an awesome job. Adam Pillsbury was our PM and was always available when we needed him. I couldn’t be more excited about our new home. Looking forward to the years to follow in this well built home.

Thank you to all from Blue Ridge Custom Homes for making this possible.

Worked with Kevin to get the from porch post replaced and his team was prompt and did great work at a fair price!

We have been in our Blue Ridge Custom Home for 2 years now and we love it! From start to finish, everyone we worked with was very professional, attentive and helped guide us through the process despite the many challenges Covid threw at us after beginning the process. Even with the challenges, our project finished close to projected budget and timeframe.

We had quite a few changes we threw at them including switching lots, plans and design. They rolled with everything and gave great suggestions along the way. Our project managers Adam and assistant Joe were great to work with. Communication was key and they kept up with everything and kept us informed along the way. They were always available to answer questions (many questions) and meet us on site as needed. Adam always listened to what was desired from both my wife and I and came up with suggestions and solutions that would benefit and satisfy both of us. There were a couple of misunderstandings and incorrect items but they were easy to work with and quick to make things right.

The quality of the build is outstanding and I believe this house is built to last! We have had multiple people comment on the quality, including another class A contractor from another state. Blue Ridge has been wonderful to work with even after being in the home with any warranty issues that needed attended to which did not include anything major, just regular items for a new home. We were also very impressed with the contractors they chose to work with including the quality of work they did and the friendliness of them when we interacted with them directly.

This was our first experience building a completely custom home and it was very stressful, but Blue Ridge made it a smooth process overall and showed professionalism and patience throughout the process. We definitely recommend them to anyone considering a custom home!

I wasn't sure whether or not to post this review because I had such a mixed experience with BRCH. From the first day I "scouted" my location, I knew I wanted to build a modern farmhouse on this lot. I literally went the very next day and put my down payment on the lot to make sure it was all mine!

Fast forward a few months and since it was November 2020 - COVID delays were still a very real thing. The team at BRCH did everything they could to mitigate these issues that were clearly out of their control. (i.e. county permit delays, construction delays, cost increases, etc.)

The issue I had was with project managers. BUT I don't even want to get into it online because it wasn't a reflection of the company. Needless to say I asked for a new PM and I got the man I had been desperately needing the whole time!

Darren Grimes took my existing "issues" and turned the entire project around. He paid attention to detail, helped me with aesthetic choices, prepared me for what to expect during the next phases, and generally ensured that my house was 100% the way I wanted it.

I now have the custom home of my dreams and owe it ALL to him. I would recommend BRCH to anyone but make sure you ask ALOT of questions with your project manager or just ask for Darren from the start.

This was our second renovation project with BRCH. Kevin Brungard is a pleasure to work with. He is honest and was excellent at planning our project from start to finish. Our PM Clay is very professional and extremely organized. He kept us informed of the work scheduled throughout the project. I would highly recommend and look forward to working with them again soon!

We contacted Blue Ridge at the end of 2020, right as COVID started ramping up, as we were looking to move back to the east coast while currently living on the west coast. They were very accommodating to us being so far away from their office and helped us navigate home building during a pandemic. When we got to the home building stage and got assigned a project manager, Chris Coiner, we were again blown away by the service provided from Blue Ridge. Chris helped us understand every single nuance that comes with home building. He took the time to explain to us the differences between our choices and how they impacted our process and our future in the home every step of the way. In total the process took over 1.5 years and not once did Blue Ridge lower their quality of service towards us at any time. If we do decide to build again in the future we will definitely be going through Blue Ridge again.

We built our custom home with Blue Ridge and couldn’t be happier with how everything turned out. The cost-plus model that blue ridge uses ensures complete transparency through the whole process which we really appreciated. The contractors that work with Blue Ridge are great, the electricians, plumbers and trim carpenters were able to accommodate all of our special requests. When building a custom home you work very closely with your project manager and Chris Coiner was a pleasure to work with!! Once permits were in hand and the land was cleared, it took 9 months start to finish to build our 4200 square foot home (this was during a pandemic when everything was delayed, but Blue ridge was able to keep us on timeline which was amazing!)

Kind of sucks seems like they are a good company but owner wouldn't even give me time or day for floor plan I picked out also I have 500,000 budget and he made it seem like it's not possible to even come up with a alternative floor plan .....o well I'll take my business eles where disappointed in everything.

The quality of work is the best you can get. My Project Manager, Dave, was very thorough and attention to detail. He went above and beyond what was expected. He helped me tremendously with various aspects of the home, for example, setting up my Ring doorbell and motion detector light.

