Toll Brothers is the top luxury home builder in America: it builds for luxury buyers in 24 states and the District of Columbia, with an average delivered price of $960.2 thousand in fiscal 2025. Drees Homes ranks second and David Weekley Homes third.
Texas and Florida buyers who want premium included features and soaring ceilings
Pick by what you want
Best overall
Toll Brothers Luxury Homes
Most awarded family builder
Drees Homes
Best open-book custom build
Alair Homes
Best on your own land
Schumacher Homes
Best in Texas
Huntington Homes
The ranking
1
Toll Brothers Luxury Homes
Answrs VerdictThe national luxury standard.
Founded: Began doing business through predecessor entities in 1967Price: Average delivered price of $960.2 thousand in fiscal 2025Buyers: Luxury first-time, move-up, empty-nester, active-adult and second-home buyersReach: Operating in 24 states and the District of Columbia at October 31, 2025Scale: 11,292 homes delivered from 556 communities in fiscal 2025
Toll Brothers has built since 1967 for luxury first-time, move-up, empty-nester, active-adult and second-home buyers. It delivered 11,292 homes from 556 communities in fiscal 2025 at an average price of $960.2 thousand, and operates in 24 states and the District of Columbia.
Go ifBuyers who want a public-company luxury builder with design studios in most major markets
Skip ifYou want a one-of-one home drawn from a blank sheet
Why #1 over #2: It is the only builder here that sells luxury homes in 24 states and the District of Columbia, a wider reach than any other pick.
2
Drees Homes
Answrs VerdictThe most decorated family builder.
Founded: Family-owned for over 95 years; preparing for its 100th anniversary in 2028Price: Not publishedAwards: One of few builders with the “Triple Crown”: America’s Best Builder, National Builder of the Year and the National Housing Quality AwardRanking: 37th-largest home builder and 18th-largest private builder in the Builder 100Markets: Austin, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky, Cleveland, Columbus, Dallas-Ft Worth, Houston, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Nashville, Raleigh/Durham, San Antonio and Washington D.C./Virginia/Maryland
Drees Homes, family-owned for over 95 years and heading for its 100th anniversary in 2028, holds the “Triple Crown” of America’s Best Builder, National Builder of the Year and the National Housing Quality Award. Builder 100 ranks it the 37th-largest builder and 18th-largest private builder.
Go ifBuyers in the Midwest, Texas or the Southeast who want a family-owned custom builder
Skip ifYou are building on the West Coast
Why #2 over #3: Its Triple Crown of national awards tops David Weekley’s single 2013 National Builder of the Year title.
3
David Weekley Homes
Answrs VerdictThe best large private builder.
Founded: Began in 1976 in Houston, TexasPrice: Not publishedStanding: One of the largest privately held home builders in America, across 13 states and 19 marketsTrack record: More than 125,000 homes soldRecognition: Named to Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For 19 times; 2013 National Builder of the Year
David Weekley Homes began in Houston in 1976, has sold more than 125,000 homes across 13 states and 19 markets, and has been named to Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For 19 times.
Go ifMove-up buyers who want a big private builder known for its people and service
Skip ifYou want a true custom estate on your own land
Why #3 over #4: Its 13 states and 19 markets reach further than Shea’s mostly Western footprint.
4
Shea Homes (Shea Signature)
Answrs VerdictThe oldest name on the list.
Founded: Entered homebuilding in 1968; the J.F. Shea business dates to 1881Price: Not publishedLuxury line: Shea Signature communities with premium features and finishesAwards: 2026 America’s Most Trusted Active Adult Resort Builder; 2025 Builder of the Year from the San Diego Building Industry AssociationStates: Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Nevada, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia and Washington
Shea Homes entered homebuilding in 1968 from a family business that dates to 1881. Its Shea Signature communities add premium features and finishes, and it was named 2026 America’s Most Trusted Active Adult Resort Builder.
Go ifWestern and Sun Belt buyers who want premium finishes or a Trilogy resort community
Skip ifYou live in the Northeast or Midwest
Why #4 over #5: It has a dedicated premium line, Shea Signature, which Alair’s franchise network does not offer.
5
Alair Homes
Answrs VerdictThe open-book custom pick.
Founded: Founded in 2007 in British Columbia by Blair McDaniel; network launched in 2012Price: Not publishedModel: Client Control, a transparent, full-disclosure model that shows where your investment stands at every stageScale: Calls itself North America’s largest custom home building and renovation networkU.S. reach: Local builders in states including Arizona, California, Florida, Texas, Virginia and Washington, plus Washington, DC
Alair Homes, founded in 2007 in British Columbia, calls itself North America’s largest custom home building and renovation network. Its Client Control model is transparent and full-disclosure, so you see where your investment stands at every stage.
Go ifOwners who want an open-book custom build run by a local builder
Skip ifYou want one company standard in every market
Why #5 over #6: Its fully custom, open-book builds go further than Schumacher’s plan-based custom homes.
6
Schumacher Homes
Answrs VerdictThe best on-your-lot builder.
Founded: Paul Schumacher began in the early 1990s in Canton, OhioPrice: Not publishedStanding: Calls itself America’s largest fully custom home builder, with 35+ years of building and 25k+ custom homesPlans: Starts from over 70 architect-designed house plans, built on your land, typically within 75 miles of a Design StudioAwards: National Housing Quality Award; Best in American Living Award for Best One-of-a-Kind Custom Home over 6,500 sq. ft.
