Custom Home Building in Iowa City, North Liberty & Coralville, Iowa
Ground-up custom homes and multi-unit townhome developments across the Iowa City corridor — built directly by Kevin Hochstedler, from your first walkthrough to your final walkthrough.
45+
Years Building Custom Homes
One Builder, Every Step of Your Custom Home
Kevin Hochstedler has built custom homes across Johnson County for 45 years — from single-family houses on individual lots to larger projects like our 20-unit townhome development in Tiffin. Every custom build starts the same way regardless of size: a direct conversation about your lot, your budget, and your plan, with a team that stays in place from groundbreaking to final walkthrough.
What that means for you:
you’re working with the person actually building the house, not a sales rep who hands your project to a rotating production crew once the contract is signed.
What’s Included in Custom Home Building
Every custom home runs through one team, from lot to move-in — not a chain of subcontractors billing separately for each phase.
Single-Family Custom Homes
Ground-up homes built to your plan on your lot, sized and priced around how you actually want to live — not a spec floor plan with your name on it.
Multi-Unit Townhome Developments
Site planning, permitting, and construction for multi-unit projects like our 20-unit townhome development in Tiffin, built for buyers or investors who need more than a single home.
Lot Selection & Land Feasibility
Don't have a lot yet? We'll help you evaluate options for buildable land, frost-line depth, drainage, and setbacks before you commit to a purchase.
Design & Budget Planning
A realistic, itemized budget built before design work begins, so the plan you fall in love with is one we can actually build for the number we quoted.
Where We Build Custom Homes
Most of our custom home projects are in the Iowa City, North Liberty, and Coralville corridor, with select projects further out in Tiffin, Kalona, and Muscatine.
Iowa City, Iowa
Home base for most of our ground-up custom home projects, including builds near the University of Iowa Community School District boundaries.
Coralville, Iowa
Custom home projects along the Iowa River corridor, from single lots to larger multi-unit developments.
North Liberty, Iowa
One of our most active areas for new custom construction, including work in the Arlington Ridge subdivision and our 20-unit townhome project just outside town in Tiffin.
Every Custom Home Starts With a Foundation Built for Iowa
A custom home is only as good as what’s under it. Johnson County’s clay-heavy soil and winter freeze-thaw cycles don’t forgive a foundation built to a national average.
Every custom home we build meets Johnson County’s 42-inch frost line requirement with a minimum 12-inch footing width — spread footing, trench footing, or floating slab, whichever fits your lot. That’s built into your original estimate, not added later as a change order.
After 45 Iowa winters, we plan footings, drainage, and concrete pour schedules around what actually happens to ground in Johnson County — not what happens to it in Texas or Georgia.
After 45 Iowa winters, we plan footings, drainage, and concrete pour schedules around what actually happens to ground in Johnson County — not what happens to it in Texas or Georgia.
How Your Custom Home Comes Together
01
Lot Walkthrough & Budget
We start on your lot, talk through what you want to build, and give you a realistic number before any design work begins.
02
Design & Permitting
We finalize your home’s plans, pull the required Johnson County or municipal permits, and lock in a construction schedule.
03
Construction
Kevin is on-site through the build — coordinating trades, managing materials, and keeping you updated directly instead of through a call center.
04
Final Walkthrough & Warranty
We walk your finished home together, handle anything on the punch list, and stand behind the work after you get the keys.
Recent Custom Homes in North Liberty & Iowa City
A few recent custom builds show the range of what we take on, from single-family homes to our 20-unit Tiffin development:
Why Homeowners Choose Us to Build Custom
When you build custom with Hochstedler Building and Development, you’re not routed through a sales office or handed off to a production manager you’ve never met. Kevin is the person who walks your lot, prices your plan, and is still on-site the week you get your keys — the same as he’s been doing across Johnson County for 45 years. Most of our custom home clients come from realtor referrals and repeat business, not advertising.
Questions About Custom Home Building in Iowa City & North Liberty
How long does it take to build a custom home in Iowa City?
Timeline depends on the size of the home, how customized the design is, and Johnson County permitting. We’ll give you a project-specific schedule during your initial walkthrough instead of a generic estimate.
Do I need to already own a lot to start?
No. If you already have a lot, we’ll start there. If you don’t, we’ll help you evaluate options for buildable land in the Iowa City, North Liberty, or Coralville area before you commit to a purchase.
What's the difference between a custom home and a production or spec home?
A custom home is designed and priced around your lot, your plan, and how you want to live in it. A production or spec home is built from a standardized plan the builder controls, often on a lot you don’t choose. We only build custom.
Can you build more than a single-family home, like a townhome development?
Yes. In addition to single-family custom homes, we take on multi-unit projects — including our 20-unit townhome development in Tiffin — from site planning through completion.
What's a realistic budget for a custom home in this area?
It varies widely based on your lot, size, and finish level. We build a realistic, itemized number with you during your initial walkthrough, before any design work begins, so the plan matches what you can actually build.
How far will you build outside Iowa City?
Most custom home projects stay within the Iowa City, North Liberty, and Coralville corridor, but we’ve built as far out as Tiffin, Kalona, and Muscatine for the right project.
Building Custom Homes Across Johnson County
Beyond Iowa City, North Liberty, and Coralville, we build custom homes in Tiffin and Kalona, and we’re happy to talk through anything nearby that isn’t listed here.
Iowa City
ground-up custom homes near the University of Iowa Community School District
North Liberty
one of our most active custom-build areas, including Arlington Ridge
Coralville
custom homes along the Iowa River corridor
Tiffin
site of our 20-unit custom townhome development
Kalona
custom builds by request
Start Your Custom Home
Tell us about your lot, your budget, and what you want to build, and we’ll follow up to schedule a walkthrough.
What Our Custom Home Clients Say
We’re actively collecting reviews from past custom home clients. Real client quotes will populate this section as they come in through our review campaign — do not fabricate placeholder testimonials.
