Custom Homes and Whole-Home Remodeling in Spicewood, Texas
Owner-run custom builds and whole-home remodels across Spicewood's lake-area communities and Hill Country acreage.
A budget range and a straight read on scope, at no cost and with no obligation.
Riverbend Hill Country Homes builds custom homes and whole-home remodels in Spicewood, Texas, across its lake-area communities, its Burnet and Travis County acreage, and the surrounding Hill Country land. Vanessa Harris owns the company, and she and her husband Dan run their projects in person from their home base in Dripping Springs, an easy drive away.
4.8 on Google
$1.3M featured remodel in San Marcos
Google review from a project architect
Owner-led job sites
What We Confirm on a Spicewood Lot First
The county line runs through the Spicewood area, the water provider changes from street to street, and septic answers to different authorities depending on where you are. Which combination applies to your lot depends on where it sits.
We find out which office governs your parcel, where the water comes from, and how septic has to work. You get all three answers in plain language from Vanessa and Dan on your first visit, before design starts.
When your parcel's water source or septic path adds cost or time, you hear that on the same visit, with the reasons behind it.
The Finish Level We Hold on Every House
These interiors are our own finished work: a whole-home remodel in San Marcos, photographed as the project wrapped.
One Zip Code, Several Permitting Authorities
Two lots a mile apart can fall under different counties, different water providers, and different septic authorities, and none of that appears on the plat.
We confirm which rules apply to your land before drawings begin.
Which County, and Which Office
Spicewood proper sits in unincorporated Burnet County, where Development Services requires a building permit and a separate septic permit. Part of the same mailing area falls in Travis County, and some parcels sit inside the Village of Briarcliff, which runs its own permitting, or inside other small incorporated areas such as Double Horn. We confirm which office governs your parcel before anything else gets scheduled.
Where Your Water Comes From
There is no single Spicewood water system. Some subdivisions are served by small water utilities such as Windermere Oaks Water Supply Corporation, others by a different supplier, and some acreage parcels rely on a private well. We identify the groundwater district for your parcel and confirm its registration and drilling requirements before planning a well. We confirm early which of those applies to your lot, so the budget reflects your parcel.
Septic Follows the County Line Too
On the Burnet County side, a licensed site evaluator inspects the soil and reports the system type before a permit is issued. On the Travis County side, the county generally permits and inspects the work directly. On either side of the county line, a lot close to Lake Travis can fall under the Lower Colorado River Authority's septic program instead of the county's. We identify the correct path and build the septic timeline into your schedule from day one.
Flood Maps, Wildfire History, and the Soil Underneath
Much of Spicewood has thin soil over limestone. The soil is too thin to hold much water, so rain sheds off the ridges instead of soaking in. Parts of the mailing area near Lake Travis and the Pedernales River carry mapped flood exposure, and wildfire has burned through this area before. We read the rock and the drainage off your own lot and price the site work from what is there. More in our guide to the cost to build on a rocky lot.
Outdoor Lighting in the Gated Communities
Several gated Spicewood communities set their own outdoor lighting standards through architectural review. Those standards can require shielded, downward-facing fixtures and warm color temperatures. Where your community has one, we design to it from the first drawing and submit the lighting plan for review.
Local rules on this page were checked against these official sources in October 2026: Burnet County septic and building permits · Village of Briarcliff building permits · LCRA septic program · Travis County permit enforcement · Central Texas Groundwater Conservation District. Rules change, so we confirm the current version for your parcel.
Where We Build in Spicewood
Spicewood communities can sit on either side of the county line, and the Village of Briarcliff issues its own permits. Tell us the community and we will tell you which office issues your permit.
- Barton Creek LakesideWe confirm current builder eligibility and design-review requirements for your lot
- Spicewood TrailsCustom acreage homesites with their own design rules
- Lakecliff on Lake TravisWaterfront neighborhood of custom homes
- The Reserve at Lake TravisCustom-built homes and acreage homesites on the Travis County side of Spicewood
- Windermere OaksNeighborhood with its own covenants and review process for new construction
- Travis ClubCustom homesites on Lake Travis, built through the community's development process
Several Spicewood communities run new construction through their own architectural review, and some set rules on who may build there. We confirm your community's rule before you commit to a lot, then handle the submittal for you.
