Russell Eppright Custom Homes
Homegrown Values Meet Customized Luxury
by Aliya Hassan
Russell Eppright Custom Homes has been focusing on customer driven design and custom home construction since its foundation in 1996, establishing itself as one of the finest custom homebuilding teams in the greater Austin area. Continually striving to be a leader in the industry, Russell Eppright Homes was ranked as the number one custom residential builder by The Austin Business Journal for four years in a row.
CEO Russell Eppright is the backbone of the company. An Austin native with 23 years of experience under his belt, Eppright's passion for building stems from years of working as a plumber and carpenter on construction sites throughout high school and college. He later earned a degree in building construction from Texas A&M, and joined Russell Parker Homes in 1991. Eventually, Eppright bought out the company's assets and founded Russell Eppright Custom Homes in 1996 to fulfill his dream of producing high quality custom homes.
Determined to raise the bar on customer satisfaction and quality products, Eppright seeks unique home sites in attractive locations that offer buyers a wide selection among the finest neighborhoods in Texas. Building 20 to 25 custom homes each year, Eppright's homes offer pristine landscapes that maximize privacy and create breathtaking vistas.
"When we build a home, we employ an innovative approach to doing business, and teamwork is the basis of our philosophy," says Eppright. "From the moment a buyer purchases a lot, to the move-in date and beyond, they are supported by, and become a member of, our experienced and talented team. This is the spirit of a true custom homebuilder."
Custom Appeal
From the very beginning, Eppright's goal has been to find groundbreaking ways to maximize the homebuyer's investment in their new home. By consistently working with subcontractors to increase quality and efficiency and focusing on designs that are both exciting and practical to build, value is created in every price range of home.
In continued efforts to make customer satisfaction a priority, Russell Eppright Custom Homes features a budget-based design program intended to ensure homebuyers that their budgets will not be overrun by costly amenities or design changes. Although Russell Eppright Custom Homes designs a large majority of the homes, the team also remains open to working with outside architects of a customer's choosing. The client's unique specifications will not be discounted.
"We have the ability to translate our customers' needs into a design for just the home they have been dreaming about in an individual, personalized and unique manner," says Eppright. "No corner is cut, no detail overlooked and no compromise made in ensuring quality and craftsmanship for each home."
With 13 employees orchestrating a seamless process of communication at the start of construction, the Eppright Custom Homes team makes it a point to supervise the daily scheduling and the quality of the home. "I constantly stress that the customer is our business," explains Eppright. "That's why we limit the number of homes each construction manager is responsible for and we take more time to create a successful relationship with our homeowners."
These original creations exemplify pure luxury, full of well-executed details and lavish interior and exterior features for formal elegance or casual sophistication. Building homes priced from $700,000 to over $2 million, Russell Eppright Custom Homes offers features such as gourmet kitchens with the latest appliances and finest cabinetry; poolscapes with zero-edged pools and fire pits; and outdoor living spaces with disappearing, sliding glass pocket doors and open-air kitchens.
The company's newest gated development, The Woods of Greenshores, is perched on top a hill with 14 large, wooded home sites providing easy access to Lake Austin and downtown. Appropriately named the "Master Retreats," the luxurious suites have an abundance of natural and indirect lighting, elegant stone columns, raised ceilings, sitting rooms, exercise suites, private study retreats and warm fireplaces. Homeowners at The Woods of Greenshores also have the option of making their master baths equally as luxurious with sunken whirlpool tubs, walk-through showers and tower ceilings.
Choosing between the number of options may seem overwhelming to buyers but Russell Eppright Custom Homes guides them through the process of creating such lavish spaces. "We will work with homebuyers to craft a master retreat meeting daily needs while creating a masterpiece of design," says Eppright. "Our systems and personnel are state of the art."
Plans for Success
The trying times in the housing industry have not been lost on Russell Eppright Custom Homes as the biggest challenge the company often faces is expanding its base of subcontractors while keeping its high standards of quality. For Eppright, it's a balancing act between high quality workmanship and competitive pricing.
"Probably the hardest part of growing is expanding our core group of subcontractors, especially in the current tight labor market conditions that exist in Austin," says Eppright. "We'll wait a week for a framer to avoid using someone we don't know. That's why we're not the fastest builders in town. We don't build homes in four months-we can't do that and maintain the quality we expect and demand of ourselves."
Looking to the future, Eppright plans to seek land acquisitions throughout Austin in that are in the development approval process and embark on the company's first resort venture in communities throughout Rockport. Keeping innovative amenities and comfortable features at the top of the list, Russell Eppright Custom Homes provides homebuyers the occasion to be imaginative, artistic and inspired in creating their ultimate dream homes.
Builder Facts
Corporate office: Austin, Texas
Founded: 1996
Price Range: $750,000 to over $2 million
Homes per year: 20 to 25 homes per year
Floor plans: Over 100 floor plans ranging from 2,500 to 9,308 square feet
What home buyers should know? Russell Eppright Custom Homes considers customer satisfaction as its greatest quality and its business foundation.
What should trade contractors know? Russell Eppright Custom Homes maintains a tightly knit group of subcontractors and doesn't compromise under time constraints.
