Custom Ranch Style Home Builders in San Diego
What is a Ranch Style Home?
If you’re looking into building a home, you probably know that there are many different architectural styles to choose from. One of the most popular in California is the ranch style home. But what exactly does that mean? A ranch style home, also commonly referred to as a California ranch or a rambler, is traditionally one-story, with an open concept floor plan and a long, low-pitch roofline. These homes also often feature a patio or courtyard area nestled within an L- or U-shaped floor plan, vaulted ceilings with exposed beams, and/or an attached garage. The style has its roots in Spanish colonial architecture and is popular throughout the Southwest. Ranch style houses traditionally use local materials for construction and are specifically designed to stay cool in the Southwestern heat, making them a comfortable and sustainable choice for Southern California homeowners. The style has remained popular through the decades because it is able to accommodate the needs of almost any homeowner. Many people choose to build ranch style homes in the San Diego area because of the open-concept plan, the cozy feel, and the way this style perfectly compliments the natural beauty of the area.
Types of Ranch Style Houses
The following are a few types of ranch style houses:
California Ranch: This is the original style of ranch home and is best known for its L- or U-shaped floor plan surrounding a courtyard in the middle of the home. These homes are perfect for larger lots with plenty of natural beauty.
Suburban Ranch: Also known as the “modern ranch,” these homes are smaller in size while maintaining the open feel of the classic California ranch. These homes are usually one-story, with a cozy open-concept feel and features that maximize the views. Although they are more compact, many still feature a small courtyard or patio area within an L- or U-shaped floor plan. This is a perfect option for buyers who want to live in more populated areas but still want a beautiful ranch-style home and yard.
Split-level Ranch: As opposed to the traditional one-story home, a split-level ranch home allows for more square footage while maintaining a small footprint. Each level is separated by a half-staircase. This makes it possible for the home to maintain an open floor plan, with visibility all the way from the entrance to the living room, kitchen, and dining room. This style is a good choice if you have limited space but still want the feel of a ranch home.
Raised Ranch: Also called a “split-entry” style home, these houses have raised entrances and feature a storage or garage level underneath the living area and bedrooms. This is another great option if you have limited space for your build.
Storybook Ranch: The storybook ranch is the most ornate style of ranch home. These homes generally follow the traditional L- or U-shaped floor plan of the California ranch, but they feature more intricate architectural details and trimming. While most ranch homes are minimalistic in style, storybook ranch homes are beautifully decorated. This is a great option for homeowners looking for a unique and whimsical style for their home that compliments the natural beauty of the area.
What is the Process for Building a Custom Ranch Style Home in San Diego?
At Buildable, we make building a custom ranch style home easy. Our team of experts will manage the project from start to finish, ensuring that we maximize the value of your home and deliver exactly what you are looking for. We take the guesswork and risk out of your custom home build by working with you, aligning your vision with your budget, and guiding you with all the information you need to make smart decisions when it comes to your home build. Below is an overview of the typical process for constructing a custom ranch style home in San Diego:
Determine your vision: The first step in this process is to develop your vision of your dream home with a high level of detail. This task includes defining your all-in budget, size of home, area you want to live, and your must-have features. This is how you will describe what you’re looking for to potential building partners so they understand what your goals are and can align with you on expectations.
Assemble your team: To make your vision a reality, you will need a realtor who specializes in land and a home builder you can trust. This is your team, who will help keep you on track and navigate the process of building a custom ranch style home. If you choose to work with Buildable, we will provide all expert members of your team, so you will know you’re in good hands
Find land: Once you have a vision for your custom home, you will first need to work with a real estate agent who’s a land expert to find potential lots in your area that will allow you to execute your vision. To build ranch style homes you may need a slightly larger lot to accommodate the footprint of the home. A real estate agent who specializes in land along with a builder can help guide you to a lot with all the features your vision requires within your budget. Buildable’s team and process is designed to partner you with the right experts in all areas of development to ensure you get the right lot for the right price.
