Custom Homes
Design-build custom homes on Whidbey Island, from the raw lot through design, site work and construction, with the same design-builder in every phase.
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Oak Harbor sits at the north end of Whidbey Island, next to Ault Field. Naval Air Station Whidbey Island flies out of that airfield. City code puts an aviation environs overlay on the land around it. Inside that overlay a new home needs a 25 or 30 decibel noise level reduction.
Culver Built is a design-build custom home builder based in Langley, at the south end of the same island. We build custom homes on Whidbey Island and we run design and construction under one contractor. We also remodel Oak Harbor homes and build the decks, siding, roofing, concrete and site work around them. Call or text (360) 544-9027 for a free estimate.
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Oak Harbor lots fall into a few types. In-town lots sit on city water and sewer, and the city buys that water from Anacortes off the Skagit River. View lots look over Crescent Harbor, Penn Cove or the water off West Beach. Out toward Swantown, Clover Valley and Dugualla Bay you get wooded acreage on a well and a septic system.
Inside city limits the city's Building Division reviews, issues and inspects the permit. Oak Harbor has adopted the International Residential Code with the Washington State amendments and the state energy code. Applications go through the city's online permitting platform. Outside city limits, Island County Planning and Community Development in Coupeville handles the permit instead.
We design the home, price it and build it, so one contractor answers for the whole job. Our estimating study prices a full materials list with local vendors, then labor and work orders. You see a clear bottom line before the dirt moves. The company has more than 30 years of building experience and is licensed, bonded and insured.
Census figures put the typical Oak Harbor home at about 1990. Roughly a third of the city's homes went up before 1980. Those houses were built for a different way of living. Kitchens are closed off, baths are small, and the exterior has taken thirty or forty island winters.
We handle remodeling an older Oak Harbor home from the drawings through the finish work. That starts with as-built drawings of the house, so the redesign matches what is actually there. Once the walls are open we find and fix structural, weather and moisture problems. Then the new layout goes up on a sound frame.
Additions near Ault Field carry the noise rules too. City code applies its noise standards to the part being added, to the extent the building official finds practical. We plan the window, door and ventilation package around that when we draw the addition. The city confirms it at plan review.
Oak Harbor sits in the Olympic rain shadow, and the weather record shows it. The station at Ault Field averages about 20 inches of rain a year. Seattle-Tacoma Airport averages about 39 inches. November is the wettest month up here at about three inches.
Drier still means wet from October through January, and the water has to go somewhere. Under the topsoil much of the island is dense glacial till, so water travels sideways. That is why clearing, grading and drainage comes first on most lots. We run our own excavators, dump trucks and a skid steer for that work.
Wind matters as much as rain here. Island County's design criteria list a basic wind speed of 97 miles per hour for the island. Topographic wind speed-up effects are marked yes, so confirm the values for your lot with the city. We detail the roof, the flashing and the siding for that exposure.
Salt air and wet winters are hard on the outside of a house. We build a custom deck in wood or composite, and we like ironwood decking for how it holds up. Cable railing keeps the view open on lots above Crescent Harbor or West Beach. Covered decks buy you the shoulder seasons.
We install cedar shingle, fiber cement and composite siding on Oak Harbor homes. The house wrap and flashing get detailed for the wet side of the state. One recent job took a stucco house to cedar shingle siding, a new roof and a new deck. On roofs we assess ventilation, insulation and rot before calling it repair or replacement.
Outside the house we pour stamped and colored concrete patios, walkways and driveways. We also build paver patios, steps and garden walls. One customer came to us with only a vague idea of the outdoor space she wanted, and we built it. Our Google rating is 5.0 from seven reviews.
Communities and areas we serve around Oak Harbor: Crescent Harbor, Scenic Heights, Swantown, Dugualla Bay, Strawberry Point, Polnell Point, Rocky Point, Clover Valley, Silver Lake, San de Fuca, West Beach, Ault Field.
Oak Harbor ZIP codes served: 98277, 98278.
Free estimates throughout Island County and the surrounding area.
(360) 544-9027 Design-build custom homes on Whidbey Island, from the raw lot through design, site work and construction, with the same design-builder in every phase.
Learn More
We remodel Whidbey Island homes, from one room to the whole house. Kitchens, bathrooms, additions and exterior remodels, all under one contractor.
