Custom Homes and Whole-Home Remodels Across the Texas Hill Country
The people you meet on day one are the people who run your project, from the first walk on your land to the final punch list.
A budget range and a straight read on scope, at no cost and with no obligation.
The San Marcos Remodel
Taken back to slab and studs. Rebuilt over sixteen months.
This project was an all-inclusive exterior and interior renovation, including all windows and doors. We rebuilt the back of the house for floor-to-ceiling glass. The climate systems and the flooring are new throughout. In the kitchen: custom white oak cabinetry around a Wolf cooking suite, and Perla Mirage quartz with mitered edges. At the entry: a 10-foot-7-inch iron pivot door.
“The quality of work, professionalism, reliability, communication, and attention to detail has been incredible.” Katie Beck · Google review
Before
After
The same house, sixteen months apart.
Explore the full San Marcos project: the numbers, the team, and every room →
What We Build
Custom Homes
New homes planned around the land: access, slope, limestone, live oaks, and the best views. On properties beyond the reach of city utilities, a private well and an aerobic septic system are in the plan from day one.
Whole-Home Remodels
Large-scale remodels of Texas Hill Country homes, like our San Marcos remodel. Every one is planned with a written contingency of at least 20 percent for hidden conditions.
Casitas & Additions
Guest houses and additions built to match the original home, to the same structural and finish standard as a new build.
Who Runs Riverbend
Before Riverbend, Vanessa spent her career in luxury hospitality construction, planning and delivering multi-million-dollar projects where thousands of guests saw the finished work every day.
- Hilton Orlando Resort
- Trellis Spa at The Houstonian
- Hotel Galvez Spa
- Stonedrift Spa at Eagle Ridge
- Fiori Spa
Every detail had to be right before opening day, and she brought that standard to building and remodeling homes. Her husband Dan manages the field on every project. Vanessa handles the client side, the design coordination, and the selections. She lives in Dripping Springs with her family. On most projects, architecture, interiors, engineering, and construction run under one agreement with us. See our design-build approach →
Where We Build
Riverbend works within about an hour of Dripping Springs, close enough for Vanessa and Dan to be on site. That radius covers Wimberley and Blanco to the south and west, and Bee Cave, Lakeway, and Spicewood to the north. To the east it covers West Lake Hills and west Austin.
Much of the Hill Country sits on shallow limestone, so we price excavation and the foundation before anything visible goes up. Outside city limits, the permits come from the county your property sits in, whether that is Hays, Travis, Burnet, or Blanco. Inside communities like Caliterra, Headwaters, and Bunker Ranch, the HOA design guidelines set what can be built, and some restrict new construction to a preferred-builder program, so we confirm eligibility for your lot before design starts. We walk the property with you before you spend anything.
- Dripping Springs →
- Wimberley →
- Driftwood →
- Woodcreek
- Blanco
- Johnson City
- Bee Cave →
- Lakeway →
- Spicewood →
- West Lake Hills →
- Buda & Kyle
- San Marcos →
- West Austin
What Building Here Costs
These are our construction ranges for the Hill Country. You have them before you pay for plans.
New Custom Home
That range is for comparable finish levels. Structural steel and architectural complexity put a project at the top of that range. Typically 14 to 20 months.
Whole-Home Remodel
Of remodeled area, depending on structural work and systems. Typically 12 to 24 months. Our San Marcos remodel worked out to roughly $419 per square foot, at the lower end of that range. Every remodel is planned with a written contingency of at least 20 percent.
Kitchens & Primary Suites
Concentrated, finish-heavy work. Typically 4 to 9 months for a single area.
These ranges cover construction. Land, site work, wells, septic, utility connections, and the design team's own fees are priced separately for your lot. We give you a budget range for your property once we have walked it with you, and the firm number comes with the priced proposal. See how a Riverbend project runs →
From Google Reviews
As an architect I have had the pleasure of collaborating with Vanessa and Dan on several projects and can attest to their knowledge, skill and professionalism.Alexander RidgwayVerandah Residential Architects · Google review
Everyone around Dripping Springs kept telling me to call Vanessa and Dan, and now I see why.CarolDripping Springs · Google review
Common Questions
How much does it cost to build a custom home in Dripping Springs?
New custom construction in Dripping Springs and the wider Texas Hill Country typically runs $325 to $800+ per square foot at comparable finish levels. Structural steel and architectural complexity put a project at the top of that range. Land, site work, wells, septic, utility connections, and the design team's own fees are priced separately from those construction ranges, so your number depends on the specific property.
Is it cheaper to remodel my home or build new?
It depends on the existing structure. A new custom home and a whole-home remodel start at the same rate per square foot, and the remodel range tops out lower. A remodel usually costs less in total, since you only pay for the part you touch. Where the plan calls for relocating structure, systems, and walls through most of the house, a heavy remodel can reach a higher rate than a straightforward new build. Vanessa and Dan walk the house with you and price both paths.
How long does a custom home or whole-home remodel take?
A new custom home typically runs 14 to 20 months from contract to completion. A substantial whole-home remodel takes 12 to 24 months, and a single-area remodel such as a kitchen or primary suite takes 4 to 9 months. Your schedule depends on your site conditions, your permit path, and how quickly you make selections. We tell you where your project sits inside those ranges.
Can you build on land I already own?
Yes. Where city utilities do not reach, a private well and an aerobic septic system are part of the plan from the start. Much of the area sits on shallow limestone, and we price the excavation and the foundation approach for your lot. We review access, slope, rock, and utilities on your land before the design work begins.
What areas does Riverbend Hill Country Homes serve?
We take projects within about an hour of Dripping Springs: Dripping Springs itself, Wimberley, Driftwood, Woodcreek, Blanco, Johnson City, Bee Cave, Lakeway, Spicewood, West Lake Hills, Buda, Kyle, San Marcos, and west Austin.
Who runs my project?
Vanessa Harris and her husband Dan run every project personally. Vanessa came from luxury hospitality construction, including the Hilton Orlando Resort, Trellis Spa at The Houstonian, and Hotel Galvez Spa. Dan manages the field. Vanessa and Dan are on site in person, which is why Riverbend takes projects within about an hour of Dripping Springs.
Get in Touch
Call us, or send the form and tell us what you are planning.
Vanessa answers this number, weekdays 9 to 5.