The Laguna Oaks home at dusk, gabled roofline against a lit sky with the entry walk glowing

Let Our Family Build Your Family's Home

Custom Home Builders In
The Rio Grande Valley

Design, financing guidance, permitting, selections and construction, all under one team, from the first sketch to the day you get the keys. Building custom homes across McAllen, Edinburg, Mission, Brownsville and the rest of South Texas since 1992.

Our Services
  • Since 1992

    Building trusted, quality custom homes in the RGV for over 30 years.

  • Family Owned & Operated

    A family led builder crafting custom homes with a personal touch.

  • Serving Hidalgo, Starr, Cameron & Jim Wells Counties

    Your local custom home builder for the entire Rio Grande Valley.

  • A+ Rated Service

    Delivering A+ rated craftsmanship and exceptional client care.

What we handle for you

Everything your home needs, under one roof

You do not need to know how construction works before you call. These are the six things we take care of, in the order your family will meet them.

Explore all six custom home building services

01/ 06Design

Custom Home Design

Construction ready blueprints drawn around your lot, your budget and how your family actually lives.

Your home starts from how your family actually lives, not from a catalog of plans that almost fit.

Read about custom home design

02/ 06Land

Build On Your Lot

Already own land? We evaluate the lot for free, then design a home that fits its shape, utilities and setbacks.

If you already own land, or your family is giving you a corner of theirs, we make sure a home can actually stand on it before you spend anything.

Read about build on your lot

03/ 06Build

Construction & Management

Daily site supervision, licensed trades, inspection checkpoints and a pre drywall walkthrough with you in the house.

Someone whose name you know walks your job site every day, so you never wonder what is happening behind the fence.

Read about construction & management

04/ 06Financing

Financing Guidance

FHA, VA, USDA, conventional and one time close construction loans, explained before you talk to a lender.

Even if you have never built, or your credit needs some work, we sit with you and find the loan that gets your family home.

Read about financing guidance

05/ 06Selections

Selections & Finishes

Flooring, counters, cabinetry, fixtures, lighting and paint, chosen with guidance, inside the budget.

You choose everything that makes the house yours, with prices in front of you, so the fun part never turns into the scary part.

Read about selections & finishes

06/ 06Build

Barndominium Construction

Steel framed homes on acreage, finished to the same residential standard as everything else we build.

A home with room for the trucks, the tools and the family reunion, built to the same standard as everything else we sign.

Read about barndominium construction

Our process

How a custom home build works

Roughly six months of construction after loan closing, plus the design and permitting that come before it.

Nothing here is unusual. It is the order a build has to happen in. What changes between custom home builders is whether you are told the sequence up front or discover it one surprise at a time.

See the full custom home building process
  1. step 01

    Get prequalified

    Everything downstream depends on a real number. We introduce you to a Valley lender who closes construction loans; it takes one to three business days and costs nothing.

    How construction loans work
  2. step 02

    Choose the homesite

    Own land already? We evaluate soil, drainage, utilities, zoning and flood status at no charge. Still looking? We help you judge lots before you commit to one.

    Build on your lot
  3. step 03

    Design the home

    You work with our drafting team on a floor plan drawn for your family and your parcel. Blueprints are included free with the purchase of your new home.

    Custom home design
  4. step 04

    Make the selections

    Flooring, countertops, cabinetry, fixtures, lighting, exterior materials and paint, chosen with guidance and priced before anything gets ordered.

    Home selections and finishes
  5. step 05

    Close the loan

    With design final and selections priced, you close. That is the moment the schedule becomes real and we can break ground.

  6. step 06

    Build and hand over keys

    Roughly six months from closing: slab, frame, rough ins, your pre drywall walkthrough, finish out, inspections, punch list, keys.

    Our construction management

Our homes

Custom homes built across the Rio Grande Valley

Finished homes in McAllen, Mission and across South Texas, photographed as they stand. Browse them here, then walk through the ones near you.

See all our custom homes

Why choose us

Why build with South Texas Builders

A custom home is the largest purchase most families ever make. This is what you are standing on when you make it with us.

  • Two generations, since 1992

    Israel González founded the company in Alice; his son Javier runs the job sites today. A family name is on every build.

  • One team from design to keys

    Design, financing guidance, permitting, selections and construction under one roof. You never coordinate six vendors.

  • Transparent pricing

    Published regional rates and one Fully Loaded standard, so nobody pays to escape a stripped down base package. See our pricing.

  • Inspected at every phase

    Municipal inspections at foundation, framing, rough in and final, plus your own pre drywall walkthrough before the walls close.

  • A+ rated service

    A+ rated craftsmanship and client care, in our clients' own words.Read their stories.

  • Local to South Texas

    Four counties, one office in McAllen, and finished homes across the Valley you can walk through before you sign anything.

Ready for numbers? See custom home pricing andwhat is included in every build.

Available now · Mission, TX

A move in ready home in Laguna Oaks

A finished home in a gated Mission community, built by the same team and to the same Fully Loaded standard as every custom home we design. It is ready for keys, and you can tour it this week.

