01
This is the original market
Everything the company became started on job sites in and around Alice. Building here is not an expansion into a new territory, it is the market that taught us how to run one.
Jim Wells County · Texas
Custom home builder in Alice, TX
- Fully Loaded rate
- $130 to $145 / sq ft
- County
- Jim Wells County
- Permits
- City of Alice Building Department or Jim Wells County, depending on the parcel
Alice is where this company started. Israel González founded it here in 1992 as Gonzalez Construction, and we still build in Alice and Jim Wells County today. Pricing here is the Coastal Bend tier of $130 to $145 per square foot, a difference driven by distance from our McAllen supply base, not by a different standard.
02
Why the rate is higher
Alice and the Coastal Bend price at $130 to $145 per square foot. On an 1,800 square foot home that is roughly $27,000 to $45,000 above the same house in McAllen. The reason is logistics: material runs and crew travel from our Valley supply base. We would rather explain that plainly than bury it.
03
Not a windstorm county
Jim Wells is inland and is not one of the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association first tier coastal counties. If you are comparing Alice to a coastal Coastal Bend address, that is a meaningful difference in your insurance line.
04
City or county, depending on the lot
Builds inside Alice city limits permit through the City of Alice Building Department. Rural Jim Wells County parcels go through the county and usually bring septic and longer utility runs with them.
Primary sources
- Texas Windstorm Insurance Association, designated catastrophe area
- FEMA Flood Map Service Center
- USDA Rural Development, property eligibility
Flood, windstorm and loan eligibility determinations come from these agencies, not from us. Verify your specific parcel before making a decision on it.
What a build costs in Alice
Construction cost only. Land, site preparation, permits, utility connections and septic are quoted separately.
| Service region | Fully Loaded rate | Why it differs |
|---|---|---|
| Hidalgo & Starr County (McAllen / RGV core) | $115 to $120 / sq ft | Our closest trade base and shortest supply runs. |
| Cameron County | $120 to $130 / sq ft | Reflects coastal code requirements and longer crew travel. |
| Alice, TX & the Coastal BendYou are here | $130 to $145 / sq ft | Distance from our McAllen supply base drives the difference. |
What we do in Alice
The same six services, applied to this market’s soil, permitting and price tier.
- Custom Home DesignConstruction ready blueprints drawn around your lot, your budget and how your family actually lives.
- Build On Your LotAlready own land? We evaluate the lot for free, then design a home that fits its shape, utilities and setbacks.
- Construction & ManagementDaily site supervision, licensed trades, inspection checkpoints and a pre drywall walkthrough with you in the house.
- Financing GuidanceFHA, VA, USDA, conventional and one time close construction loans, explained before you talk to a lender.
- Selections & FinishesFlooring, counters, cabinetry, fixtures, lighting and paint, chosen with guidance, inside the budget.
- Barndominium ConstructionSteel framed homes on acreage, finished to the same residential standard as everything else we build.
Custom homes we have built near Alice
Every one of these was built by the same crews who would build yours, to the same standard, at the rate published for this region.
Every custom home we have built
For sale
Laguna Oaks, move in ready home
$310,000
Building in Alice
How much does it cost to build a custom home in McAllen, TX?
Building in McAllen starts at $115 to $120 per square foot for our Fully Loaded standard, the same specification on every home we build, with no stripped down base model. For a standard 1,800 square foot home that is $207,000 to $216,000 in construction cost.
That figure covers construction only. Land, site preparation, permits and utility connections are separate line items, and we walk through each of them with you before anything is signed. Rates shift outside the McAllen and Hidalgo, Starr core; see the tier table for your county.
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.
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.
Can you evaluate whether my land is suitable for building?
Yes, at no charge. The evaluation answers one question directly: can we build what you want on this lot, and what will the land itself add to the cost.
We assess soil, drainage, slope, vegetation and existing structures; proximity to water, sewer, electrical and gas; zoning, minimum lot size, setbacks and any restrictions; FEMA flood status; and approximate site preparation cost. If the answer is that the lot will not work for what you have in mind, we say so.
What is the first step to building a custom home?
Get prequalified with a lender. It defines everything that follows: lot selection, home size, design options and timeline.
It is free, it takes one to three business days, and it replaces guesswork with a real number. Designing a $350,000 home when you qualify for $230,000 is a painful way to spend three weeks, and prequalification is how you avoid it. It also lets you move quickly when the right lot appears.
Next step
Build in Alice
Tell us the parcel address or the neighborhood you have in mind. We answer with what the land will actually allow, and what it will cost.
Prefer to talk to a person?(956) 594-6936
