We love to work with clients who want to enjoy the process of building their dream home and value the relationships we'll build through the process.

Choosing a contractor is not just a business relationship. Our team will become part of your weekly rhythms and will be in regular contact with you about progress and important decisions along the way.

You want to choose a contractor you can trust with a kind, helpful team to walk you through every step.

At Holehouse Construction, we're dedicated to making sure your building experience is pleasant and transparent so you know where you stand every step of the way.

Trust is best the foundation to launch your project and we have a decades long reputation for quality work and good people.

If this sounds like what you're looking for, give us a call or fill out the contact form on our website to get started!

Contact Us

John Holehouse started the company in 1983 after working for several years as a fine carpenter and eventually getting his general contractor’s license.

Since then, he has built a reputation in Santa Barbara and Montecito as one of the top general contractors thanks to his dedication to quality and excellence both in the project he produces and the relationships he has built with clients and professionals in the area.

Shane and Emily Holehouse joined the crew in 2018 to take the company into the next generation.

Their combined expertise and focus on customer relationships is why the majority of our business comes from client referrals and repeat business.

Yes. We are licensed (CSLB License #645496), bonded, and insured.

It is critical you work with a licensed and reputable contractor. With the recent building boom, there are many new builders in the community that don’t have the experience and longevity to provide the first class customer experience we offer. We have had clients left in the lurch in these situations and we don’t want you to be in the same boat!

Step 1: Snapshot Cost Estimate

We can provide very rough numbers for an initial cost estimate to give you an idea if we are the right fit to move forward with a more detailed plan to complete the project.

Step 2: Receive Plans and Preliminary Cost Estimate

After our initial conversation, we can get a set of plans and create a comprehensive budget for the project.

Step 3: Schedule Estimate

We then take all the cost estimates and plug them into an initial schedule to estimate the time to complete.

Step 4: Client Review and Sign Contract

We provide you with the cost and schedule estimates to review. After feedback from you, if we can come to an agreement we will draft up a contract for you to review and sign to lock in your spot in our production lineup.

Step 5: Collaboration and Communication

Once we break ground, we will be in regular communication with you on progress and decisions needed to keep your project moving. You will have a dedicated team of building professionals available for any questions you may have along the way.

Step 6: Project Completion

In the end, you will be ready to move into your new home! Our team will conduct a final walkthrough with you on the property to address any final questions or concerns you may have before we close the project out on our end. Congratulations on your beautiful new home!

We typically prefer to get connected as soon as possible in the building process, but can work with you no matter what phase you’re in.

For custom homes, many clients start with an architect. We highly recommend finding a contractor you trust and work well with as early in the process as possible because we can work with your architect to keep budget and timeline realistic.

We also have clients who wait until they have plans and permits in hand before we connect.

With demand high in construction right now, the sooner you can get on the radar with your preferred builder the better to ensure you don’t get stuck waiting in line for your spot to start construction.

We are a boutique custom home builder. Our typical projects include ground up custom homes in the 5000+ sqft range, high end remodels, and ADUs.

We offer estate management to our clients who prefer to retain our services on a regular basis for home maintenance.

We also take on a limited number of small projects depending on availability and scope.

A professional services agreement is when you pay for our team to do all the necessary planning, budgeting, and scheduling prior to signing a construction contract to ensure more accurate numbers and a more streamlined building experience.

A PSA allows our team to invest time and resources into all of the necessary planning and prep required prior to breaking ground on your project.

Without proper planning and proactive decision making, you will very likely experience unexpected change orders that push you way over your budget and/or significant schedule delays.

Without a PSA, you set yourself up for frustration and disappointment because any budget you received without proper planning and investigation cannot be accurate. You don’t want to sign a construction contract without all necessary planning completed first.

Ultimately, we utilize the PSA to protect our clients and make building a home much more enjoyable. Your investment into a PSA is the first step to a streamlined, predictable building experience.

It is the process of modifying the contract price, schedule, or scope of work.

Change orders can occur for a variety of reasons, but the main culprits are often:

• Client changes the vision, goal, or scope of the project

• The design evolves

• Coordination mishaps between various disciplines occur

• Contractor’s misinterpretation of the design requirements or documents

• Unforeseen site conditions

Client-initiated change orders to the project are the most common, but also the easiest to anticipate.

Our solution to limiting change orders is the implementation of a Professional Services Agreement. This process provides us with a greater understanding of your project and gets all project partners aligned on what the project goals are. Involving us early on in the project will eliminate unknowns, supporting the development of clear, accurate, and complete design documents and budget prior to the start of construction. Successfully managing the schedule and budget for your project begins with completely understanding your goals, priorities, and objectives as well as the scope of work.

We believe in collaborating early on in the project with your design team - ensuring that the design aligns with constructibility and budget - preventing future delays or costly redesigns. It is through a true commitment to teamwork and collaboration that we are able to consistently delivery value at every stage of a project even prior to the design phase - defining values and outcomes, setting goals, and making decisions that ar in the best interest of your project.