What a Build Costs in Spicewood, and What the County Line Adds
What a Spicewood build costs in total depends on the county, the water provider, and the septic path. We settle all three before we quote, so the number reflects your parcel.
Ground-up
New Custom Home
$325-$800+ / sq ft
- 14 to 20 months, signed contract to handover
- Jurisdiction, water source, and septic path scoped on the first visit
- Vanessa and Dan on site from the first visit through the final walkthrough
Whole house
Whole-Home Remodel
$325-$650+ / sq ft of remodeled area
- 9 to 14 months, typically
- At least 20 percent contingency, in writing, before the first wall comes down
- Community architectural review, where it applies, carried by us
Kitchen or primary suite (4 to 9 months)$300-$800+ / sq ft
In Spicewood, the per-square-foot figure leaves out what your parcel requires on top of it: the water source, the septic path, and the site conditions, all of which vary by lot. We price your land after we have walked it with you. For the full detail on each service, see custom home building and luxury home remodeling.
Prices and timelines last reviewed October 2026.
Vanessa and Dan Run Your Spicewood Build
Vanessa runs the client side and the finish decisions. Dan runs the field. They are on your Spicewood project every week. The two who confirm your jurisdiction, your water source, and your septic path on the first visit stay your direct point of contact through framing, through the finish work, and at the final walkthrough.
Vanessa built resort spas for hotel brands before this, work where a bad tile edge gets written up before the doors open. Your home gets that same standard.
Spicewood Questions
Who issues my building permit in Spicewood?
More than one office issues building permits here. Spicewood proper sits in unincorporated Burnet County, where Development Services requires a building or development permit plus a septic permit, but part of the Spicewood mailing area falls in Travis County instead, and a few parcels sit inside the Village of Briarcliff, which runs its own permitting, or other small incorporated areas such as Double Horn. We start from the parcel itself, so you know which office you are dealing with before design begins.
Will my Spicewood property have a well or public water?
Spicewood has no townwide water system. Some subdivisions are served by small water utilities such as Windermere Oaks Water Supply Corporation, others by a different supplier, and some acreage parcels rely on a private well. The groundwater district depends on the parcel, and we confirm its registration and drilling rules before planning a well.
What septic rules apply to a Spicewood build?
Septic follows the same county line as your building permit. On the Burnet County side, a licensed site evaluator inspects the soil and site and reports the system type before Development Services will issue an OSSF permit. On the Travis County side, the county generally permits and inspects septic work directly, and on either side of the line, a lot close to Lake Travis can fall under LCRA's septic program instead. We confirm the correct path before design.
What does Spicewood's terrain add to the cost of a build?
More than the price per square foot shows. Much of the ground here is thin soil over limestone. The soil is too thin to hold much water, so rain runs off the ridges instead of soaking in. Parts of Spicewood near Lake Travis and the Pedernales River also carry mapped flood exposure, and wildfire has run through this area before. Site work and drainage are priced from your own lot.
Are there dark sky or outdoor lighting rules in Spicewood?
We check the outdoor-lighting requirements for your parcel and your community before design. Where shielding or warm-color fixtures are required, we include them in the first drawings.
Do Spicewood's gated communities require their own builder approval?
Builder eligibility depends on the community and the lot. We check the current rules for your property, including any builder approval and architectural review, before you commit to a lot.
What does it cost to build a custom home in Spicewood?
New construction runs $325 to $800+ per square foot at comparable finish levels, with structural steel and architectural complexity at the top of the range. In Spicewood, the water source, the septic path, and the rock and flood conditions of your parcel are priced on top of that range. We put a figure to them after walking your land. For the full Texas breakdown, see our guide to what it costs to build a house in Texas.
Can you build on my lot in Spicewood Trails?
Yes, subject to the community's rules. Spicewood Trails has its own design rules, so we check them, and any builder requirement, for your lot before design starts. Then we walk the land with you and price the water, septic, and site work for your parcel. More on building on your lot.
Do you offer custom floor plans in Spicewood?
Yes. We bring in an architect to design the home for your lot, or we work from plans you already have, pricing them as they stand and checking whether the lot calls for any changes.
Schedule Your Spicewood Consultation
Tell us about your Spicewood land and where your project stands today.
Call us or send the form and we will follow up personally.
Vanessa answers this number, weekdays 9 to 5.