About Us
Ellis Custom Homes
Custom homes built on your land across the Smith Mountain Lake region.
Who We Are
Building a home well takes two different skill sets
One is construction: knowing how to build a home correctly, how to deal with the conditions of a particular lot, and how to get the details right so the home performs the way it should for years. The other is the business side: accurate pricing, realistic scheduling, managing selections and subcontractors, and keeping the project organized and moving. Both matter, and they draw on different talents.
Steve Ellis has spent more than twenty-five years developing both, and that experience is the foundation this company was built on. It shows in how we work with customers and in the relationships we have built with our subcontractors, suppliers, and local inspectors.
Most of our time with a customer comes at the front end: designing the home, pricing it honestly, and walking through selections, so the budget is clear before the foundation goes in. That work up front is what makes the rest of it go smoothly.
The Ellis Standard
What you can expect from us on every home
The plan, size, finishes, and budget may change from one project to the next. The way we manage the work should not.
- 01Clear pricing before construction begins. We do the work up front to define the home, selections, and costs as clearly as possible before the foundation goes in.
- 02Honest guidance about your lot and budget. We tell you what we think is realistic, where costs are likely to arise, and where early decisions can prevent problems later.
- 03Experienced, proven subcontractors. We work with tradespeople we know, trust, and have built relationships with over many years.
- 04A well-managed build. Scheduling, selections, subcontractors, inspections, and the many decisions behind a home all need to stay coordinated.
- 05Communication throughout the project. You should know where your home stands and what comes next.
- 06We stand behind the finished home. Every home includes our one-year workmanship warranty.
The People on the Job
Many of the same trades have worked on our homes for years. Those long-term relationships help us maintain the quality and consistency we expect from one job to the next.
A house is only as good as the people who build it. We work with the same framers, electricians, plumbers, and finish carpenters build after build, and we pay them fairly and on time. They know how we build and what we expect, and we do not have to re-explain it on every job.
Those relationships take years to develop and they are worth protecting. It is the same with our suppliers and with the local inspectors who walk our sites.
How It Works
What to expect when you build with us
First conversation
Tell us about your project, your land, and your budget. We will tell you what is realistic.
We walk your lot
Before you commit, we look at the site together and give you a picture of well, septic, driveway, and site costs.
Plans and pricing
We design the home and price it to a specific contract figure, so you know the number before anything starts.
Selections
Finishes, fixtures, and materials, chosen with you at our selection center.
We build
You will know where things stand throughout, and we walk the finished home together before you move in.