A main-floor primary suite with a beamed ceiling. A screened porch with its own fireplace. A greenway trail you can walk to from the back of the neighborhood. That is the house Elm Street Builders is finishing in Apex this fall, and it is listed at $1,299,000.
Elm Street Builders is a luxury custom builder working across Wake and Durham counties. It sells finished and nearly finished homes in small enclaves, it builds on lots that buyers already own, and it has four more homesite projects marked “coming soon” on its website. Its president holds a general contractor’s license and two National Association of Home Builders designations.
This guide covers what the company publishes, where it builds right now, and what to confirm before you sign.
Who Is Elm Street Builders?
Elm Street Builders is led by owner and president Chris Weir. The company’s team page describes him as a 22-year veteran of custom home building and real estate, a licensed North Carolina general contractor, and the holder of the Certified Graduate Builder (CGB) and Certified Green Professional (CGP) designations from the National Association of Home Builders. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Construction Administration from the University of Wisconsin.
The documented history
Before Elm Street, Weir ran Chris Weir Homes, which the company says built in almost every municipality in the Triangle. He settled in the area in 2007 after working as an executive at home building companies in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic. The homepage cites “over 25 years of home building and construction management experience” for the team.
The site does not publish a founding year for Elm Street itself or a count of completed homes. Elm Street Builders, LLC is listed as a builder member in the 2025 Home Builders Association of Raleigh-Wake County directory. The company’s website phone is (919) 529-5993.
The team on the record
The team page also lists two project managers, two superintendents, an accounting lead, and a broker-in-charge for Elm Street Builders Realty, the company’s in-house brokerage. That last detail matters to you as a buyer. More on it below.
Where Does Elm Street Builders Build?
Elm Street’s website markets it as a luxury builder in apex, cary, holly-springs, and wake-forest, and its community list also reaches raleigh, durham, and fuquay-varina.
| Community | Town | Status on the builder’s site |
|---|---|---|
| Colby Crossing | Apex | 14 luxury custom homes; single-family from the $900s; two homes listed for sale |
| Laurel Hills | Raleigh | Two new custom home lots; homes $1.5M to $1.9M, 4,500+ sq ft range |
| Alabama Avenue | Durham | Coming soon, 18 homesites |
| Ashbourne Manors | Cary | Coming soon, 6 homesites |
| Estes Lane Project | Holly Springs | Coming soon, 1 homesite |
| Herbert Akins Road | Fuquay-Varina | Coming soon, 3 homesites |
| Build on your own lot | Raleigh-Durham | Pricing and plans on request |
Colby Crossing, Apex
Colby Crossing is a 14-home enclave near Historic Downtown Apex. The builder’s listing for Lot 3 describes direct walking access to Apex’s new greenway trail and easy access to I-540 and RDU. Elm Street’s site shows five Colby Crossing homes as sold, between 3,407 and 3,925 square feet.
Laurel Hills, Raleigh
The Laurel Hills listing sits in an established Raleigh neighborhood with no HOA, close to Raleigh’s Blue Ridge Corridor, the NC Museum of Art, and UNC REX Hospital. It is the rarer product: new construction on a private infill lot inside the city.
What Does Elm Street Builders Build?
Elm Street builds large single-family homes in traditional, craftsman, and transitional styles. The homepage says buyers can pick one of its plans, which come from its group of architects, or design their own.
| Buyer question | What the public record shows |
|---|---|
| State contractor license | L.76718 (Elm Street Builders, LLC): Building classification, limited license limit, active through Dec. 31, 2026 per the NC Licensing Board for General Contractors, checked Oct. 14, 2026 |
| Home type | Luxury single-family custom and spec homes |
| Current pricing | $1,196,500 to $1,949,900 on the three homes listed for sale |
| Home sizes | 3,620 to 4,371 sq ft on current listings |
| Plan library | About 30 named plans in the site’s inquiry form, from Abercorn to Vermont |
| Lot options | Builder’s communities or your own lot |
| Warranty | Quality Builders Warranty (QBW) 10-year program |
| Sales | Through Elm Street Builders Realty, its in-house brokerage |
The homes listed now
| Home | Community | Size | Layout | Price | Builder’s stated completion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3332 Colby Chase Dr., Lot 3 | Colby Crossing, Apex | 3,620 sq ft | 4 bed, 4.5 bath | $1,299,000 | October 2026 |
| 3353 Colby Chase Dr., Lot 5 | Colby Crossing, Apex | 3,745 sq ft | 4 bed, 4.5 bath | $1,196,500 | Not stated |
| 4130 Laurel Hills Rd. | Laurel Hills, Raleigh | 4,371 sq ft | 5 bed, 4.5 bath | $1,949,900 | January 2027 |
The Lot 3 home is the Carlisle plan with 10-foot ceilings, a daylight pantry, a main-level primary suite, three upstairs bedrooms with private baths, a recreation room, and an office. The builder calls it its 2026 Parade of Homes entry. Its listing also notes that some photos show a similar home.
