New & Custom Home Builders in Cardiff, CA
Build your custom home in Cardiff, CA
How much does it cost to build a home in Cardiff, CA?
The cost to build a custom home in San Diego County will vary based on many different factors. Lot location and size, permits and fees, and specific design choices will all impact the all-in cost to build a custom home in Cardiff. We estimate that the cost to build a home in Cardiff is approximately $400 - $600 per square foot, including some modest allocations for improvements and soft costs. If you’re interested in learning more about the cost breakdown, you can read our article about how much it costs to build a home in San Diego. If you would like an estimate for your project, use our Land/Build Calculator.
How much does land cost in Cardiff, CA?
Cardiff, also known as Cardiff-by-the-Sea, is a small beach community within the city of Encinitas with a variety of different land/lot prices. In this area you’ll find smaller coastal lots in established beach communities. Most lots will be smaller than 0.25 acres, but very conveniently located for accessing all the amenities that Encinitas and Cardiff have to offer. We estimate that a straightforward lot with minimal improvements will cost somewhere in the range of $600,000 - $1,500,000. This price is largely dependent on the lot’s distance to the coast.
Land in Cardiff includes the following zip codes: 92007
If you would like an estimate for your project, use our Land/Build Calculator.
Why Cardiff, CA is a great place to live
Cardiff is a beach community in the northern part of San Diego with a population of 12,000. Due to its small population and footprint, Cardiff gives off a beachy, suburban feel. Cardiff offers residents a wide variety of amenities, including multiple parks, a diverse population, and highly-rated public schools. Cardiff is right by the ocean, making it the perfect place to live for residents who love going to the beach on a regular basis. In Cardiff, there are also plenty of great entertainment and dining options that are bound to satisfy anybody’s taste.
Things to do in Cardiff, CA
Cardiff has plenty of outdoor activities for beach lovers and families. Cardiff State Beach is one of many beautiful local beaches where you can go surfing, swimming, or just relax in the sun. Right next to Cardiff State Beach is San Elijo State Beach, which offers overnight camping.
Also very close by is perhaps the most iconic landmark in Cardiff, the Magic Carpet Ride Sculpture, locally known as the Cardiff Kook. Stop by while you’re in the area to get a look at the statue featuring a man on a surfboard. The statue is often dressed up to fit various seasons and occasions, so keep an eye out for it year-round.
For a family-friendly outdoor day that’s significantly less sandy, visit the local Glen Park. Also known as Cardiff Park, this organically managed park has beautiful wildflowers, wide open grassy areas, a playground, and a basketball park. This is the perfect place to take your kids on a weekend, or jog through for a taste of local scenery.
For more beautiful views of the local landscape, take a trip to the San Elijo Lagoon Ecological Reserve. This is a wonderful area to take walks and take in the gorgeous views of the lagoon, you can also check out the local plant life as well as plenty of birds that are visible on the reserve.
What's the process to build a custom home in Cardiff, CA?
The process of building your custom home with Buildable is straightforward when working with our team and our dialed process. We break down the process into 3 phases: Locate, Design, and Build.
Locate Phase
During the locate phase, we will be finding the perfect location for your dream home. Our real estate team will provide you with a shortlist of options right for the project.
There are more properties than what you see on the web. Through Buildable’s proprietary Active Search process, we reach out to vacant landowners to create off-market opportunities. At any given time we may have 5-10 of these Buildable exclusive lots.
Once in contract, we will perform due diligence on the property to reduce risk and identify challenges. This includes the creation of a Land Report, which contains a 28-point audit to ensure you have all the relevant information to proceed with confidence. This step will also inform the land negotiation process.
Design Phase
During the design phase, we will procure the right designer and customize the home around all of your must-haves. We will identify the home requirements and develop a thorough plan and estimate to ensure we stay within the budget and on time.
There are many options when designing a home, and you don’t always need an Architect. We will help develop a strategy that fits your needs.
Build Phase
We will be building your dream home to your exact specifications. The building process is straightforward but will require decisions at key times during the journey. Buildable aims to make the process smooth, easy, and adaptable to the level of effort and attention you desire.
How long does it take to build a custom home in Cardiff, CA?
Typically, in Cardiff, building a home requires about 12 months, but that’s only the construction of your home. The custom home construction timeline also includes finding the land, designing the home, developing plans, and permitting.
So, how long does it take to build a custom home accounting for all the steps? Building a custom home in Cardiff can take around 24 months when you factor in finding the land, designing the home, and building it. If you want to learn more about the time it takes to build a custom home, read our article How Long Does It Take To Build A Custom Home in San Diego?
Is Cardiff, CA subject to coastal commission development permits (aka Coastal Zone)?
In some areas close to the water, you may be subject to additional permits, costs, and time to build your home. Lots subject to this requirement can change block by block, so part of our Land Report will be to review this aspect of the land so you will be aware and level set on expectations. We can also aim to avoid these zones in our search.
How to choose the best custom home builder in Cardiff, CA?
Finding a quality builder in Cardiff can be challenging because customers have trouble vetting them. At the beginning of a project, you won’t have the scope of the home tightly defined enough for an accurate estimate. Most builders will provide you with cost estimate ranges by square footage. The other complication is that you also need to include the improvement costs that are specific to the lot, as that will be a unique driver of cost. Buildable is an A & B licensed General Contractor and will guide you through the design to achieve your budget.
Once you have plans, you can bid out your project to get a real sense of costs. Ignore the builders who provide a “foot in the door” price far lower than other bids. You must know everything that's part of the bid, including your fixtures, finishes, and appliance specifications. That’s the only way to make an apples-to-apples comparison between bids.
If you would like to learn more about picking a homebuilder, read our article on how to Hire a builder.
Build your home with Buildable
Building a home in Cardiff takes an immense amount of time and effort, and can appear overwhelming to those who start the journey alone. However, building a home can be straightforward when you approach the process with experts by your side who can guide you through every step.
At Buildable, all of the people you need to have a stress-free home build will work with you to create the home of your dreams. Read about our team, talk to us, and get the answers to questions you may have about starting the custom home building process in Cardiff.
How is Buildable different from other custom home builders?
Buildable manages the process from start-to-finish. First, we help you locate and purchase the land ensuring that it’s capable of supporting your vision. Second, we help you design your home through a variety of cost-effective options. The most important part is having our experienced engineering team guiding you through the design process to ensure a cost-effective balance to meet your goals. Third, we bring your dream home to life by assembling quality craftsman/women to build your vision.
We are the innovators of this approach — no one else offers a similar guided process from start-to-finish.
Our Service Areas in San Diego
Buildable operates within 60 miles of San Diego proper, but we do consult nationally. If you would like to learn more about where we work, simply check out Buildable’s service areas.
Nearby service areas in San Diego include: