Mountain Crest Builders specializes in luxury custom homes and high-end remodels designed for the Montana lifestyle.
Serving homeowners across the Bitterroot Valley, we know the nuances of mountain construction and we know how to maximize our clients’ enjoyment of the indoor and outdoor opportunities to relax and play.

Here are a few of our guiding principles for your consideration:

This by no means is this meant to sound arrogant, ungrateful or unwilling to work with a potential client. Mountain Crest Builders is intentionally selective, taking on only a handful of projects in the Bitterroot Valley each year. The result? Homes that reflect the lifestyle and taste of their owner – crafted to perform in Montana (with +90 degree summers and -40 degree winters) and built to stand the test of time.

In the Bitterroot Valley, a true luxury build isn’t rushed. Most or our custom homes take 12 – 24 months – not because of inefficiency, but because weather, supply chain, and craftsmanship demand respect.

We have spent decades to fine-tune our processes so we can build the highest quality homes. Our process wouldn’t be complete without our team and subcontractors. We are proud to work with the best subcontractors in the area and together we will ensure your project gets the attention it deserves and deliver the highest quality possible.

To be as transparent as possible and explain how we approach our projects; our system is based on a design-build/cost-plus model. We want the prospects/clients to understand this up front and they are comfortable with this structure. Many people prefer to put a project out to bid - lowest bidder wins. Why is this important to note? We want to start by admitting that while we do our best to vet customers prior to heavy engagement, we still at times get duped. In an effort to minimize the efforts (time and money) associated with project engagement, this is an upfront qualifier, where we can agree it makes sense to move forward or not. In our experience, the structure of our company affords us a process, product, and level of execution that other contractors either cannot hit or do not have the patience to hit.

Successful projects begin long before a custom home builder or architect is consulted - it begins with by embracing the following Principles For A Successful Custom Home Building Project.

Define your WHY?
- Think hard, consult your partner, take your time; but whatever you do, you need to be clear about your WHY? Sort thru all the options and decide on the 3 to 5 most important reasons you are going to do this project. This is a very important step, remembering the overall reasons you decide to build a custom home will clarify and simplify tough choices when they need to be made.
Process Makes Perfect.
- We use a process to optimize the planning, designing, pricing and the building phases. A mindset that trusts and willingly follows the process will have a much more enjoyable experience. If your goal is to show the builder you are smarter than them with no or limited experience in building a custom home - please buy an existing home and save everyone involved.
Cheap is not cheaper.
- You've made the decision to build a new home because it is better, not because it is cheaper than your other options. In fact, the best custom home builders use materials and subcontractors that are usually more costly than other available options. "Buy the best, and you only cry once". A mindset that understands that the best long term result almost never comes from the lowest price is critical to a successful project.
Be an engaged partner.
- Custom home building is not for everyone. It is imperative you be engaged during the entire design and build process. If all you want is a transactional relationship - you write a check and you only trust what you can see and understand - you'd be better off purchasing a spec home and repainting walls. A good relationship requires you to trust your custom home builder team - 100% of the time.
Make decisions promptly.
- "Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good", "Decision fatigue". These are just a few phrases, wherein humans become overwhelmed with a plethora of decisions, and end up making none. When this happens, you realize you don't know enough to make a decision, so you engage Google, ChatGPT, Perplexity to research your decision. All the while learning more, but rarely enough to be confident in your decision. Find a custom home builder who shares your worldview, interests and concerns; then trust your builders experience.
Compromise
- I tell all our clients; we are a General Contractor, not a Marriage Counselor. Building a home when you are married is a team effort. Building a custom home involves making many decisions that require you and your partner to compromise. One partner must take the role of primary decision maker, but that does not mean the other takes a back a seat.