Design-buildBentonville, ArkansasSince 2009
Whitlock Builders is a nine-person design-build firm in Bentonville. We design and build new homes, additions, kitchens, whole-house remodels and more.
01 Selected homes
Every home here was designed with its owners and built by our crew. Pick one to see it.
No. 01 / 08
Cave Springs
Board-and-batten siding, a standing-seam porch roof and white-oak floors throughout. Designed with the owners over ten weeks.
No. 02 / 08
Bentonville
Two walls came out, the kitchen moved to the back of the house, and the original oak floors stayed.
No. 03 / 08
Rogers
A steep lot, so the lower level walks out to the yard behind a stone retaining wall.
No. 04 / 08
Garfield, Beaver Lake
The owners live in Dallas. We built it with weekly video walk-throughs and two visits to the site.
No. 05 / 08
Fayetteville
A primary suite and a screened porch added to a 1990s house while the owners lived in it.
No. 06 / 08
Bella Vista
Walls opened to the fairway, new windows, and the original 1979 beams kept and exposed.
No. 07 / 08
Centerton
Four bedrooms, a mudroom off the garage and a shop building out back.
No. 08 / 08
Grove, Okla.
A small cabin under the oaks with a deck that steps down to the yard.
| No. | Home | Town | Size | Built in | Year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Cave Springs | 3,420 sq ft | 11 months | 2026 | ||
| 02 | Bentonville | 2,180 sq ft | 6 months | 2025 | ||
| 03 | Rogers | 4,850 sq ft | 14 months | 2025 | ||
| 04 | Garfield, Beaver Lake | 3,100 sq ft | 12 months | 2024 | ||
| 05 | Fayetteville | 640 sq ft added | 5 months | 2025 | ||
| 06 | Bella Vista | 2,900 sq ft | 7 months | 2024 | ||
| 07 | Centerton | 2,960 sq ft | 10 months | 2024 | ||
| 08 | Grove, Okla. | 1,850 sq ft | 9 months | 2023 |
Planning something like one of these? Start a project
02 What we build
Claire and Tom design it with you, and the same crew builds it. Most of our work is one of these five.
On your lot, from our design or your architect’s plans. Most are 2,400 to 6,000 sq ft.
Older homes opened up, rewired, replumbed and refinished.
Primary suites, second stories and garages with rooms above, built to match the house.
Full redos with new layouts, cabinets and tile, on their own or as part of a remodel.
Screened porches, covered patios and outdoor kitchens that look like they were always there.
Not a fit We don’t build commercial buildings or spec homes, and we don’t take small repairs. We’re glad to pass along a name for those.
03 Budget guide
Most of our new homes land in one of three finish levels. These are construction costs per heated square foot in Northwest Arkansas, before the lot.
Per heated square foot, construction only
Classic
$210–$260
per heated sq ft
A simpler plan and roofline, finished well.
Typical at this level
Custom
$260–$340
per heated sq ft
More design, more detail, more built-ins.
Typical at this level
Architectural
$340–$475
per heated sq ft
Complex design, big glass, premium materials.
Typical at this level
| Whole-house remodel | $150–$275 per sq ft |
|---|---|
| Addition | $275–$400 per sq ft |
| Kitchen | $65k–$140k |
| Primary bath | $40k–$90k |
| Screened porch or outdoor room | $45k–$120k |
Fixed-price contracts on new homes and most remodels.
We price your plans and every selection during design, so your contract has real numbers in it, not allowances. If you change something later, we price it in writing before we do it.
Talk through your budget2026 construction costs in Benton and Washington counties. Your number comes from your plans and selections.
04 Process
That’s for a new home. Remodels follow the same steps, in less time.
Week 1
Free, about an hour, at our office, on your lot or by video. We talk about the house, the budget and the timing, and whether we’re the right builder for it.
8–12 weeks
Claire and Tom draw the plan with you, or price your architect’s plans, and every selection gets a real number. $6,500, credited to your build.
3–5 weeks
You sign the build contract, your bank sets up the construction loan, and we pull the permits.
10–12 months
Tom walks the site every week. Every Friday you get photos and the next two weeks’ schedule. We walk the house with you at framing, drywall and trim.
Check-ins for 2 years
A final walkthrough, your keys, then visits at 60 days and 11 months to fix anything that has settled.
Shortest typical time Longest
05 The firm
Tom grew up in Bentonville and spent ten years framing and trimming houses across Benton County. He started Whitlock Builders in 2009 with one remodel downtown. Claire, an interior designer, joined in 2013 and runs design and selections.
We build about six new homes and ten remodels a year. Keeping it small means the people at your first meeting are the people building your house.
“We keep it to about six homes a year so I can be on every site, every week.”
Since 200984 custom homes150+ remodels9 people
The people
Our framing, concrete, plumbing, electrical and HVAC partners have mostly worked with us for more than ten years.
Every other spring our crew volunteers on a nonprofit home build in Benton County.
06 Clients
“Tom was on our site every week, and the Friday emails meant we never had to chase anyone for an update. We moved in two weeks before the date in our contract.”
“Claire saved us from a kitchen layout we would have regretted. She sketched three options at our table and walked us through each one.”
“We live six hours away. They built our lake house with video calls every week and two site visits, and it was done the week they said.”
“The trim work is the best I’ve seen in a new house around here. Every stair tread and window casing was cut on site.”
“We lived in the house while they added a primary suite and a screened porch. They cleaned up every single day.”
“Eleven months after we moved in, they came back and fixed two nail pops and a sticking door without us asking.”
“Our house was built in 1979. They opened it up, found the original beams were sound, and kept them.”
07 Where we build
Most of our homes are in Benton and Washington counties. We also build lake and weekend homes on Beaver Lake, and on Grand Lake in Oklahoma.
We’ll walk a lot with you before you buy it, at no charge.
A sloped lot can mean a walkout basement or retaining walls. Both change the budget.
Much of Benton County has limestone a few feet down. A basement in rock takes more time and money.
Septic needs a perc test and room for a field. Ask before you close.
Find out how far power, water and gas are from where the house will sit.
Many set a minimum size, approved materials and a list of approved builders.
08 Questions
Still deciding? Call or text Tom or Claire at (479) 555-0155, or email hello@whitlockbuilders.com.
Cost
Fixed price on new homes and most remodels. We price the plans and every selection during design, so the contract number is set before we break ground. Any change you ask for is priced in writing first.
The lot, unusual site work like rock, steep slopes or a long driveway, pools, and landscaping beyond sod and beds near the house.
Yes. The design and pricing agreement is $6,500 for a new home and $2,500 for a remodel, and it’s credited to your build contract.
Timing
About 10 to 12 months of building, after 3 to 4 months of design, pricing and permits.
We take on about six new homes a year. Design usually starts within a month of the first meeting, and we break ground 4 to 6 months later.
Lots and plans
Yes to both. We price outside plans the same way and suggest changes only where they save money or time.
We’ll walk a lot with you before you buy it and tell you what it will take to build there: slope, rock, utilities, sewer or septic, and the neighborhood’s rules. No charge.
After move-in
One year on workmanship and finishes, two years on plumbing, electrical and HVAC, and ten years on the structure. We come back at 60 days and 11 months to fix anything that has settled.
09 Start a project
The first meeting is free and takes about an hour. We reply within one business day.
At the first meeting, we
Rather talk? Call or text (479) 555-0155
or email hello@whitlockbuilders.com