Custom Home Builder in Southeastern Wisconsin
A Home Built Around Your Family
We’ve been designing and building custom homes in southeastern Wisconsin since 1990.
35+ Years Experience • Energy-Efficient Construction • A+ BBB Rating
Every home on this page started with a conversation about how a family wanted to live. From there it went through three rounds of concept design and three rounds of construction design before we broke ground.
A few of these families picked one of our existing designs and changed it until it fit them, and others started from a blank page. Either way they made the calls on the layout, the finishes and the details, and we designed and built the house around those decisions.
Where we build · Washington, Waukesha, Ozaukee, Dodge, Jefferson and Fond du Lac counties, from the Milwaukee suburbs west to Jefferson and north to Fond du Lac.
Our approach
How we design and build a custom home
01 · Design
Design comes first
Your home goes through three rounds of concept design and three rounds of construction design. Structural engineering, electrical design and a color rendering are part of it, and before we break ground you get a virtual walk-through of the house so you can judge how big each room really feels. Changes are easiest here. Moving a wall on a drawing is a lot easier than moving it after the foundation is poured.
02 · Build
What goes into the walls
Quality shows in the framing, trim work, tile and cabinetry, and in the parts nobody sees once the drywall goes up. Exterior walls are 2×6 on 16-inch centers with continuous insulated sheathing around the whole structure. Floors are engineered I-joists. We seal around windows, top plates, bottom plates and every electrical and plumbing penetration. Our builds go past minimum building code, and that’s what makes a home last.
03 · Communicate
We keep our build count low
We only take on a limited number of homes at a time. That means closer supervision on site, more frequent check-ins and better communication with our vendors, our subcontractors and you. Our online building progress system has photos and updates on your home, and you can check it whenever you want.
Healthy home construction
A healthy home starts with the walls
Our homes are energy efficient, and a state approved third party certifies that through Focus on Energy. Just about every builder says the same thing about their homes now, though, so we’d rather talk about what makes a house healthy.
For us that comes down to keeping moisture out of the walls, because moisture in a wall is what leads to mold. The dew point gets pushed out of the wall. Continuous exterior insulation keeps the sheathing warmer in winter, so condensation forms outside the wall instead of inside it. We air seal around windows, plates and every electrical and plumbing penetration, since moisture carried in by air leaks does more damage than anything coming through the drywall. Behind the drywall, a smart vapor barrier changes its permeability so any moisture that does get in can dry back out. Inside the house we keep humidity between 30 and 50 percent with humidity-controlled fans or an ERV, along with dehumidification.
The homes
Custom homes we’ve built across southeastern Wisconsin
Each home is listed by the town it was built in and its style, with the design it started from noted underneath. Every one of them was finished to the family’s taste, right down to the trim and tile.
See one you like? Tell us what you’d change.
Why families build with Cobblestone
A smaller builder, and a two-year warranty to back up the work
Fewer homes at once means more attention to detail through design and construction. You’ll see us on site more, hear from us more often, and deal with people who know your house.
We give a two-year warranty where most builders give one, and that speaks to the quality that goes into the home. Our energy ratings come from Focus on Energy, a state approved third party, so you aren’t taking our word for it.
As a custom home builder, every house we build is for one family on one lot. You won’t find the same home twice.
Before you build
Questions about building a custom home
What does it cost to build a custom home in southeastern Wisconsin?
Cost really depends on the design and your finish selections: countertop and flooring materials, light and plumbing fixtures, and whether the millwork is painted or stained.
If you need a starting point, we’d say $375 per square foot, not including the lot. Lighting and hardware are on an allowance figured from your square footage, so you’ll have that number up front.
How long does it take to build a custom home?
The 10 to 14 months covers the build. Before that, there’s time to design, engineer, get permits and make your material selections. How long that part takes varies by family, based on the pace you want to go and how intricate the design is.
Do I need to own land before I contact you?
No. Some people come to us with a lot already picked out, and some just know the area they want to be in. We can help you look at a lot before you buy it, which is worth doing. The lot affects the design and the budget more than most people expect.
Can I start from one of your existing designs?
Yes. We have designs you can start from if you want to, and most families do. Walls get moved, rooflines change, and sometimes a story gets added or taken off. A lot of our homes end up changed enough that we name them for the town they’re in instead of the plan.
What is included in a Cobblestone home?
There isn’t a set finish package. You pick the countertops, flooring, lighting and plumbing fixtures. What doesn’t change is how we build the house: 2×6 exterior walls, continuous insulated sheathing, Marvin windows made in the USA with Low-E glass and argon, a sealed envelope and a roof with a lifetime warranty.
Our standards are the starting point, not the finished product.
What makes a home healthy and not just energy efficient?
Most builders say their homes are energy efficient, and it’s become the standard. What makes a home healthy is that the dew point is pushed out of the walls, so moisture can’t get in and mold can’t form. We do that with continuous exterior insulation, proper air sealing, a smart vapor barrier behind the drywall, and closed cell spray foam with a blown-in blanket. Most important, we keep indoor humidity between 30 and 50 percent.
They’re still very efficient. Focus on Energy certifies every one, and our HERS ratings run 40 to 57, where a standard new home scores 100.
How will I know what is happening during construction?
Log in to our building progress system any time to see photos and updates on your home as it goes up. We’ll also be in touch along the way.
Start a conversation about your home
Looking for a custom home builder in southeastern Wisconsin? Tell us where you’d like to build and what you have in mind, and we’ll tell you what it would take.