Pictured: now building in the Santa Lucia Preserve, Carmel
Monterey County · Big Sur coast
Custom Home Builders in Big Sur
New homes, rebuilds and remodels on the Big Sur coast, planned around the permits, the access and the weather.
- LicensedCSLB #986950
- Your teamMichael & Chris Harrod
- Office1345 Riverside Ave, Paso Robles
- WhereBig Sur coast, Monterey County
Big Sur
Few places are harder, or better, to build
Harrod Built is a family custom home builder and general contractor led by brothers Michael and Chris Harrod. Building in Big Sur takes more planning than almost anywhere in California: strict coastal rules, protected views, steep ground, private water and septic, wildfire, and one highway in and out.
We take on new homes, rebuilds and remodels here, and we are now building a custom home in the Santa Lucia Preserve near Carmel, working within private design review alongside Monterey County permitting.
We build to your architect’s drawings, or our design studio, Harrod Drafting & Design, can draw the plans.
What we build here
- Custom homes on your lot (design-build or built to your architect’s plans)
- Remodels, kitchens and baths
- Home additions
- ADUs and guest houses
- General contracting
- Plans through our design studio, Harrod Drafting & Design
Building here
Permits, views and logistics in Big Sur
County permits
Big Sur is unincorporated Monterey County, so permits run through Monterey County Housing & Community Development. Under the County’s coastal zoning, development in the coastal zone needs a coastal development permit unless it is specifically exempt.
The Big Sur Coast Land Use Plan
Development here is governed by the Big Sur Coast Land Use Plan, part of the County’s local coastal program, which the County is currently updating. The California Coastal Commission certifies that program.
Critical viewshed
The land use plan protects the critical viewshed seen from Highway 1 and other public viewpoints. Projects that could be visible need an on-site investigation, with the outline and rooflines of the proposed building shown by poles and netting during review. Siting, height and materials are shaped by that review.
Water, septic and power
Most Big Sur parcels have no public water or sewer. Plan on a well or spring source with storage for firefighting, a septic system designed for the soils and slope, and in some cases solar and battery power. We confirm each early, because they can decide where the house can go.
Slopes, soils and fire
Steep, unstable ground means geologic and soils reports, engineered foundations and careful drainage. Much of the coast is mapped in fire hazard severity zones (check the CAL FIRE Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps), so homes are built to the wildfire chapter of the code, with fire-truck access and defensible space.
Access and schedule
Highway 1 closures, narrow private roads and long hauls shape the schedule. We plan deliveries, staging and crew time around them, and give you a realistic written schedule before you commit.
Do you build in Big Sur?
Yes. Big Sur is part of our Monterey County service area, along with Carmel, Carmel Valley, Pebble Beach, Monterey and Pacific Grove.
Will my Big Sur project need a coastal development permit?
Almost always for a new home or a significant addition. Monterey County decides which permit applies; we plan the schedule around it from the start.
Can you rebuild a home lost to fire or a slide?
Yes. Rebuilds still go through County review, and we help you sort out what can be rebuilt as it was and what needs new review.
Can you look at a parcel before I buy it?
Yes. We walk it with you and talk through access, water, septic, slope, the viewshed and the likely permit path while you can still walk away.
Cost by town
Custom home cost in other towns
Same rough ranges, different local costs: permits, fees, water, trees and site work change from town to town.
Planning guides
Budget and planning guides
What a custom home costs in Carmel
Design review, tree permits, water and tight lots: the Carmel-specific costs, with Michael’s rough ranges.
What a custom home costs on the Central Coast
Rough per-square-foot ranges for SLO, Monterey and Santa Barbara counties, and what moves a home between them.
Cost to build a custom home in SLO County
What drives the budget on a Central Coast custom home, and how to get a real number.
ADU cost on the Central Coast
Detached, attached or conversion: what moves the price of an ADU or guest house.
Home remodel cost in Paso Robles & SLO County
Kitchens, baths, whole-home remodels and additions: the cost drivers we see.
Building on a hillside lot
Soils, foundations, retaining walls, drainage and access: what a sloped lot adds before the house begins.
How long it takes to build a custom home
The phases from lot to move-in, what sets the pace, and how long our own recent homes took to build.
Building with a well and septic in North County
Wells, septic under the County LAMP, Paso basin and will-serve letters: what a rural North County lot needs before the house.
Building in a fire hazard severity zone
What Chapter 7A (and the California Wildland-Urban Interface Code) change on the roof, vents, walls, windows, decks and landscape.
Build or buy a custom home on the Central Coast
Honest comparison: custom new build vs buying an existing home in SLO, Monterey and Santa Barbara counties.
SLO County building permits: city vs county
Seven cities vs unincorporated PermitSLO, planning vs building, coastal permits and fire-zone steps.
Coastal development permits in SLO County
Cambria, Cayucos, Morro Bay, Pismo Beach and Avila Beach: exempt vs CDP vs Minor Use Permit, and Coastal Commission appeals.
Building in the Santa Lucia Preserve
Design Review Board stages, CSD water and will-serve, lot-specific fuel management and Monterey County permits.
Pebble Beach building permits
Del Monte Forest coastal permits and design approval, Pebble Beach Company ARB, protected trees, Cal Am water and fire rules.
Areas we serve
Nearby in Monterey County
Custom homes, remodels, additions and ADUs across San Luis Obispo, Monterey and Santa Barbara counties.
Monterey County
Start your project
Building in Big Sur? Tell us about your project.
A few details help us call you back with useful answers about budget, schedule and permits.
805.712.8993michael@harrodbuilt.com
1345 Riverside Ave, Paso Robles, CA 93446
CSLB #986950