Conduct Due Diligence: Due diligence is the process of evaluating each potential lot that you’re considering for your custom home with regards to buildability, improvements, and vision. Some lots for sale are not buildable or cost prohibitive to build, so it’s critical that you have the right experts with you during this process. Some lots may not be feasible for everything you want to build into your home, so working with an A-licensed general contractor, civil engineer, or land consultant to complete these checks is crucial. You will need all of these trades to work together during this phase, which can be complicated for most people. At Buildable, we employ all the experts you need for a custom home build, so we’ve got this covered.
Find a designer: When designing your custom ranch style home, it’s important to work with a designer who understands your taste and vision. Buildable can help you find the right designer to execute your vision, and make sure the design aligns with your overall budget. At Buildable, we have the ability to find, negotiate, and manage the right designer to bring your dream home to life. While we are not a design-build company, our builder will be present at all design meetings to make sure everything is on track. This way you get all the perks of design-build, but with the freedom to choose from any of the world-class designers and architects you might be interested in.
Find a builder: To build your dream home, you will want to find a custom ranch home builder who understands your vision, expectations, and desires for quality. Just like most things in life, you get what you pay for, and attempting luxury construction with the “cheapest” builder will most likely lead to a nightmare. At Buildable, we’ve built homes for some of the most discerning clients in Rancho Santa Fe, La Jolla, and Solana Beach, but we also understand how to create modest custom homes efficiently all around San Diego County. We know what it takes, which is why we have so many glowing recommendations and references. If you’re looking for experienced, professional ranch style home builders, talk to us.
How Much Does a Custom Ranch Style Home Build Cost?
The cost to build a custom ranch style home in San Diego will vary since you are in control of the lot cost, design, size, and other factors that will heavily impact the budget. The average cost to build a house in San Diego for Buildable’s clients is, all-in, $1.4M, including land, which equals approximately $400-$500 per square foot for the build. However, we have many clients that have $1.0M all-in budgets and we can create amazing custom homes for them, too.
It’s important to note that ranch style homes often require a larger lot to build on, because they are traditionally one story and therefore require a larger footprint for the same amount of square footage. A single story home will require more square footage for items like foundation and roof, which can make it more expensive.
When it comes to building in San Diego, the distance from the coast will affect the price of the land, which impacts the all-in cost of your build. The cost per square foot to build a house in San Diego also tends to increase around certain higher cost of living areas like Rancho Santa Fe and La Jolla, due to the design expectations of the area and other requirements.
If you’re interested in learning more about the cost of custom homes, check out our article on home build pricing. You can also estimate the cost of your build with our land build calculator.
How Long Does it Take to Build a Ranch Style House?
Building a custom home will be one of the most rewarding experiences in your lifetime, and by working with Buildable from start to finish, we will ensure the process is as seamless and gratifying as it should be. Overall, it usually takes around 24 months to build a home from beginning to end. Typically, we estimate that the lot search will last between 2-5 months, followed by 3-5 months of designing the house, and 10-12 months of actual construction time. The time it takes to build you home will depend on how quickly we can find land and design your dream home, but also external factors like the location, requirements of the municipality, HOA, and more. Buildable will advise you if a lot is subject to any of these factors during the land search or due diligence phase.
How to Choose the Best Ranch Style Home Builder
Building a home in San Diego takes an immense amount of time and effort, and can appear overwhelming to those who start the journey alone. However, building a home can be straightforward when you approach the process with experts by your side who can guide you through every step. When you build a ranch home, you want to get the most bang for your buck, and Buildable's process is centered around guiding our clients through the project to do it the right way and maximize their investment.
At Buildable, all of the people you need to have a stress-free home build will work with you to create the home of your dreams. Read about our team, talk to us, and get the answers to questions you may have about starting the custom home building process in San Diego.
Build Your Home in San Diego With Buildable
Building a custom home takes an immense amount of time and effort, but with the right team, the end result will be well worth it. The process can appear overwhelming to those who start the journey alone; however, building your dream home can be simple when you approach the process with experts by your side who can guide you through every step. Buildable specializes in luxury custom home construction, meaning we have the experts on our team that you need to have a stress-free home build, and create the luxury home of your dreams. We have over 40 years of home building experience within our team, and over 1,000 homes built. Read about our team, talk to us, and get the answers to questions you may have about starting the custom home building process in San Diego.
