Custom Home Building

Custom Homes in Vancouver Metro, Designed for Healthy, Comfortable Everyday Living

You are not looking for a standard house plan. You want a custom home in Vancouver Metro that fits your family, your routines, and your values, a home that feels good to live in, not just to look at online.

Is This the Right Fit for You?

Our custom home service is a strong fit if you:

Own (or are close to owning) a lot in Vancouver Metro, or nearby
Plan to live in the home for many years and care about long-term value
Want a home that is quiet, comfortable, and healthy, not just “to code.”
Prefer transparent, fixed pricing over open-ended cost-plus contracts
Like the idea of working with a builder who explains trade-offs in plain language
We are open to thoughtful design and planning before construction starts

Our Custom Home Service

Custom home building with Marnella is about creating a complete living environment, not just a set of finishes. We start by understanding how you live day to day, then design a home that balances building science, wellness, and aesthetics so every room feels comfortable, quiet, and easy to use. From Vancouver Metro’ changing seasons to more demanding regional conditions, we account for your site, your priorities, and your long-term plans, then align design, structure, and systems around them. The result is a thoughtfully built home that looks beautiful and consistently performs well for your family over time.

How the Custom Home Process Works

We follow the same overall framework as our primary process, explicitly tailored to custom homes:

1. Discovery & Fit Call

We start with a simple conversation about your lot, goals, budget, and timeline. You share what matters most; we share how we work and give you an honest sense of whether we are a good fit.

2. Detailed Design & Performance Modeling

We develop detailed designs and specifications while running energy models, planning HVAC and ventilation systems, and specifying envelope details.

3. Fixed-Price Proposal & Agreement

Once plans and specs are sufficiently defined, we present a detailed, fixed-price contract with clear allowances and inclusions. You know what you are committing to before construction begins.

4. Construction, Walkthroughs & Verification

During the build, you receive regular updates and scheduled walkthroughs at key milestones. We manage trades, protect quality, and perform third-party testing and verification to ensure your home performs as designed.

5. Move-In & Long-Term Support

You move into a home that feels right from day one, comfortable, quiet, and efficient, with warranties and a responsive team in place.

Our Recent Custom Homes in Metro Portland

What Homeowners Say

Built on Trust. Inspired by You.

Our homeowners are at the heart of everything we do. From thoughtful design to lasting quality, their stories reflect our commitment to creating homes that nurture well-being, comfort, and pride. Hear what makes the Marnella Homes experience truly exceptional.

Shan Stassens

Marnella Homes holds every project to exceptionally high standards. From thoughtful design and detailed energy modeling to professional construction and execution, their team consistently delivers outstanding results.

Patrick Spriggel

Most people scroll to the bad reviews, but you must read this good one. And, we are not affiliated with any of the Marnella team other than being a customer. I have been around home building and contractors for decades and know just enough to able to determine what is quality, good quality or great quality. We purchased a new townhome on E. 6th St. in Vancouver from Tony Marnella. The technology that comes as the standard offering is absolutely amazing. Everything has been thought through as if the builder were making for themself. The quality of the build is crazy high thanks to the Marnella team. Tony Marnella may be the owner but he is extremely hands-on. His foreman is picky as if it were his own. And, Gina, in his office is absolutely amazing. The team works in concert and they don't miss a single detail. We love our home and the location is a bonus! Look no further if you need a builder.

Doug Bixel

We were introduced to Marnella Homes through a friend. Marnella took our custom build project on, improved the design, and completed the project within the allotted schedule. In today's marketplace, there are very few companies that can do that. We are very happy with the home! Thank you Team Marnella!

Andy Steigleder

Marnella Homes exceeded all our expectations on our custom home. From start to finish, their devotion to the client was clear in every interaction. They truly listened to our needs and made sure we felt involved and informed throughout the entire process. Their attention to detail in their work is exceptional—every finish, fixture, and feature was thoughtfully executed with care and precision. They delivered everything right on time, staying true to their schedule without cutting corners and even redoing work if not meeting their high standards. I would gladly use Marnella again on a new project.

Qwan Pham

Building with Tony and the Marnella Homes team was a smooth and surprisingly stress-free experience. This was our fourth new home, and we didn’t think it could be this easy. Despite building on the Oregon coast, where it’s often hard to find reliable tradespeople, the entire process—from breaking ground to getting the keys—took just six months. The home is high-quality, energy-efficient, and exactly what we hoped for. We appreciated the clear weekly updates, the detailed schedule, and the billing that matched the cost estimates. After moving in, Gina and Adrian were responsive and quick to take care of any follow-up issues. We’d happily recommend Marnella Homes and would work with them again in the future.

Laura

Tony and his team built us a beautiful home in about one year. The estimate was quite a bit shorter, but I think this is just the way things go. Using his home plan, we were able to tailor the space to our design aesthetic and partner along the way to get things right. Our PM, Damon was indispensible, a good listener and responsive.

FAQs

How long will it take from the first meeting to move in?

A realistic window for a custom home in Camas, WA is often 12 to 18 months from initial planning through move-in, depending on design complexity, permitting timelines, and site conditions. Design and planning usually take several months, and construction itself often ranges from 8 to 12 months. We give you a project-specific timeline once your design and scope are defined.

How disruptive is the process to our day-to-day life?

Because a custom home is typically built on its own site, most of the disruption happens at the lot, not inside your current home. The most significant impact for you is the time required for decision-making and occasional site visits or walkthroughs.

What do you handle, and what do we need to arrange separately?

We handle the whole design-build process for your custom home: feasibility, performance planning, coordination with designers/architects, permitting, construction management, quality control, and warranty.

Can you build from a plan we already have?

Yes, in many cases. We review your existing plans through a performance and constructability lens, then recommend adjustments where needed to improve comfort, efficiency, or durability.

Ready to Explore a Custom Home?

If you are serious about building a custom home that feels better, works smarter, and is built to last, the next step is simple. Let’s design and build a custom home in Metro Portland that truly takes care of you and your family every day.

Schedule a Custom Home Consultation