When choosing my builder, I looked for:
1 – A good rating from others
2 – The ability to look at my plans and see potential problems; suggest corrections; take the items I wanted and make sure that my plans reflected those ideas.
3 – Conscientious, Communicative, be onsite and address issues in an efficient and professional manner.
Based on my initial meeting with Nathan Wiley it seemed like we would be a good match. They didn’t have a designer able to work with me so I hired my own architect. Kevin Brungard was my GC. I told Kevin I wanted our addition to look exactly like the exterior of the original house; I wanted minimal to no steps – my mom is almost 80 and doesn’t do steps well.
As my GC I expected Kevin to work for and with me – I was sorely mistaken. Kevin preferred that I just disappear and let him “BUILD WHAT’S ON THE PAPER” HIS WORDS!!! I must be mistaken, but I thought I was the one paying for this??????
*Signed contracts May 2020, I was told 4-6 months to completion.
*BRCH didn’t break ground for close to 4 months.
*Kevin ordered the wrong trusses, we sat open to weather for several weeks
*Upon framing I realized there was a door missing so I spoke to framer and it was not on his plans. It was on my plans, so we contact Kevin to find out what’s happening. Kevin states that my architect removed it. My architect copied me with the email from Kevin stating that the County required removal due to code violation. It’s now Mid Nov, and this email took place in July prior to any building, a time when plans could have been changed to accommodate the door. HOWEVER, BRCH didn’t feel it important enough to inform me of this code violation change. This cost us a two- car garage which is now a one car garage, when we could have flipped the house plan and solved the entire issue. I fired Kevin, Nathan called and promised changes, Kevin stayed.
*Kevin ordered the wrong windows, had to reorder all new bottom sashes
*Kevin ordered the wrong shower pan; framed the upstairs shower incorrectly; this mistake cost me the shower pan (which is still I my garage) as well as an extra $500 to have the shower tiled.
*The subcontractors came to put the rear decks on, they saw the decking and called me, they knew that I wanted everything matching, Kevin had ordered treated wood and our deck is trex. This error cost me over $7000. Kevin then told me he could not get the materials for over 2-3 months due to Covid. One phone call and I had the material here in 5 days.
*At this point I fired Kevin permanently.
*After firing Kevin the 2nd time Nathan sent a New House GC Named Dave Gingras. Dave knew what he was doing, worked his tail off to clean up after Kevin. Dave did an awesome job, but some of the issues were just not fixable, i.e. – 1-having too many steps; 2- not being informed about the Code Violation and the subsequent losses that caused; 3- When they framed the house there is a 4” step from existing garage to new foyer which should have been eliminated, well that carried upstairs to the bedroom where there is now a 4” step into the new bathroom. This could have been eliminated in the framing stage.
We completed building July 2021, that’s 14 months for a 4-6-month job!
I am writing this on January 22, 2022, in the Henrico Doctors Hospital with my Mom as a result of her falling down the steps coming out of her house.
For the above reasons – lack of communication, not working with me as a client like you claim to, and most of all you NEVER ONCE WAITED FOR A PAYMENT – I would not recommend BRCH

After doing an enormous amount of research, we knew after our initial meeting with Nathan that BRCH was for us - small enough to not just be another #, but experienced enough to truly understand the custom build process. What we weren't expecting, but were thrilled with, was the level of care and detail we got from our project manager Chris along the way. He was with us every step of the way - completely in our corner. Never having built a home before, let alone a custom one, and the sheer amount of detailed decisions, Chris handled every single one with ease. No matter how busy he was, he ALWAYS took the time to answer every question, address any concern, and follow up with every detail, no matter how small they might seem. Finding that level of involvement and connection, is hard to come by. His patience and compassion is on a level that you never experience in this type of environment. 100% go with BRCH - you won't be disappointed!

Blue Ridge custom homes high quality and great work! Dave G. our project manager went above and beyond to make sure our house was perfect! Scott, Danny and the rest of blue ridge staff make sure you’re getting what you want. They encourage questions and help so much through the process. It was stressful but BRCH did a great job getting us in our home!

Nathan the owner gives the personal touch with meetings and staying in contact throughout the process.

Highly recommend and if I decide to build another home I will definitely use blue ridge custom homes!

My wife and I could not be happier with our new Blue Ridge Custom Home. Having been completely new to the home building process, at first we were somewhat skeptical of the ‘Cost +’ model, thinking it may be too good to be true or difficult to maintain in practice. We’re happy to report that not only were the estimates, costs, and overall process extremely transparent, but it was apparent that our project manager, Dave, always had our best interests in mind when critical decisions needed to be made. Invoices were reported for on a biweekly basis for review and discussion, and Dave always ensured to provide his analysis and thoughts on budget to actuals. Not only does this phenomena appear to be extremely rare, if nonexistent, in the construction industry as a whole, but it’s especially important when facing the challenges of building a custom home off of plans and imagination that may have not been built previously. We would highly recommend Blue Ridge Custom homes if you’re considering a custom home.

