Design-Build Custom Homes
Custom Home Builder in Portland, OR
New construction under one contract: design, engineering, permitting & build, from lot evaluation to final walkthrough.
Woman-led firm headed by Deb Zsarko. Licensed in Oregon and Washington, building across Portland, Vancouver, and Clark County.
A Custom Home Builder That Handles Design and Construction Together
Bare lot or teardown, Z Squared Holdings LLC builds your home from the ground up. As a design-build custom home builder in Portland, OR, we put design, engineering, permits, and construction on one team, so you're not refereeing an architect, an engineer, and a builder who've never worked together.
You work with designers, architects, and structural engineers we've built with before. Already have plans? We'll build from them and coordinate with your architect and designer directly.
Z Squared Holdings is woman-led, headed by Deb Zsarko, with construction-management experience behind every new build. On a project this size, that owner-side background is what protects your money: your budget and schedule get tracked the way an owner's representative would track them, from the first feasibility conversation through the final walkthrough.
What We Build
Custom homes across Portland, Vancouver & Clark County
Custom Homes
From ~$250/SF
A ground-up home on your land, designed and built by one team from first sketch to keys. If your architect and designer already drew plans, we build from those too.
Infill & Narrow Lots
Tight-Site Specialists
Portland's Residential Infill Project opened established neighborhoods to narrow-lot homes. We'll tell you whether your small or oddly shaped lot can carry a new house, then design one that fits tight setbacks and still lives like a full custom home.
Teardown-Rebuilds
Love the Street, Not the House
When a house is past saving, tearing it down and building new often makes more sense than a whole-structure remodel. You keep the street you love and get a home built to current code.
Family Land & Vancouver, WA
Licensed OR & WA
A new home on land you already own: a parent's back acreage, an inherited parcel, a lot split. We're licensed in Washington too, so Vancouver and Clark County builds run under the same design-build process.
What It Costs to Build a House in Portland
Most new construction in the Portland area runs $250 to $350+ per square foot for the build itself. Add land, site work, permits, and fees, and a 2,000-square-foot custom home commonly lands between $400K and $1M+ all-in.
We'd rather publish that range than make you call for it. The more useful conversation is what moves your project inside it.
Biggest Cost Drivers
Site conditions: sloped lots, poor soils, tree preservation, and utility connections add real excavation and foundation cost
Finish level: production-grade versus custom cabinetry, tile, windows, and millwork can swing cost per square foot dramatically
Systems: heating and cooling choices, electrical service upgrades, and energy-efficiency targets
Home size and complexity: simple footprints and rooflines build more efficiently than intricate ones
Permits and fees: City of Portland and county permitting, system development charges, and engineering requirements
Our Design-Build Process for New Home Construction
Raw lot to keys in hand
Lot & Feasibility
Zoning, setbacks, slope, utilities, and a straight answer on what your lot can support.
Budget-First Design
Design starts from your number, with designers and architects we've vetted, instead of drawing first and value-engineering later.
Engineering
Structural engineers detail your plans for permit submission and real-world buildability.
Permitting
We handle the City of Portland or your county, in Oregon or Washington, so you don't chase approvals.
Construction
Built on a schedule you can see, managed with the budget discipline construction management taught us.
Final Walkthrough
A room-by-room review of the finished home before you move in.
Should You Buy or Build in Portland?
Buying is faster. Building puts you in control. In Portland's older housing stock, buying often means inheriting dated systems, a layout drawn for a different era, and a renovation budget stacked on the purchase price. Building takes longer, typically a year or more from design through move-in, but every dollar goes into a home laid out for how you actually live: new systems, current energy code, nothing deferred.
If you already own land, the math usually tilts toward building, since land is often the largest single line item in a new-construction budget. Still weighing both paths? Bring us your numbers. We'll give you an honest feasibility read, and if buying is the better move for you, we'll say so.
Portland New Construction FAQs
Common questions answered
How much does it cost to build a house in Portland, Oregon?
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A 2,000-square-foot custom home in the Portland area commonly costs $400K to $1M+ all-in, including land, site work, permits, and construction. Construction alone runs $250 to $350+ per square foot. Site conditions, finish level, systems, and home complexity decide where your project lands in that range.
What is the cost per square foot for new construction in Portland?
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Most new construction homes in Portland run $250 to $350+ per square foot for the build itself, not including land. Sloped or difficult lots, high-end finishes, and complex designs push the number up; simple footprints and mid-range finishes hold it near the low end. A feasibility evaluation of your specific lot is the fastest way to narrow it.
Is it cheaper to buy or build a home in Portland right now?
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Buying is usually cheaper up front, but building often wins on long-term value, especially if you already own the land. Much of Portland's housing stock is older, so purchase prices frequently hide renovation costs, dated systems, and deferred maintenance that a new build never carries. We'll run a buy-versus-build comparison for your budget before you commit to either path.
How long does it take to build a custom home in Portland?
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Plan on a year or more from first design meeting to move-in for a custom home in Portland. Design and engineering take a few months, City of Portland or county permitting adds more depending on the jurisdiction, and construction itself runs six to twelve months based on size and complexity. Design-build trims the total by overlapping design, budgeting, and permit prep.
Can I build a new home on a small or infill lot in Portland?
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Yes. Portland's Residential Infill Project rezoned much of the city's residential land, so narrow-lot and infill builds now work in many established neighborhoods. What's possible on your lot comes down to zoning, setbacks, slope, and utility access, which is exactly what our lot evaluation checks. We design infill homes to fit tight sites and still live like full custom houses.
What does the design-build process look like for a custom home?
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Design-build means one team and one contract carry your project from lot evaluation through final walkthrough. The steps: feasibility, budget-first design, structural engineering, permitting with the City of Portland or your county, construction, and a final walkthrough. Because the designers and the builder work as one team from day one, your budget gets checked at every stage instead of after bids come back.
Ready to Build Your Custom Home?
Tell us about your lot, your teardown, or the home you want to build. The first step is a free consultation, no obligation attached. We build new construction across Portland, Vancouver, and Clark County.
WHAT OUR CLIENTS ARE SAYING
DON'T JUST TAKE OUR WORD
Tamar Feinkind
Home Owner
I worked with Deb Zsarko twice, first to renovate a 1 bedroom condo – kitchen, flooring, and paint – and the second time to completely gut a 1500 sq ft house. Five years on, we feel lucky to have worked with Deb to redo our 1940 house. The work she does lasts, and she considered things in terms of aesthetics that we had never thought of. She works with top of the line people, as well. Mostly, she's a person of her word! And that's rare in this business.
Mae-Fay Koenig
Home Owner
Deb did an incredible job with our master bathroom and walk in closet remodel! She's pretty accurate with her estimates and timeline which is a rare thing to find. Deb has a wealth of knowledge and experience with all things related to home construction and remodels. If she was still local to us, we would have had her tackle our kitchen remodel as well. Highly recommend Deb to anyone who wants a stress free remodel!