Custom Home Builder in Marble Falls, TX

Marble Falls sits where the Colorado River widens into Lake Marble Falls, with Lake LBJ just upstream and granite hills all around. It’s a real town with a real permit office, so building inside city limits means city plan review, city utilities and city inspections. Step outside the limits and Burnet County handles the permits, with groundwater and lake rules layered on top.

Big Country Design & Construction is based in Kerrville, roughly an hour and a half away. That’s not around the corner, and we won’t act like it is. In Marble Falls we take on projects worth the drive: new homes, barndominiums on acreage, and bigger remodels and additions. You get one point of contact and daily updates in an online portal, so distance doesn’t leave you guessing.

What we build in Marble Falls

• New homes on your land. Semi-custom and custom, from a family home in town to a house on acreage. See our custom homes.
• BuildSmart fixed-price homes. From $325K. $250 per heated sq ft (about $165–195 under roof), including a two-car garage and covered porches. The price is locked before we break ground. See BuildSmart plans and pricing.
• Barndominiums, shops and guesthouses. A good fit for the acreage around Marble Falls.
• Additions and bigger remodels. Primary suites, more living space, and whole-house updates.
• Flood repair and rebuilds. Raised electrical and water heaters, flood-resistant insulation, and the elevation and permit paperwork handled for you.

Building in Marble Falls: what’s different

Inside city limits, the permit package is thorough. Marble Falls builds to the 2015 International Residential Code and the 2014 National Electrical Code. A new-home permit needs a site plan showing setbacks, easements and utility lines, a full plan set, and REScheck energy paperwork. Contractors and subs register with the city, and Development Services issues the certificate of occupancy after the final inspection. We put the package together and run it.

City utilities in town, septic outside it. In-town lots generally tie into city water and wastewater, and tap and impact fees belong in the budget from day one. Outside city limits, septic permits run through Burnet County Development Services. Closer to the water, LCRA regulates septic in a 2,200-foot zone around the upper Highland Lakes. We confirm which applies to your lot and price the system upfront.

Register the well before the rig shows up. Burnet County is in the Central Texas Groundwater Conservation District. Every well has to be registered, and a new well needs the district’s authorization before drilling starts. If you’re buying acreage outside town, we check the well situation before you close.

Flood zones in town and out. Inside the city, the Building Official serves as floodplain administrator, and a lot in a mapped flood zone needs a floodplain development permit and an elevation certificate from a Texas-licensed surveyor. In unincorporated Burnet County, work in a flood hazard area needs a county development permit with a site plan and a pre-construction elevation certificate. The county requires the floor at least one foot above base flood elevation and recommends two feet in A zones. We’ll walk you through the cost of going higher.

Runoff, rock and highway access. Some projects in the city also have to address Marble Falls’ nonpoint source ordinance, which deals with stormwater runoff. Granite and slope change pad prep and foundation design. And if your driveway comes off US 281 or RR 1431, TxDOT has to permit it. We walk all of it before we give you a number.

What it costs

BuildSmart homes start at $325K, priced at $250 per heated sq ft with the garage and covered porches included. Custom homes run $260+ per sq ft of living space, and barndominiums run $180–$250 per sq ft finished. Site work on most rural lots adds about $48K–$82K for septic, well, driveway and power, and you get the exact number in writing before you sign. Most remodels and additions start around $50K. See our full cost guide.

How it works

1. Quick call. Tell us about your land, your plans and your budget range.
2. Lot check. We drive up and look at utilities or septic, well, flood zone, access and slope. Ideally before you buy.
3. Preconstruction. Plans, selections and a firm price before anything gets built.
4. Build. One point of contact, a real schedule, and photos and daily updates in your Buildertrend client portal.
5. Walkthrough and warranty. We finish the punch list and back new homes with our 2-5-10 warranty.

Marble Falls building FAQ

Do I need a building permit to build a house in Marble Falls?
Inside city limits, yes. The City of Marble Falls Development Services Department issues it. Outside the city, Burnet County Development Services handles the county permits, including septic and floodplain. We handle the applications.

How much does it cost to build a home in Marble Falls?
BuildSmart homes are $250 per heated sq ft, garage and covered porches included. The wild card is your lot: utility taps in town, or septic, well, driveway and power out in the county. We walk the lot before we give you a number.

Do you build barndominiums near Marble Falls?
Yes. Barndos, shops and guesthouses on acreage are a big part of what we do. See our barndominiums.

Is Marble Falls too far for a small remodel?
Usually, yes. Most remodels and additions start around $50K, and with the drive, small repairs are better handled by someone closer.

How far are you from Marble Falls?
Roughly an hour and a half from our Kerrville office. We also build in Horseshoe Bay, Johnson City and Fredericksburg.