Some buyers already own the land. A few acres from a parent, a lot bought years ago off a Franklin County back road. Others have the budget and the plan but no idea where to put the house.
ECI Custom Homes builds for both. The company’s offer is right in the name of one of its pages: “Your Lot or Ours.” Bring your land, or pick a homesite from the ones ECI has lined up with landowners and developers north and east of Raleigh. Either way, the same licensed general contractor runs the plans, the permits, and the build.
ECI says it has been building custom homes in the Triangle for more than 35 years. This guide covers what the company publishes, where it builds, and what to confirm before you sign.
Who Is ECI Custom Homes?
ECI Custom Homes Inc. is a design-build custom home builder led by Doug Muhle, its president and a licensed North Carolina general contractor. The company’s About page says Muhle founded the business and takes a hands-on approach. ECI is listed as a builder member in the 2025 Home Builders Association of Raleigh-Wake County directory.
The documented history
ECI describes itself as “the Triangle’s first choice in custom home construction for over 35 years” and as an “award-winning design-build contractor.” It does not name the awards or publish a founding year. A testimonial on its site comes from a Raleigh homeowner whose house ECI built in 2005 from custom plans, which puts the company’s work in the area at least that far back.
The company’s office is now at 812 Lewis St., Oxford, NC 27565, and its phone is (919) 971-6415. The 2025 HBA directory listed a Raleigh address, so do not be surprised to see either one.
One naming note: the company’s website uses both “ECI Custom Homes” and “ECI Construction,” and its domain is eciconstructionnc.com. The entity in the HBA directory and on the site’s About page is ECI Custom Homes, Inc. Make sure that is the name on your contract.
More than new homes
ECI also does interior and exterior remodeling: kitchens, baths, additions, porches, outdoor living, and roofing. New custom homes are the focus here.
Where Does ECI Build?
ECI’s “Your Lot or Ours” page says it builds in North Raleigh, wake-forest, Youngsville, and wendell, and in surrounding parts of Wake, Franklin, Granville, and Durham counties. Its homepage frames the service area as Raleigh, Durham, and the surrounding Triangle.
Homesites ECI offers
When you do not have land, ECI points to homesites it has access to through relationships with landowners and developers:
- Kettle Creek area, Wendell: just outside Raleigh, in a town ECI calls one of the Triangle’s fastest-growing communities.
- Hatcher Creek area, Oxford: in Granville County, with larger homesites and more privacy.
- Stewart’s Ridge and Coldwater Springs Estates, east Wake County: custom homes close to nearby towns.
ECI’s page highlights two newly completed “Grand Castle” homes in Coldwater Springs. Lot reservations there are handled through an outside eXp Realty agent named on the page.
ECI does not publish lot prices, lot sizes, or how many lots are open. The page asks buyers to check current availability by contact form.
What Does ECI Build?
ECI builds custom homes through a design-build process, from either custom designs or stock plans. Its custom homes page sorts the work into three groups: Design-Build Homes, Land & Lot Packages, and Luxury & Signature Builds.
| Buyer question | What the public record shows |
|---|---|
| State contractor license | L.76900 (ECI Custom Homes, Inc., T/A): Residential classification, intermediate license limit, active through Dec. 31, 2026 per the NC Licensing Board for General Contractors, checked Oct. 14, 2026 |
| Home type | Custom design-build homes; stock plans also available |
| Land | Build on your lot, or on ECI homesites in Wendell, Oxford, and east Wake |
| Experience | “Over 35 years,” per the company; founding year not published |
| Leadership | Doug Muhle, president and licensed NC general contractor |
| Scope | Site selection, plans, permits, construction, final finishes |
| Available now | Two newly completed homes in Coldwater Springs |
| Pricing | Not published |
| Warranty | Not published |
| Awards | Described as “award-winning”; awards not named |
The ECI Guarantee
ECI’s site lists what it calls the ECI Guarantee. It reads as a list of commitments and includes no warranty terms:
- local knowledge of Triangle land, codes, and communities;
- 35+ years of experience under a licensed NC general contractor;
- clear estimates and open communication, with “no surprises”;
- full-service design-build covering plans, permits, and construction;
- clean, organized job sites;
- attention to detail.