Schumacher Homes calls itself America’s largest fully custom home builder, with 35+ years of building and 25k+ custom homes. It starts from over 70 architect-designed plans and builds on your land, typically within 75 miles of a Design Studio.
Go ifBuyers who already own land and want a custom home on it
Skip ifYou want to buy inside a finished luxury community
Why #6 over #7: It builds on your land across many states, while Partners in Building stays in Texas and Tennessee.
7
Partners in Building
Answrs VerdictThe top custom builder in the South.
Founded: John Bily launched it in Houston, Texas, in 1986Price: Not publishedScale: Builds over 300 luxury custom homes a year in Texas and TennesseeMarkets: Dallas/Ft. Worth, Greater Houston, Brazos Valley and NashvilleAwards: Four-time Grand Award / Builder of the Year winner in the Texas Association of Builders STAR Awards
Partners in Building was launched in Houston in 1986 and builds over 300 luxury custom homes a year in Texas and Tennessee, with a fixed price before construction starts. It is a four-time Grand Award / Builder of the Year winner in the STAR Awards.
Go ifTexas and Nashville buyers who want a fixed-price luxury custom home
Skip ifYou build outside Texas or Tennessee
Why #7 over #8: Its over 300 luxury custom homes a year and STAR Awards record out-rank AR Homes’ franchise builders in Texas.
8
AR Homes
Answrs VerdictThe luxury custom franchise leader.
Founded: Art Rutenberg began homebuilding in 1953; the franchise system was created in 1978Price: Not publishedStanding: Grew to become the largest network of franchise custom homebuilders in the countryHonors: Arthur Rutenberg won the 1986 National Builder of the Year award from Professional Builder and entered the National Housing Hall of Fame in 2017States: Builders in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia
AR Homes traces to 1953, when Art Rutenberg began homebuilding in Florida; the franchise system followed in 1978 and grew into the largest network of franchise custom homebuilders in the country, with builders from Alabama and Florida to Indiana, Texas and Virginia.
Go ifSoutheast buyers who want a luxury custom home from a locally owned franchise
Skip ifYou live in the West or Northeast
Why #8 over #9: Its builders span the Southeast and Indiana, while Huntington Homes builds only in Texas.
9
Huntington Homes
Answrs VerdictThe best Texas luxury semi-custom pick.
Founded: Created by Highland Homes in 1991 for buyers who wanted more customizationPrice: Dallas-Fort Worth communities listed at $1 Mil to $1.7 MilParent: Part of Highland Homes, building luxury homes for Texans since 1985 and the largest private homebuilder in the stateOwnership: Employees own 100 percent of the companyWhere: Builds exclusively in Texas, in the Dallas and Houston markets
Huntington Homes was created by Highland Homes in 1991 for luxury buyers who wanted more customization. It builds only in Dallas and Houston, its Dallas-Fort Worth communities list at $1 Mil to $1.7 Mil, and employees own 100 percent of the company.
Go ifDallas and Houston buyers who want custom selections in a luxury community
Skip ifYou are building outside Texas
Why #9 over #10: It is built around luxury customization, which Perry Homes does not center on.
10
Perry Homes
Answrs VerdictThe Texas-and-Florida upscale pick.
Founded: Family-owned and operated since 1967Price: Not publishedStanding: One of the nation’s largest woman-owned homebuilders, with over 73,000 satisfied homeownersSatisfaction: 95% customer satisfaction rating in post-closing surveys over the last 12 monthsMarkets: Houston, Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth and San Antonio, plus Orlando, Tampa, Sarasota, Port St. Lucie and Jacksonville
Perry Homes, family-owned since 1967, is one of the nation’s largest woman-owned homebuilders, with over 73,000 satisfied homeowners and a 95% satisfaction rating in post-closing surveys. It builds across Texas and Florida.
Go ifTexas and Florida buyers who want premium included features and soaring ceilings
Skip ifYou want a fully custom design
How we ranked these
We ranked builders on how squarely each focuses on luxury or custom homes, then on national reach and independent awards. Toll Brothers’ figures come from its fiscal 2025 10-K; every other fact comes from the builder’s own website. Facts are taken from each maker's own published information; check the official site before you buy.
Questions people ask
Who is the biggest luxury home builder in America?
Toll Brothers, which builds for luxury buyers and was operating in 24 states and the District of Columbia at October 31, 2025, per its 10-K.
What does a Toll Brothers home cost?
Its average delivered price was $960.2 thousand in fiscal 2025, per its 10-K.
Which builder can put a custom home on my own land?
Schumacher Homes, which calls itself America’s largest fully custom home builder and builds typically within 75 miles of its Design Studios.
Which luxury builder has won the home building “Triple Crown”?
Drees Homes: America’s Best Builder, National Builder of the Year and the National Housing Quality Award.
Year founded or began building homes at a glance
AR Homes1,953 year
Toll Brothers1,967 year
Perry Homes1,967 year
Shea Homes1,968 year
David Weekley Homes1,976 year
Partners in Building1,986 year
Huntington Homes1,991 year
Alair Homes2,007 year
Year founded or began building homes, as published by each maker. Picks without a published figure are left off.
