Building in the Triangle, answered
Plain answers to the questions families ask before they buy land and build: land, costs and loans, permits, towns, and the build itself.
Local news
All local news →Decisions, hearings and projects that change the cost, timing or place of building here.
What Wake's school bond would build in eastern Wake, and how to vote on it
The $680 million bond on the Nov. 3 ballot includes new elementary schools out east. Here's what's planned, the reported tax cost and the voting dates.
New state laws limit what Apex, Holly Springs and Fuquay-Varina can require of builders
State laws passed this year change rules on backyard cottages, parking, fees and approved plans in Apex, Holly Springs and Fuquay-Varina, with dates running into 2027.
Wake County's 2027 revaluation: what it means for your lot or new house
Wake commissioners hold a hearing Oct. 5 on the rulebook appraisers will use to value every lot and home, including houses still being built.
The basics
See all 1→The big picture of building a home here, from finding land to moving in.
Land
See all 5→How to find a good lot, and what to check before you buy it.
How to get a private well permit in the Triangle
Who issues a private well permit, what you submit, what it can cost, and every step from application to a tested glass of water in the Triangle's outer counties.
What is a perc test, and how do you get one for a lot in the Triangle?
How the septic soil evaluation works in Wake, Johnston, Chatham and Franklin counties, what it costs, the private soil scientist option, and what a failed lot means.
How to find a Triangle lot's covenants and HOA rules before you buy
Where covenants are recorded in Wake, Johnston, Durham, Chatham and Franklin, what a North Carolina HOA can do, and what a seller must disclose.
How Big of a Drain Field Do You Need for Your Custom Build?
Drain field size is driven by two things — bedroom count and soil acceptance. Here’s how NC sizes residential septic, what the repair area requirement adds, and how T&J panels can cut the footprint by 50%.
What Should You Actually Look For in a Buildable Lot?
Two questions usually decide whether a Triangle lot will actually work — does it perc, and what's the topography. Here's the practical version of how we look at a lot when a client brings us one.
Costs & loans
See all 7→What it takes to get a lot ready, what a new home costs to own, and how people pay to build.
How to hook up to city water and sewer near Raleigh and in Johnston County
The steps, offices and rules for connecting a new home to public water and sewer in six Wake towns and Johnston County's system, with Raleigh's 2026–27 connection fees and Johnston County's new monthly rates.
How to get electricity to an empty lot in the Triangle, and who pays for the line
How to find out which utility serves your lot, how to apply for new service, and what two local co-ops' posted rules say about line-extension costs.
What property tax will you pay on a new home in the Triangle?
How January 1 sets your tax, this year's county, town and fire rates in Wake, Johnston, Chatham and Durham, last year's county rate in Franklin, and when each county plans to reassess values.
Buying land taxed at present-use value? What rollback taxes mean for you
How North Carolina's farm and forest tax deferral works, what comes due when you buy or build, who usually pays, and how to check a parcel first.
How Much Does It Cost to Build a Custom Home in the NC Triangle? (2026)
Updated September 2026: published pricing on our 21 priced plans runs $283,000 to just over $1 million. The full price list, what’s included, and what moves the number.
How Do You Finance a Custom Home Build?
Most clients finance a custom build with a construction-to-permanent loan — one loan for the lot and the build, interest-only on what’s drawn, often little or nothing down. Here’s how construction financing works.
Cost-Plus vs. All-In: Why a Lower Markup Doesn’t Mean a Lower Price
Most custom builders quote cost-plus, which pushes you to compare the markup percentage instead of the total. Here’s why a lower percentage can still cost you more, and how all-in pricing works.
Permits & rules
See all 3→The permits a new home needs, and the rules that shape what you can build.
Can you build a backyard cottage or in-law suite on your Triangle lot?
What Raleigh, Durham, Cary, Wake County and the new state law say about ADUs, and what to check before you plan a second home on your lot.
Can you build on a Triangle lot with a creek or pond?
How the state's 50-foot stream buffers in the Neuse and Jordan Lake areas shape where a house, septic system and driveway can go, and who decides.
How to look up a lot's zoning and see how big your house can be
Where to find a lot's zoning in Raleigh, Cary, unincorporated Wake County and Johnston County, and how setbacks, height limits and hard-surface caps shape where your house sits and what you can add.
Towns & counties
See all 5→What building is like in Apex, Johnston County, Chatham County and the places around them.
How to find out which public schools your Triangle address is assigned to
How to look up assigned schools in Wake, Johnston, Durham, Chatham and Franklin, why Wake's answer can change after you buy, and who to call.
Building a home in Apex: permits, water and sewer, fees and who to call
Where your Apex lot sits decides how you get water and sewer, whether you need annexation, and what you pay. Here are the steps, fees and phone numbers.
Building a home in Johnston County: which offices handle permits, septic, water and schools
Which office gives you the permit, the order to get septic, well or water approvals, how to look up schools, and who to call in Johnston County.
How to build a home in Chatham County: permits, septic, wells and stream buffers
Who issues your building permit in Pittsboro, Siler City or the countryside, how septic and well permits work, and how stream buffers can shape your lot.
How to build a home in Franklin County: permits, septic, water and schools
Who issues your permits in Louisburg, Youngsville, Franklinton or the county, how septic and wells work, how county water is set up, and who to call.
The build
See all 3→How long it takes, what happens when, and the choices that shape the house.
Crawl space or slab: which foundation suits a new Triangle home?
What most new homes in the South sit on, what a closed crawl space is, what North Carolina's code requires, and what each choice means for moisture, ducts and termites.
What Is a Builder-Grade Home — and What Makes One Feel Custom?
A builder-grade home uses a production builder’s base finishes, picked to hit a price. Here’s what makes a home feel custom instead — and where the money goes.
Custom Home Build Timeline: How Long Does It Take?
A realistic custom home build timeline: about 6 months from permit to keys, 9–12 months end to end. The month-by-month phases of a Triangle build — and what shifts the clock.
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