How Does Building With ECI Work?
ECI does not publish a numbered process. Its pages describe one path from first consultation to final walkthrough:
- Start with the land. Bring your lot, or choose an ECI homesite.
- Design. Work from a custom design or a stock plan.
- Plans and permits. ECI handles both.
- Build. ECI manages the trades as a single point of contact, so you are not coordinating subcontractors yourself.
- Final walkthrough.
Ask ECI for a written schedule and a payment draw schedule before you sign. Neither is on the site.
What Should You Verify Before Signing With ECI?
Before signing with ECI, verify the entity, the land, the price, and the warranty. Our guides to finding a Triangle builder and why the builder’s agent works for the builder explain how to keep someone on your side.
Confirm the license and the entity
Match ECI Custom Homes, Inc., Doug Muhle’s license, and the address on the contract to the North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors. The site shows a “licensed and insured” badge but no license number.
Ask which awards, and when
“Award-winning” without a name or year tells you nothing. Ask which awards, from whom, and for which homes.
Price the rural lot
Kettle Creek, Hatcher Creek, and east Wake homesites may mean well and septic. Ask for the septic permit or soil report, the well estimate, the survey, the flood map, and the HOA covenants. Ask what site work the build price includes.
Read the Coldwater Springs homes closely
If you are looking at the two completed homes, ask for square footage, price, specifications, and the certificate of occupancy date in writing.
Get the warranty in writing
ECI does not publish warranty terms. Ask for the written warranty before you sign and compare it with our home-builder warranty guide.
How Does ECI Compare With Other Building Options?
ECI is an owner-led design-build company that will either build on your land or supply it.
| Option | Lot | Design | Builder access | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ECI on your lot | Yours | Custom or stock plan | Direct to the president | Owners of land north or east of Raleigh |
| ECI land-and-build package | ECI homesite | Custom or stock plan | Direct | Buyers who want acreage-style settings with help finding the lot |
| ECI completed home | Coldwater Springs | Finished | Through outside listing agent | Buyers who want to move sooner |
| Production builder | Subdivision lot | Standard plans | Sales office | Buyers who want amenities and a fixed process |
Who Is a Strong Fit for ECI Custom Homes?
ECI fits a buyer who wants a custom home in the growing country north and east of Raleigh, with one experienced contractor running the whole job.
The strongest candidates usually:
- own land in north or east Wake, Franklin, or Granville County, or want help finding it;
- want one point of contact from plans through final walkthrough;
- are comfortable with longer drives into Raleigh in exchange for more land;
- will ask for references and written specifications before signing.
It is a weaker fit for buyers who want published pricing, a large model-home program, or a lot inside the Beltline.
Final Thoughts About ECI Custom Homes From Tim Clarke
ECI’s pitch is simple, and it is a good one. Bring your land or use theirs, and work directly with a licensed general contractor who has been building custom homes in this area for decades. A client whose ECI home went up in 2005 recommends the company on its website. That counts.
What the website leaves out is what you need to ask for: prices, warranty terms, and which awards. Get them in writing.
I have spent 17+ years in Triangle real estate. Our team builds as well as sells, so we know how to price a rural lot and read a design-build contract. The builder’s salesperson represents the builder. We represent you.
If an ECI homesite or a build on your own land is on your list, call us at (919) 355-8462.
Sources
- https://eciconstructionnc.com/
- https://eciconstructionnc.com/about/
- https://eciconstructionnc.com/your-lot-or-ours/
- https://eciconstructionnc.com/custom-homes/
- https://eciconstructionnc.com/gallery/
- 2025 HBA Raleigh-Wake County builder-member directory (print)
- https://portal.nclbgc.org/Public/Search (NC Licensing Board for General Contractors, license L.76900)
