New Construction · Builder Review
An honest, insider look at price, quality, and where Frankel Building Group builds across Houston — on their lot and yours.
Frankel Building Group is one of the longest-running fully custom builders in Houston, founded by Jim Frankel in 1988 as Jim Frankel Custom Homes. His sons Scott and Kevin joined in 2005, and the family-run firm, operating today under the Frankel Design Build name, still builds roughly three to a dozen homes a year with the same design-build model. What sets them apart from most other custom builders on this list: Frankel is the only custom home builder in Houston that provides every service in-house, architecture, construction, interior design, custom pools, green design, and even home care and warranty, rather than farming pieces out to subcontractors and separate design firms.
The reputation backs it up: a 4.9-star rating on Houzz, decades of GHBA involvement (Jim Frankel served as GHBA president in 2001 and remains a Life Director), and a specific claim worth verifying yourself but remarkable if true, that no Frankel-built home in Houston's flood plain has ever flooded, a commitment they trace to flood-sensitive design practices adopted well before it became standard in the industry.
Frankel homes typically run from around $800,000 to $2 million, with pricing in their own developments landing around $170 per square foot for two-story homes and $220 for one-story homes, land included. As with any fully custom builder, that range is a starting reference, not a quote, since final pricing depends heavily on lot, plan complexity, and finish selections.
The specific thing worth asking about directly, given their all-in-house model: how the design-build structure actually affects your timeline and change-order process compared to a builder who coordinates outside architects and designers. An in-house team can mean fewer handoffs and faster decisions, but it's worth confirming how design changes get priced and approved before you're deep into the process, the same way you'd ask any full-custom builder.
Is Frankel Building Group a good builder in Houston?
Yes — a family-owned, fully custom luxury builder since 1988 with a 4.9-star Houzz rating, the distinction of being Houston's only custom builder making every home LEED-certified at no extra cost, and a former GHBA president (founder Jim Frankel) at the helm. They're also the only Houston custom builder offering architecture, construction, interior design, pools, and warranty entirely in-house.
How much do Frankel Building Group homes cost in Houston?
Homes typically range from about $800,000 to $2 million, with pricing in owned developments running roughly $170 to $220 per square foot, land included. Full-custom pricing depends heavily on lot and finish selections.
Does Frankel Building Group build on your own lot?
Yes — build-on-your-lot has long been core to their business, especially in established inner-Loop neighborhoods like Bellaire, Memorial Villages, Tanglewood, and West University. Their build-on-your-lot program expanded further after Hurricane Harvey to serve flood-recovery rebuilds in areas like Meyerland.
Where does Frankel Building Group build in Houston?
They build on your lot throughout Bellaire, Bunker Hill Village, Hunters Creek Village, Memorial Villages, Tanglewood, and West University, plus their own developments in The Woodlands, including ParkGate Reserve and The Woodlands Reserve, and were among the earliest builders in Cinco Ranch.
This review reflects a working REALTOR®'s observations across the Houston new-construction market and is not paid, sponsored, or endorsed by Frankel Building Group. It isn't a ranking or a guarantee — build quality can vary by project, superintendent, and timing even within the same builder. If you want the fuller, unfiltered version of what I've seen, ask me directly.
I work new construction daily and can walk you through how Frankel Building Group stacks up against the other builders active in your target community — before you sign anything.
Talk to Fay