Some builders measure success in closings per year. Cantiere Homes stays small on purpose, and its owners are on the job site every day.
Cantiere Homes, Inc. is a custom builder based in Wake Forest, building in Youngsville and North raleigh. Its owners left New York in 2009, started building in North Carolina, and describe the company as a husband-and-wife team that keeps its project count low so every house gets their attention. Its 2026 Triangle Parade of Homes entry in Youngsville was priced at $1,450,000, and its newest project is a 5,728-square-foot home in north-ridge.
The pitch is personal service. Small builders can deliver that better than anyone, but they also put more weight on two people. This page lays out what the public record shows and what a buyer should confirm.
Who Owns Cantiere Homes?
Cantiere Homes is owned and run by Stacey Di Stefano and Alessandro Di Stefano. North Carolina business records list Stacey Di Stefano as president and Alessandro Di Stefano as vice president, and the company describes itself as a husband-and-wife team.
| Record | What it shows |
|---|---|
| NC Secretary of State | Cantiere Homes, Inc. incorporated March 25, 2013; status Current-Active; principal office in Wake Forest. |
| Officers of record | Stacey Di Stefano, President; Alessandro Di Stefano, Vice President. |
| General contractor license | L.81847, first issued May 7, 2019, active through 12/31/2026, Residential classification, Unlimited limitation. |
| Qualifier | Stacey Lyn DiStefano, Q.28216. |
| Contact | (919) 285-8986, [email protected] |
The company’s own story: after moving from New York in 2009, the owners worked on their parents’ homes, drew on backgrounds in construction, design, and operations, and grew the company one house at a time “through years of learning, mentorship, and hands-on experience.”
Why the license date matters
The corporation dates to 2013. The current general contractor license dates to 2019. An older license record in the same name shows as not active. Neither fact is a problem, but it tells you the company has held its current Unlimited residential license for about seven years. Ask which homes were built under which license.
Communities where Cantiere Homes builds
Cantiere Homes builds in these communities, based on our team’s own knowledge of the builder’s work. Ask the builder which have homesites open today before you plan around one.
- North Ridge, Raleigh
- Sherron Estates, Wake Forest
- Trinity Forest, Wake Forest
- Galloway, Wake Forest
- Prescott Manor, Wake Forest
- Greycliff, Wake Forest
- Ridge Falls, Wake Forest
- Lakestone, Wake Forest
- Jackson Manor, Zebulon
- Lennox Manors, Zebulon
What Does Cantiere Homes Build?
Cantiere builds one-off custom homes. The company’s line is “No stock plans. No repetition,” and its portfolio of five published homes, plus a sixth on the Parade list, reads that way.
| Home | Location | Notes from the record |
|---|---|---|
| 30 Cherry Bark Drive | Sorrell Oaks, Youngsville | 2026 Parade entry; classic curb appeal with custom interiors |
| 65 Cherry Bark Drive | Youngsville | Custom residence on the same street |
| 150 Cherry Bark Drive | Youngsville | Custom residence on the same street |
| 105 Spanish Oak Drive | Sorrell Oaks, Youngsville | 2026 Parade entry #245; $1,450,000; 4 bed, 5 bath, 4,450 sq ft; sold |
| 40 Wheatfield Lane | Grandiflora, Youngsville | 2026 Parade entry |
| 6908 Bent Pine Place | north-ridge, Raleigh | 5,728 heated sq ft; coming soon |
Most of the work sits in Sorrell Oaks, a large-lot Youngsville community in Franklin County. North Ridge is the step up: an established North Raleigh neighborhood where the company is now building at estate scale.
105 Spanish Oak Drive: the Parade home
The 2026 Parade entry, called Modern Retreat, was drawn by McMillan Design and was listed as sold on the Parade site. Its published features:
- chef’s kitchen with an attached scullery the builder compares to “a private speakeasy”;
- wet bar with custom shelving and LED-lit wine racks;
- LED-lit staircase;
- primary bath with marble mosaic floors, large-format wall tile, floating LED-lit vanities, and an air-jetted freestanding tub;
- rear porch with tile floor and an outdoor fireplace overlooking a pool-ready lot;
- first-floor study and guest suite; second-floor recreation room, exercise room, and second study.
At $1,450,000 for 4,450 square feet, that works out to about $326 per square foot.
6908 Bent Pine Place: the North Ridge build
The North Ridge project is Cantiere’s largest published home: 5,728 heated square feet with a main-level primary suite, a private guest suite, a study, a separate pantry and scullery, and a screened porch with outdoor cooking. Upstairs, three bedrooms surround a recreation room with a wet bar. The finished lower level holds a gym and opens to a five-car garage.
A finished lower level and a five-car garage in North Ridge put this home well above the company’s Youngsville work in scale. Price was not published at the time of this review.
How Does Building With Cantiere Work?
Cantiere does not publish a numbered process. It publishes three design principles and a working style:
- Distinctive design. No stock plans; each home is drawn around its owners.
- Tailored living. Rooms planned around the household’s routines.
- Crafted to last. Material and construction choices made for long-term value.
