New custom homes
Homes designed for one owner and one site, built from the foundation up. The framing, the building envelope and the decisions made behind the walls get the same attention as the finishes you see every day.
SERVICES
RESIDENTIAL
Custom Homes
Custom homes built around your property, your plans and the way you live, from early planning through the final details on site, across Durham Region and Kawartha Lakes.
01 / OVERVIEWCUSTOM HOMES
CUSTOM HOMES
A home built for one property and one family
A custom home starts with a specific piece of land and the people who will live on it. Nothing comes from a catalogue: the layout, the way the house sits on the lot, the views it frames and the finishes inside are decided for that site and that family.
Henley Contracting is a custom home builder working across Durham Region and Kawartha Lakes. We build for owners who want to be involved in those decisions and want them carried through properly once construction starts, whether that is a family home on a rural lot, a year-round home on the water or a new house on a property you already own.
The most important work happens early. Bringing a builder in while plans are still taking shape gives you a clearer picture of scope, budget and timing before decisions are locked in, and fewer surprises once work begins.
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01 / PROPERTY
The lot, its access and its services shape what the home can be.
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02 / DESIGN
Plans developed for the site, with construction questions answered along the way.
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03 / PLANNING
Scope, budget and schedule defined before work starts.
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04 / CONSTRUCTION
One team on site, with clear updates from start to finish.
02 / WHAT WE BUILDCUSTOM HOMES
Custom home projects we take on
Waterfront homes and cottages
Year-round homes and cottages on the lake, planned around the view, the slope of the land and how you reach the property in every season. See Waterfront Homes and Custom Cottages, and Boathouses for the structures at the water's edge.
Larger and high-end custom homes
Larger homes with more involved structure, finishes and coordination, where careful sequencing and a consistent team on site make the biggest difference.
Custom projects on unique properties
Some properties need more thought than others: a slope down to the water, a rural lot with a long driveway, or an existing building to work around. On properties like these the site is worked out before the design is final. If you have a property and an idea but no plans yet, start with Design-Build & Planning.
03 / APPROACHCUSTOM HOMES
What matters when planning a custom home
Six things shape every custom home. Working through them early is what keeps the design, the budget and the schedule pointing in the same direction.
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01
Property
The size and shape of the lot, the grade, access for equipment and deliveries, and services such as water, septic and hydro.
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02
Scope
What you want to build: the size and layout of the home, any outbuildings, and what is essential versus what can wait.
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03
Budget
A realistic range for the home you want, tested against the scope while the plans can still change.
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04
Design
Plans that suit the site and the way you live, developed with construction in mind rather than handed over afterwards.
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05
Approvals
The approvals a property needs vary by municipality and by lot. They are worth confirming before the design depends on them.
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06
Timing
When you hope to move in, and the order in which decisions need to be made to get there.
04 / IN FOCUSCUSTOM HOMES
Building on the water
A waterfront lot is different from a lot in town. The home has to work with the view, the grade down to the shoreline and the way you will use the property, whether it is a full-time home or a cottage the family comes back to every season.
That is why the property comes first. The waterfront homes that work best are usually the ones where the site was understood before the floor plan was settled, and where the construction plan accounts for how materials and crews reach the lot.
- The property: the grade, the ground conditions and the shoreline
- The home: rooms and windows placed for the view and the light
- How you use it: year-round living or seasonal visits, guests, and storage for life on the water
- Planning: the approvals for your lot, confirmed early
- Construction: access for equipment and deliveries in each season
Waterfront properties may come with their own approvals and requirements. These vary by municipality and by property. See Waterfront Homes, Custom Cottages and Boathouses.
05 / PROCESSCUSTOM HOMES
How a custom home project works
Custom homes most often go off track in the gap between the drawings and the build: plans that cost more than expected, details nobody resolved, and decisions made in a hurry on site. We work to close that gap by getting involved before construction starts.
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Discover
Tell us about the property, what you want to build and roughly when. Tell us about your project. It takes a minute.
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Plan
We look at the lot, your goals, any plans you already have and the budget range you are working within, and turn your ideas into a clear scope.
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Design
Plans are developed or refined alongside your designer and other specialists, so design and construction questions are answered together, then priced and scheduled.
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Build
Our project team, carpenters and trusted trades build the home. You are kept informed at every stage: what happened on site, what comes next and who to ask.
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Complete
Final details, a walkthrough together, and the handover of your finished home.
Already have plans? We can review them with you and price the build.
06 / SERVICE AREASCUSTOM HOMES
Where we build custom homes
Not sure whether your property is in our area? Tell us about your project and we will let you know.
Durham Region
Our head office is in Oshawa, and we build custom homes across Durham Region, on town lots and rural properties.
Kawartha Lakes
To the north, we build homes and cottages across Kawartha Lakes, in town and on the water.
07 / WHY HENLEYCUSTOM HOMES
Why owners build with Henley
Property-first thinking
We start with the lot. Its access, services and constraints shape the design, not the other way around.
Clear project planning
Scope, budget and schedule are defined before construction begins, so the build runs on decisions already made.
A custom approach
Every home is planned for one owner and one site. Nothing comes from a catalogue.
Construction coordination
Our project team, carpenters and trusted trades work together through the whole build, with clear updates from start to finish.
Regional experience
A family-run, local builder with our head office in Oshawa, building in town and on the water across Durham Region and Kawartha Lakes.
RELATED PROJECTSCUSTOM HOMES
Selected projects
Kawartha Lakes
Kawartha Lakes
QUESTIONSCUSTOM HOMES
Frequently asked questions
Can't find your answer? Tell us about your project and ask us directly.
What is involved in building a custom home?
A custom home moves through a few stages: understanding the property and your goals, developing or refining the plans, defining the scope, pricing and scheduling the work, construction, and a final walkthrough and handover. The early stages matter most, because the decisions made there set the budget and how smoothly the build goes.
Does Henley build waterfront custom homes and cottages?
Yes. We build waterfront homes and cottages, and boathouses at the water's edge. A waterfront lot shapes both the design and the construction plan, so it helps to involve us early.
What areas does Henley build custom homes in?
Durham Region, where our head office in Oshawa is, and Kawartha Lakes, including waterfront properties. If you are not sure whether your property is in our area, tell us where it is through Start Your Project.
When should I contact a builder about a custom home?
As early as you can, ideally while plans are still taking shape. A builder can flag cost, site and construction questions before decisions are locked in. If your plans are already complete, we can review them with you and price the build.
Can Henley help with planning and design coordination?
Yes. Our Design-Build & Planning service helps you work through scope, priorities and budget before construction, and we work alongside your designer and other specialists so questions are resolved before they reach the site.
Can you price plans I already have?
Yes. If your plans are complete, we can review them with you and price the build. Reviewing them together is also a chance to catch details that would be costly to change once construction starts.
What should I have ready before starting a custom home project?
It helps to know the property address or location, what you want to build, your rough timing and the investment range you have in mind. Plans, surveys or sketches are useful if you have them, but you do not need them to start the conversation.
YOUR NEXT CHAPTER STARTS HERE
Tell us about your project.
A few details is all we need. Sarah from our office will text you shortly from (905) 576-9714.
