Lake & Porter County, Indiana
Built around your vision — with clarity from day one. We work with a select number of clients each year so every build gets the attention it deserves.
Why clients choose us
Most builders keep you at arm's length. We take the opposite approach — full transparency, direct access, and a process designed so you're never left wondering.
You work directly with the owner from first call to final walkthrough. No being passed off to a project coordinator who wasn't in the original conversation.
We operate on a cost-plus contract. You see every invoice we see — every subcontractor bid, every material cost, every line item. No markups hidden in a fixed price. No surprises at draw time.
We limit ourselves to two custom builds simultaneously. Not two dozen. Not ten. Two. If we can't give your home the attention it deserves, we won't take it on. That's non-negotiable.
Our Philosophy
Not exciting in the sales-pitch sense. Safe in the sense that you know what's happening, you trust the people doing it, and you don't dread opening your inbox on a Monday morning.
"A custom home is the most significant financial decision most people make. It deserves a builder who treats it that way — not one who disappears after the contract is signed."
Ready to talk?
If you're planning a custom home in Lake or Porter County with a budget of $1M or more, we'd like to hear about your project.
How we work
We've made our process this detailed on purpose. If anything on this page sounds like too much structure, we're probably not the right fit — and that's okay. If it sounds like exactly what you've been looking for, read on.
Week 1–2
You fill out our inquiry form. If your project is a potential fit, we schedule a 45-minute call — no sales pitch, just a direct conversation about what you're trying to build and whether we can do it well.
Your site, your vision, your timeline, your budget. We'll be direct if we see any misalignment — including if we're currently at capacity. You'll leave the call with a clear sense of next steps either way.
Weeks 3–8
We walk the site together. We talk through what the land allows, what it doesn't, and what it suggests. Your architect and our team align on constraints before a single line is drawn.
A written site assessment, preliminary budget range, and a clear understanding of what's driving cost on your specific property. No surprises three months in.
Months 2–5
Architect drawings evolve in coordination with our team. We flag constructability and cost implications in real time — before you're emotionally attached to a detail that adds $80,000 to the budget.
You make the decisions. We give you the information to make them well. Our client liaison manages the selection schedule — finishes, fixtures, appliances — so nothing falls through the cracks.
Month 5–6
Before you sign anything, we send the complete scope out to bid. Every major subcontractor, every trade package. You see the actual bids — not allowances, not ballpark figures — so your budget is grounded in today's real market pricing.
We operate on a cost-plus structure. You pay actual costs — materials, labor, subs — plus our clearly defined builder's fee. You see every invoice we see. There are no hidden markups. Your pre-construction bids give you a realistic, current number to plan against before a shovel hits the ground.
10–16 Months
Weekly written updates. Monthly site walks with the founder. A dedicated client portal where you can see progress photos, updated schedules, and current budget status — at any time, from anywhere.
When something comes up — and something always comes up — you hear about it from us first, with options and a recommendation. Never a surprise invoice after the fact.
Final + Post-Move
Final walkthrough. Punch list resolved before you get the keys. Then a 30-day and 12-month check-in after you've moved in — because that's when you actually learn how a house performs.
We remain reachable. If something isn't right in the first year, we make it right. Our warranty process is in writing, with clear timelines for every category of work.
Still reading?
Clients who take the time to understand the process before they call are the ones we do our best work with.
Honest numbers
We post this page because serious buyers deserve real information, and because anyone who's scared off by honest numbers isn't the right fit for how we work.
Production Finishes
$225–$295
per square foot
Note: This is not how we typically build. If this range is your target, we are likely not the right fit.
Our Typical Range
$295–$395
per square foot
Luxury / Signature
$400+
per square foot
A word on transparency
We operate on a cost-plus contract. That means you pay actual costs — labor, materials, subcontractors — plus our builder's fee, which is clearly defined upfront. Before construction begins, we send everything out to bid so you're working from real current-market numbers, not estimates. You see every invoice we receive. No hidden markups, no allowance games. High-net-worth clients appreciate this model because it treats them like the sophisticated buyers they are.
Selected work
Each project here was built around a specific client, a specific site, and a specific vision. We don't have a signature style — that's intentional.
Ask us about a project similar to what you're envisioning. We'll share specifics from comparable builds, including budget breakdowns.
The company
Pinnacle started because I kept watching clients get burned. Not by bad people — by bad systems. Builders who overpromised, underdelivered, and disappeared when things got hard. I wanted to build a company where that couldn't happen structurally.
That meant limiting ourselves to two custom builds at a time. It meant operating on a cost-plus model so clients see every dollar — every invoice, every subcontractor bid, every line item. It meant staying personally involved on every job, not just showing up at the groundbreaking and the ribbon cutting.
After 12 years and 18 completed homes, I'm confident we've built something that actually works — for clients who want to know exactly what they're getting and hold us to it.
I'm in every client meeting. I walk every site. I review every subcontractor bid. When a problem comes up — and something always does — you're hearing from me, not a project manager reading notes on a screen.
Because that's how many I can give my full attention. We've turned down good projects and good clients because we were at capacity. That's the right call every time.
Because hiding a markup inside a fixed price is the oldest trick in the industry. You deserve to see what things actually cost. We send everything out for competitive bids before we break ground, so your budget is based on real numbers from real subcontractors in today's market — not a number we invented six months ago.
I stay involved after the contract is signed because that's when the real work happens. The design phase is exciting. The framing phase is where judgment matters. I'm there for both.
The right fit
Our clients share a few things in common: they've done their research, they know what they want, and they expect to be treated like the adults they are. If that sounds like you, we should talk.
We respond to all qualified inquiries within two business days.
Work with us
This form is the beginning of our process, not the end of it. We review every submission personally and respond within two business days.
We've received your inquiry and will review it personally. If there's a potential fit, expect to hear from us within two business days — directly from the founder, not an assistant.
In the meantime, feel free to explore our process and cost pages if you haven't already.