Custom Homes and Major Remodels Across the Texas Hill Country
The owners you meet on day one run your build, and our price ranges are published right on this page.
The San Marcos Rebuild
Taken back to the slab. Rebuilt over sixteen months.
The foundation was releveled, and the rear elevation was reengineered for floor-to-ceiling glass. Every system in the house is new. 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 of a Riverbend renovation
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 views that deserve the best rooms. On properties outside city utilities, the well and aerobic septic are in the plan from day one.
Whole-Home Remodels
Large-scale remodels of homes worth keeping, like the San Marcos rebuild above. See our luxury home remodeling service →
Casitas & Additions
Guest houses and additions that read as part of the original home, not attached to it.
Built by Vanessa Harris
Before Riverbend, Vanessa built for paying guests. She spent that career in luxury hospitality construction, planning and delivering multi-million-dollar projects where the finish faced the public every single day.
- Hilton Orlando Resort · resort construction
- Trellis Spa at The Houstonian · Houston
- Hotel Galvez Spa · Galveston
- Stonedrift Spa at Eagle Ridge · Illinois
- Fiori Spa · spa build-out
In that world, every detail had to be right before opening day, and that discipline carried over when she moved home to Texas. She lives in Dripping Springs with her family, and her husband Dan manages the field on every project. When you hire Riverbend, those are the two people on your job.
Where We Build
We take projects within about an hour of home, because Vanessa and Dan run them in person, starting with custom homes and remodeling in Dripping Springs itself. To the south and west, that reaches custom builds and remodels in Wimberley and out to Blanco; to the north, Bee Cave, Lakeway, and Spicewood; to the east, West Lake Hills and west Austin.
The ground here has its own rules. Much of the area sits on shallow limestone, which shapes excavation and foundations before anything visible. Outside city limits, a private well and an aerobic septic system are normal parts of a build, and Hays County handles the permitting. Inside communities like Caliterra, Headwaters, and Bunker Ranch, the HOA and design guidelines shape what can be built. We walk the property with you before any of it turns into cost.
- 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
The fastest way to lose a year is to design a home you cannot afford to build. So we put our numbers on the table before you spend a dollar on plans.
New Custom Home
At comparable finish levels. Ultra-luxury work with structural steel and architectural complexity runs $800 and up. Typically 14 to 20 months.
Whole-Home Remodel
Of remodeled area, depending on structural work and systems. Typically 12 to 24 months. We plan with at least a 20 percent contingency, so hidden conditions never blindside the budget.
Kitchens & Primary Suites
Concentrated, finish-heavy work. Typically 4 to 9 months for a single area.
These are construction ranges, not totals, and few builders publish even that much. Land, site work, wells, and septic sit outside any per-square-foot number. The real figure comes from your property, and that is what the first consultation is for.
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 RidgwayArchitect
Everyone around Dripping Springs kept telling me to call Vanessa and Dan, and now I see why.CarolDripping Springs
Common Questions
How much does it cost to build a custom home in Dripping Springs?
New custom construction in the Dripping Springs and Texas Hill Country market typically runs $350 to $650 per square foot at comparable finish levels. Ultra-luxury work with structural steel and architectural complexity runs $800 per square foot and up. Land, site work, wells, and septic sit outside those construction ranges, so the real number depends on the specific property.
Is it cheaper to remodel my home or build new?
It depends on the property more than the house. Mature oaks, long views, and an established neighborhood cannot be rebuilt somewhere else, so when the location is irreplaceable a major remodel often protects more value than a move creates. When the structure fights every change, building new is usually the wiser path. We walk the property and tell you which category your home is in.
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 runs 12 to 24 months, and a single-area remodel such as a kitchen or primary suite runs 4 to 9 months. Property conditions, permitting, and selections move the schedule, so we build the timeline from the actual project.
Can you build on land I already own?
Yes. Outside city utilities, a private well and an aerobic septic system are part of the plan from the start, and much of the area sits on shallow limestone that shapes excavation and the foundation approach. We review access, slope, rock, and utilities on your land before design decisions turn into costs.
What areas does Riverbend Hill Country Homes serve?
We take projects within about an hour of Dripping Springs: Wimberley, Driftwood, Woodcreek, Blanco, Johnson City, Bee Cave, Lakeway, Spicewood, West Lake Hills, Buda, Kyle, San Marcos, and west Austin.
Who will actually run my project?
Vanessa Harris and her husband Dan run every project personally. Vanessa’s background is luxury hospitality construction, including the Hilton Orlando Resort, Trellis Spa at The Houstonian, and Hotel Galvez Spa. Dan manages the field. That is also why the service area stays within an hour of Dripping Springs.
Get in Touch
Call us or send the form and tell us what you are planning. We will set up a time to talk.
Vanessa answers this number, weekdays 9 to 5.