The working style is the real differentiator. The owners say they are on site every day and guide each client through decisions personally. Some portfolio homes are built ahead of a buyer, with the option to “personalize select features.”
That gives you two ways in: commission a full custom home, or buy one already underway and finish it to your taste.
What Should You Verify Before Signing With Cantiere?
A small, owner-run builder can be the best experience in the market. It also concentrates risk. Cover these before you sign.
Ask about capacity
“Intentionally small” is a feature until two projects need the same owner on the same day. Ask how many homes are under construction now, how many will overlap with yours, and who runs the site when an owner is out.
Get the price structure in writing
Cantiere doesn’t publish a price range. Ask for a written estimate that separates the lot, design, site work, and house. On spec homes, ask which selections are still open and what each change costs.
Get the warranty in writing
The company’s site doesn’t publish warranty terms. Ask for the coverage period, exclusions, and the claim process, and compare them with our home-builder warranty guide.
Check the allowances
If you’re personalizing a home already underway, the allowance schedule decides your final price. Get every allowance with a dollar figure before you sign.
Look at finished homes
Ask to walk a completed Cantiere home and talk with the owners who live there. A builder this size depends on referrals. A good one will set that up quickly.
How Does a Small Builder Compare With Larger Custom Builders?
Cantiere’s owner-run model trades scale for access. That trade shows up in every stage of a build.
| Factor | Small owner-run builder (Cantiere model) | Larger custom builder |
|---|---|---|
| Who you talk to | The owners, directly | A sales manager, then a project manager |
| Site supervision | Owners on site daily, by the company’s own account | Superintendent running several homes |
| Plan library | None; every plan drawn new | Often a portfolio of adaptable plans |
| Schedule risk | Tied to two people’s availability | Spread across a larger staff |
| Price transparency | Negotiated per home | Often published base prices |
| Best fit | Buyers who value attention and detail | Buyers who value speed and predictability |
Neither model is better on its face. If you want to text the person framing your house, the small builder wins. If you need a guaranteed closing date to line up with a sale or relocation, the larger builder usually wins. Decide which risk you’d rather carry.
Who Is a Strong Fit for Cantiere Homes?
Cantiere fits a buyer who wants direct access to the people building the house and a plan that doesn’t exist anywhere else.
The strongest candidates usually have:
- a budget in the range of the Parade home ($1.45 million) or higher for North Raleigh;
- interest in Youngsville’s larger lots or an established North Raleigh neighborhood;
- a taste for details: sculleries, wet bars, lighting design, spa baths;
- the patience for a small builder’s schedule;
- their own agent and attorney on the contract.
This is not the right fit for a buyer who wants a sales center, a menu of plans, and a production timeline.
Final Thoughts About Cantiere Homes From Tim Clarke
Cantiere Homes is the kind of builder that’s easy to miss and worth finding. Two owners, an Unlimited license, a Parade entry that sold, and a North Ridge project that is the largest home in their published portfolio.
Small builders win on attention. They lose when they take on more than two people can watch. Your job is to find out which version you’re getting before the deposit, not after.
The builder’s on-site representative works for the builder. We work for you. Our team has 17+ years in Triangle real estate and we read builder contracts, allowance schedules, and lot reports for a living. Bring us the plan and the proposal. Call (919) 355-8462 and we’ll help you decide whether Cantiere is the right builder for your house.
Sources
- Cantiere Homes (official site, home page): https://www.cantierehomes.com/
- Cantiere Homes about page (story, design philosophy): https://www.cantierehomes.com/about
- Cantiere Homes portfolio: https://www.cantierehomes.com/portfolio
- Cantiere Homes, 30 Cherry Bark Drive: https://www.cantierehomes.com/portfolio/30
- Cantiere Homes, 65 Cherry Bark Drive: https://www.cantierehomes.com/portfolio/65
- Cantiere Homes, 150 Cherry Bark Drive: https://www.cantierehomes.com/portfolio/150
- Cantiere Homes, 105 Spanish Oak Drive: https://www.cantierehomes.com/portfolio/105
- Cantiere Homes, 6908 Bent Pine Place (North Ridge): https://www.cantierehomes.com/portfolio/6908
- Cantiere Homes contact page: https://www.cantierehomes.com/contact
- 2026 Triangle Parade of Homes, entry #245, 105 Spanish Oak Drive: https://triangleparade.com/projects/105-spanish-oak-dr
- Triangle Parade builder profile, Cantiere Homes Inc.: https://triangleparade.com/companies/cantiere-homes-inc
- JAG Parade official home list, checked 2026-09-23 (30 Cherry Bark Drive, 40 Wheatfield Lane, 105 Spanish Oak Drive): https://jagparade.com/all-homes
- NC Licensing Board for General Contractors license lookup (L.81847, Q.28216): https://portal.nclbgc.org/Public/Search
- NC Secretary of State, Cantiere Homes, Inc. (SOSID 1308846): https://www.sosnc.gov/online_services/search/Business_Registration_profile/10202374
- Tim M. Clarke Team field knowledge, October 2026 (community list confirmed by Tim M. Clarke)