Really had a good experience with this Builder. Scott, our project manager, was responsive and always willing to help. We had never experienced a custom build or a cost plus approach and when there was a question or a concern, it was thoroughly explained and discussed. Even during Covid and the difficulties it caused, I’d still go with these folks again.

We had Blue Ridge Custom Homes finish our attic into a third floor living space. They did a great job- we were happy with all of the contractors they chose. Kevin had some great ideas to incorporate into our third floor. He was very knowledgeable.

Kevin Brungard and his team at Blue Ridge Custom Homes we’re incredibly responsive and professional. After multiple contractors quotes prior, Kevin’s unique professionalism and availability for questions was outstanding. Highly recommend working with them

Blue Ridge Custom Homes provided the absolute best experience for us building our home. Our project manager, Dave Gingras, was very knowledgeable and hands on every day ensuring the entire process was as seamless as could be. The company and its team are very experienced and we recommend Blue Ridge to anyone thinking of building a home! They are the best!

Blue ridge came in ahead of schedule and stayed on budget. Allen and Brett were great at communicating with the vendors and keeping track of all my requests!

Blue Ridge helped us with a complete kitchen remodel. We are thrilled with the result. Kevin Brungard headed up the project and was extremely communicative, organized, honest, and timely. Clay and Gary were always meticulous with their craftsmanship and extremely respectful of our home and family during the renovation. Highly recommend!

They built a custom home for us and did a terrific job. They communicated extremely well and we knew where we stood on budget and progress the entire time. The home is well built. They were great to work with and I highly recommend them.

I'm currently working on several ceramic and flooring projects with Blue Ridge Custom Homes. As a custom home finisher I appreciate how they take the time to go over every detail of the project so that we all get it done right. ✔

I am a trade partner with Blue Ridge Custom Homes and deal with them on a regular basis and value our relationship. They are true professionals and top notch organization that builds some of the most beautiful custom homes in our area. I would have them, without hesitation, build a home for me and my family

We highly recommend Blue Ridge Custom Homes! We work with them to build quality custom homes with professional installations, If you can dream it Blue Ridge can build it!

Blue Ridge Custom Homes did an excellent job on our home and truly went above and beyond to make the process go as smoothly as possible. We had an immediate need to build in a certain area, so they found the land and made it happen. Nathan Wiley, Nathan Janocka, Tyler Wilkerson, and the rest of the team at Blue Ridge were all wonderful to work with. We will use Blue Ridge Custom Homes again in the future when we build our dream home, and have already recommended them to numerous friends and family. A huge thanks to the Blue Ridge Custom Homes team!

Blue Ridge Custom Homes made our dream home come true. We had some unique requirements for a very large home, with some very custom and high end features you won't generally find on the market. The entire process was a conversation. When things changed and we needed to shift direction, Blue Ridge shifted with us. There really is no limit to what you can do or what you can add, everything is a straight forward conversation, with complete transparency and fluidity throughout the process. Professional, courteous and quality driven. I highly recommend BRCH, we will most certainly look to them again in the future, for all our construction needs.

Please do not waste your time with BlueRidge! The initial presentation is lovely but your estimate will not be a true reflection of what they will try to give you. I worked with Derrik on drafting a plan after 17 weeks we had to sever ties with Nathan as he did nothing to move the process along. I regret every minute of my experience! Save yourself the pain!

I built a beautiful 3600 square foot home with Blue Ridge and was completely satisfied with the quality of the home and the entire building experience. Blue Ridge was accommodating to changes and offered great advice on how to build the home economically. I have already recommended town to a several people looking to build a custom home.

Blue Ridge was great to work with. We gave Kevin a difficult assignment and he got hit done--quickly and for a fair price.

Kevin Brungard with Blue Ridge Renovations did an amazing job with my master and hall bathroom renovation projects. Very quick in scheduling the work, taking time out to help with the selections process and very timely in responding to my questions/concerns. Definitely exceeded expectations and will use in the future! Wish more businesses were this great and easy to work with!

Blue Ridge Custom Homes is focused on customer satisfaction through high-quality construction. Very professional and honest. They can be trusted with building your dream home.