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Culver Built is a design-build contractor based in Langley on South Whidbey Island. We carry a custom home or a remodel from concept through design, estimating and construction.
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We design and build custom wood and composite decks across Whidbey Island. Ironwood decking and cable railing on view decks, built for a wet marine climate.
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Concrete patios, walkways and driveways on Whidbey Island, including stamped and colored concrete. We handle the base and the drainage under the slab with our own equipment.
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We build paver patios, walkways, steps and the outdoor living areas that tie them to the house. Every one gets the excavation, base and drainage that Whidbey Island ground needs.
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Cedar shingle, fiber cement and composite siding on Whidbey Island homes. We handle the house wrap, the flashing and the rot we find under the old wall.
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We look at the whole roof before we price the work. Metal roofing and asphalt shingle roofs on Whidbey Island homes.
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We clear, excavate, grade and drain the building site before the foundation goes in. Driveways, building pads, utility trenching and demolition are part of the same phase.
Learn MoreReal reviews from real island projects on Google.
Jeff and his team were incredible to work with, and I cannot recommend them highly enough! I approached Jeff with only a vague idea of what I wanted, and together we worked to create an outdoor space that was a thousand times better than anything I could have imagined on my own. He’s got a great eye and sense for space, and I really appreciated his passion for, and collaborative approach to our project. The guys he employs are kind, respectful and talented. I’ve done a number of projects with crews before, and I was so impressed with both the quality of work and professionalism across the entire team. We’re already freaking up future projects, and I genuinely am looking forward to working with Culver Builds again and again!
I highly recommend Jeff Culver and his team. They replaced my roof, demolished an outbuilding, and helped me with a foundation and siding project. Jeff was up-front about cost and communicative as the project went on. I will use Culver again for future projects.
We purchased our dream home on the west side of Whidbey Island above the Puget Sound with 180-degree views of the water and the Olympic Mtns. While we knew the driveway would need to be redone eventually, we soon learned that proper drainage to protect the house and garage had never been installed when the house was originally built. Jeff and his team resolved all of our issues. In front of our garages, Jeff installed proper French drains, a catch basin, and sump pump that pumps the water away. At the same time, Jeff installed proper drainage around the house. Our driveway was a packed dirt path with virtually no stone base. Jeff initially properly graded the driveway before first add a stone base, then a finishing base. After compacting the stone material, our driveway is almost as hard as concrete or asphalt and is 2-3 feet wider and more accessible. While Jeff was working near the garage with his excavator, he accidentally hit the gutter. Jeff immediately told me what happened and within 48 hours, Jeff had an outside gutter company come in and replaced the entire gutter. I appreciated his upfront honesty. As to communication, Jeff could not have been better. I found him through a Google search. He returned my original call within 2 hours. On Whidbey Island you are lucky to even have a contractor return any call. Jeff came out the same day to scope out the work and started the job within 10 days in my case. He and has team where there each day continuing to make progress. Needless to say, I give Jeff a 5-star review and when the next project comes up, I will certainly be reaching out to Culver Construction. Think this review isn’t legit, think again. I’m a small business owner with 50 employees, worked with countless vendors and customers. I know what good service looks like and when it isn’t.
We recommend Jeff Culver because he is reliable, hard- working, and creative. So we thought a simple driveway was a piece of cake, NOT! Jeff had solutions, great design concepts (that we never thought of...), and he LISTENED to us! His creativity and personal attention made this a win-win for us. We are very pleased with the final result. It has improved the appearance & value of our property. Yes! We recommend Culver Construction!
Met or exceeded expectations in all aspects. Communication, follow up and job execution were all top notch. Highly recommended!!
What started as a small demolition project turned into something much more complicated. Jeff and team not only handled the demolition, but they also helped solve a myriad of other problems, including figuring out how to handle a significant amount of water that had pooled under the dilapidated structure as well as hillside water runoff (which was done via a curtain drain and other features added to the property). They were respectful of our neighbors, taking care to minimize the impact of their heavy machinery to surrounding easements and property. Overall, we’re very pleased with the outcome and are looking forward to new uses for the cleared and restored property.
Jeff is super knowledgeable through all phases of construction and great to work with. Looking forward to our next project!
A few of the questions we hear most around Oak Harbor. If yours is not here, call or text and ask.
Tell us about the lot or the house and what you want to build. You can also call or text (360) 544-9027 to set up a free estimate.
Tell us about the job. We will get right back to you.