Who is Custom Estate Homes?
Custom Estate Homes is a Raleigh luxury custom home builder led by president Kevin Merta. The company is incorporated as Custom Estate Homes, Inc. The BBB profile dates the business to 2014, and the builder says it has served the Raleigh area for more than ten years. New Home Guide describes its work as Southern-influenced custom design and construction.
Custom Estate Homes does run a working website, which currently advertises available opportunities in Raleigh. This page puts the rest of the public record in one place: the license, the communities, the reviews and the questions to ask.
Custom Estate Homes license and company record
| Item | Record |
|---|---|
| Legal name | Custom Estate Homes, Inc. |
| President | Kevin Merta |
| NC general contractor license | L.78548 |
| Status (October 2026) | Active |
| Classification and qualifier | Not captured; the board portal returned errors before those details loaded |
| Base | Raleigh, NC |
Look up L.78548 on the NC Licensing Board for General Contractors search before you sign. Check the classification against the value of your project, and note who the qualifier is.
Where Custom Estate Homes has built
| Community | Town | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Midtown | Raleigh | The 2023 Wake County Parade of Homes list includes its Midtown Luxury entry at 3419 Redbud Lane. |
| Sanctuary at Yates Mill | Raleigh | Listed among the community's builders on New Home Guide. |
| Tanglewild | Raleigh | A City of Raleigh annexation filing names the Custom Estate Homes - Tanglewild Drive project at 7509 South Tanglewild Drive. |
The company's Raleigh permit filings are listed on OpenPermitData; the documented permit activity there runs through May 2024.
What Custom Estate Homes builds
Custom Estate Homes builds luxury custom homes in and around Raleigh, with a Southern design influence. The three documented projects cover different situations: a Parade home in Midtown, a lot in a newer community at Sanctuary at Yates Mill, and a single-lot project on South Tanglewild Drive that went through annexation into the city.
Each of those carries different paperwork. A lot that needs annexation adds a city approval step before utility connection. An infill lot inside the city brings setback, height and tree rules. If you are building on a Raleigh lot, start with our Raleigh infill lot UDO checklist.
Custom Estate Homes reviews
Public reviews are thin. Contractors Ranked shows a 3.0 rating from 1 review. One review is not a pattern in either direction. Ask for references from owners whose homes were finished in the last few years, and read the BBB profile.
Finding Custom Estate Homes online
We found no reliable Facebook, Instagram or Houzz profile for the company. These are the profiles that exist:
- Custom Estate Homes website
- Better Business Bureau profile
- New Home Guide builder page
- Raleigh permit filings on OpenPermitData
Questions to ask before you hire Custom Estate Homes
- Do you build on a lot I bring, on lots you control, or both?
- What is the classification on license L.78548, and who is the qualifier?
- Which homes finished in the last three years can I tour?
- Is the contract a fixed price or cost-plus, and how are allowances and overages handled?
- What does the written warranty cover after closing? Compare it against our home builder warranties guide.
Not sure the builder's side of the contract protects you? Read why the builder's agent is not your agent.
Comparing Custom Estate Homes with other Raleigh custom builders? Talk with the Tim M. Clarke Team. We compare the contract, the allowances and the warranty with you before you sign.
Sources checked (October 2026): Custom Estate Homes; BBB; NCLBGC license search; New Home Guide; 2023 Wake County Parade list; City of Raleigh annexation filing; OpenPermitData; Contractors Ranked.