My husband and I were totally thrilled with the ad on of our utility room. Kevin at Blue Ridge organized everything from the beginning to the end. He was prompt at answering questions and followed through to make sure everything was done correctly. Nico and his crew also did an excellent job!!!

Kevin was patient with us as we planned the project and his expertise guided our decisions. The crew members were quite adept at their jobs and also polite. Our neighbors watched the project and all commented on the workmanship and speed of completion. We are more than happy with our room. We have given Blue Ridge Custom Homes name to anyone who has mentioned they have a project they want done.

We hired Kevin Brungard of Blue Ridge Custom Homes for renovating a downstairs great room into a bedroom/bathroom/closet, all ADA compliant. The work that Kevin/Blue Ridge was amazing. Kevin is a very honest and reputable individual whom we could fully trust during the entire process. We wanted the renovation to look like it's been part of the house forever, and the attention to detail was fantastic. We would definitely recommend Kevin/Blue Ridge for any renovation work!

From start to finish top notch work , all the contractors are very motivated and do quality work. Pricing was very fair. Will be recommended to every one I speak with. Thanks for a great job

Blue Ridge was quick to respond when we obtained major wind damage to our home. They were able to start within 10 days to repair our roof. The team of workers were always on time, polite and always cleaned up each day. Kevin, the project manager was so helpful with working with our insurance company and making sure he repaired all the hidden issues. I would recommend highly Blue Ridge for any major home repairs or improvements! Now that they are done, I miss not having them around!

Blue Ridge was amazing to work with throughout the entire home-building process. They did an amazing job with our home, and built it with such care and attention to detail. I have nothing but good things to say about the experience, and would recommend them to anybody. If you’re looking to build a custom house, Nathan Wiley and his team are the best.

This was a FANTASTIC first time home building experience from start to finish. Blue Ridge walked us through the process and made certain that we understood the numbers and the plan. The team of people that we dealt with was extremely helpful, professional and just all- around wonderful to work with. I hope that this is my forever home. But, if I ever had to build again, I wouldn't hesitate to use Blue Ridge.

After consulting with several architects on our Ginter Park house, Molly by Design worked with us and Blue Ridge and got us out of a "stuck" place with our addition. She demonstrated vision, knowledge, and professionalism as she worked with my husband and me, as well as our contractor to make our living space practical and beautiful.

Blue Ridge was fantastic to work with. I had a loose sketch of a dream house and we built it! They were super easy to work with and handled the build like pros. Also loved how they show all the numbers as you go on a spreadsheet and you can keep track of things easily. I saw every single receipt!!!! They are a great company to built your home.

Excellent company and would highly recommend. I’ve had the opportunity to work with a lot of builders who claim to be “custom” but BRCC is the real deal. Big thanks to Chris and Tyler for their attention to detail and communication.

Blue Ridge recently completed our home. The project manager was very responsive, and assisted me with decisions and all concerns along the way. They really do build a custom home. The project was over budget, but I never felt cheated because they are transparent and honest with cost. The finish of the home is amazing, and they keep a job site very clean. We will definitely use them again for our next home.

I had the pleasure of working with Kevin Brungard and one of his teams. Kevin was prompt and responsive throughout the process, from first meeting and proposal through scheduling and installation. We were doing some renovations on my master bathroom to prep my house for sale. All the details were attended to, regardless of size, all of my questions were answered, and he was creative and resourceful throughout the process. His team was professional and talented, and he came to inspect at the end to make sure they did what they were asked and that I was satisfied. I’d highly recommend working with him and Blue Ridge.

We worked with Kevin building our custom home and it was such a great experience. We loved the flexibility and the cost savings of the cost plus model. Kevin was able to offer suggestions along the way, like finishing a room we had planned to leave unfinished. It wasn’t a huge additional cost but looking back now I couldn’t see the house without this space. Would build with Blue Ridge again!

Kevin and his crew did a great job renovating my store. They were punctual , polite and went above and beyond Will defintely use them again.

Blue Ridge built us a beautiful home in Northern Neck Va. George our project manager was outstanding managing the build and keeping us informed. That was hugely important to us given we were 600 miles away while the build occurred.

Great company all around. Easy to work with and top quality.
I have designed several of their new construction homes and renovations and the customers always seem to be happy.
Both Nathans are great guys and I especially like working with Kevin Brungard on the renovations. He is very knowledgeable, dependable, and strives for good work. Highly recommend this company.

I have know Nathan for several years, and have always been impressed with their building process. I frequently recommend them to clients looking to build outside out the area we serve. They are able to offer complete customization while building throughout central Virginia. Their team is very organized, experienced and capable of handling all types of new construction and renovation projects.