Bedrooms
3
Bathrooms
2.5
Living area
2,106 sq ft
Community
Laguna Oaks (gated)
The Laguna Oaks home at dusk, gabled roofline against a lit sky with the entry walk glowing
The kitchen seen from the living room, oak island anchoring the open plan
Living room with a linear fireplace set into a dark slat wall and floating shelves
Covered rear patio in finished concrete opening straight onto the yard

Since 1992

Two generations of custom home builders

Israel González started this company in Alice, Texas, on a simple idea: if you build for families, you build with integrity. His son Javier runs the job sites today.

What began as a single family construction company grew into a custom home builder serving Hidalgo, Starr and Cameron Counties, plus Alice, where the story started. Every project is handled by our in house team, from the first sketch to the day we hand you the keys.

A custom home is the largest investment most families will ever make. That is why the process is built around transparent pricing, plain communication, and craftsmanship meant to last for generations, the same way ours has.

Meet our team
Israel and Javier González, the two generations leading South Texas Builders
Founder and second generationIsrael González, who founded the company in 1992, with his son Javier, who manages construction today.

Client stories

What our clients say

Photographed the day they signed, and quoted in their own words.

Read and watch all client stories

Guides & articles

Custom home building guides

What it costs, how long it takes, how the loan works, and the mistakes that are expensive to undo. Written by the people who run the builds.

All guides and articles

Before you call

Frequently asked questions

Cost, timeline, land, financing and how much of the house you actually get to decide.

Read all FAQs
How long does it take to build a custom home in the Rio Grande Valley?

Six months from loan closing to key delivery is the typical timeline. That breaks down as roughly two weeks for design and blueprints, two weeks for permit approval, two to four weeks for site prep and foundation, four weeks for framing and roof, four weeks for MEP rough ins, three weeks for insulation and drywall, six weeks for interior finishes, and two weeks for final inspections and punch list.

Weather, material availability and permit queues can extend it. Permit timelines in particular vary by city, which is why we quote your schedule against your actual jurisdiction rather than a Valley average.

What is the cost per square foot to build in the Rio Grande Valley?

We price every home the same way, one premium Fully Loaded standard, with the rate adjusted by service region. For 2026: Hidalgo and Starr County $115 to $120 per square foot, Cameron County $120 to $130, and Alice and the Coastal Bend $130 to $145.

Every tier includes the same finishes. Nothing is removed to reach a lower number; the difference reflects code requirements, crew travel and supply distance. Your final rate depends on your lot, plan complexity and any upgrades you choose. These rates currently apply to single story homes, ask us for a two story quote.

What is included in the cost of building with South Texas Builders?

Every home is built to the Fully Loaded standard as the baseline, not as an upgrade. Your contract includes a custom kitchen in paint grade materials; a custom exterior in siding, board and batten or EIFS stucco with cedar accents; 9 ft walls throughout with a 10 to 14 ft ceiling allowance in the front areas; granite or quartz countertops through the kitchen, pantry and baths; 3×6 walk in showers; a custom front door with a $2,500 allowance; custom ceiling designs in the dining, living and primary bedroom; a custom entertainment or fireplace wall; custom closets and pantry; 6′8″ interior doors with a $100 per door allowance; and three interior and two exterior paint colours.

Also included on every contract regardless of region: open cell spray foam insulation throughout, a windows allocation of 1.5% of sale price, recessed lighting within your electrical allowance, all permits except windstorm where it applies by zone, ten dirt hauls of 14 yards each, and free custom blueprints with the purchase of your new home.

Quoted separately: land, septic tank, windstorm insurance, appliances, utility connections, dirt hauls beyond the ten included, awnings at $500 each, a concrete pump if your site needs one, and driveway area beyond your garage allowance. We review every line, included and excluded, before you sign.

Can I build a custom home on my own land?

Yes, our Build On Your Lot program exists for exactly that. We start with a free site evaluation: soil, drainage, access, utility availability, zoning, setbacks, deed restrictions and FEMA flood status.

Then the plan is drawn to your parcel rather than adapted to it. Your land can also serve as equity in your construction loan, which often reduces the cash you need at closing.

What types of loans does South Texas Builders accept?

All the major construction financing programs available in Texas. FHA: 3.5% down, flexible credit. VA: zero down for eligible veterans, active duty service members and surviving spouses. Conventional: typically 10 to 20% down, often the best long term rate. One time close construction loans: cover the build and the permanent mortgage in a single loan. USDA Rural Development: zero down in eligible rural areas.

Which one fits depends on your credit, your down payment and where your lot sits. We will help you narrow it before you meet a lender.

Can I completely customize the design of my home?

Yes. We are not a production builder with a fixed catalog. Every home starts with your vision, your family’s routine and your lot.

You control the floor plan and layout, the architectural style, the exterior materials and facade, every interior finish, and special features from walk in closets to outdoor kitchens to energy efficiency upgrades. Your blueprints are created collaboratively with our drafting team and are included free with the purchase of your new home.

Start here

Tell us about your project

Building across South Texas since 1992, 34 years.

Prefer to talk to a person?(956) 594-6936

Free blueprints with your build

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