Custom Homes & New Construction

There is not much raw land left between San Jose and the hills, so most new construction here starts with an existing house coming down. A tired 1950s ranch on a good street in Willow Glen, Los Altos, Saratoga or Los Gatos is often worth less than the dirt under it, and rebuilding is how people get the house they want without leaving the neighborhood. That path runs through demolition, utility disconnects, soils work, survey and a complete drawing set before a single foundation form goes in. Hillside parcels above Los Gatos, Saratoga and Monte Sereno add grading, drainage and access to the list, and those costs show up early. We would rather walk the lot with you at the start and be blunt about what it is going to take.

Design review is a real part of building here. Palo Alto, Los Altos, Saratoga and Los Gatos all look closely at how a new house sits on its street, and neighbors pay attention. Getting through it comes down to a complete set of drawings, a design that respects the block, and someone who answers plan-check comments quickly instead of sitting on them. We have been licensed and building in Santa Clara County since 2007. Because we run our own carpentry shop, the cabinets, stair parts, built-ins and interior trim are made for the house rather than picked out of a catalog, which is usually where a custom home stops feeling like a spec house.

Comprehensive Custom Home Construction Services

• Lot walk and feasibility review before you spend money on design
• Demolition of the existing structure and utility disconnects
• Coordination of architect, structural engineer, soils report and survey
• Grading, drainage and retaining work on sloped and hillside parcels
• Foundation and framing, including the engineered shear and lateral system
• Full plumbing, electrical and mechanical rough-in through licensed subs
• Custom kitchens, baths, closets, stairs and interior millwork built in our shop
• Exterior finishes, decks, hardscape, driveway and site work
• Inspection scheduling and the punch list through to certificate of occupancy

Why R Twyns Construction

We are a family-run licensed general contracting and remodeling company (CSLB #896811), building in the South Bay since 2007. Tim Reynolds owns the company and his VP Ben runs the work, so the people who price your job are the people who are on it. The cabinets and finish carpentry come out of our own shop, which is what an older house needs when nothing in it is square. And we tell you what a job actually involves before you commit to it — the load-bearing wall, the drain line, the permit — rather than after the walls are open.

Common questions