The Laurel Hills home lists a main-level owner’s suite and a main-level guest suite, vaulted ceilings with wood beams, a scullery, a butler’s pantry, a screened porch with flagstone floors, and a covered porch with a fireplace.
How Does Building With Elm Street Work?
Elm Street does not publish a step-by-step process. Its site shows three ways in:
- Buy a listed home in Colby Crossing or Laurel Hills, finished or under construction.
- Reserve a homesite in one of its coming-soon projects and build on it.
- Build on your own lot with one of its plans or a custom design. The company asks you to contact it for pricing.
Appointments are requested with 24 hours’ notice. Ask for the scope, the allowances, and the schedule in writing at the first meeting.
What Should You Verify Before Signing With Elm Street?
Before signing with Elm Street Builders, verify who represents you, what the warranty covers, and which numbers are firm. Our guides to choosing a Triangle builder and why the builder’s agent works for the builder lay out the questions.
Know who represents whom
Elm Street sells through its own brokerage, Elm Street Builders Realty. That brokerage represents the builder. If you want someone negotiating price, upgrades, and the contract for you, bring your own agent to the first visit. We represent the buyer.
Read the QBW warranty documents
The warranty page describes Quality Builders Warranty as a 10-year program backed by Liberty Mutual. It does not spell out what the early years cover or how claims work. Ask for the full QBW booklet for your address and compare it with our home-builder warranty guide.
Pin down “coming soon” projects
Four of Elm Street’s seven community listings have no published prices, plans, or dates. If you reserve a homesite there, get the lot price, the base price, the HOA terms, and a start date in the contract.
Confirm the entity and the license
The HBA directory lists Elm Street Builders, LLC. Match that name and the license number on your contract to the North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors. One naming note: Chris Weir also ran Chris Weir Homes. Make sure the contracting company on your paperwork is Elm Street Builders, LLC.
Ask about representational photos
Some photos on the Lot 3 listing show a similar home. Walk the actual house, or a finished home on the same plan, before you sign.
How Does Elm Street Compare With Other Building Options?
Elm Street sits at the upper end of the Triangle’s custom market, building in small enclaves rather than large master-planned communities.
| Option | Price level | Lot | Builder access | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elm Street spec home | $1.2M to $1.95M (current listings) | Small enclave or infill lot | In-house brokerage | Buyers who want new luxury without a long build |
| Elm Street on your lot | Quote on request | Your lot | Direct to builder | Owners of a lot in Wake or Durham |
| Production builder | Varies | Subdivision lot | Sales office | Buyers who want amenities and a set menu |
| Luxury resale | Varies | Established lot | None | Buyers who value mature trees over new systems |
Who Is a Strong Fit for Elm Street Builders?
Elm Street fits a buyer with a $1.2 million-plus budget who wants a new house close to downtown Apex or inside Raleigh, without starting from a blank sheet.
The strongest candidates usually:
- want a main-floor primary suite and a large upstairs for kids or guests;
- prefer a small enclave over a big amenity community;
- own a lot, or want one of the few infill lots in established Raleigh;
- will read the warranty booklet and compare it with other builders;
- bring their own agent.
It is a weaker fit for buyers who need a price under $900,000 or a neighborhood pool and clubhouse.
Final Thoughts About Elm Street Builders From Tim Clarke
Elm Street publishes more than most small builders do: square footage, prices, completion dates, and the name of its warranty program. A president with a contractor’s license and NAHB designations is a solid base.
I would still slow down at two points. The builder’s brokerage works for the builder, and a 10-year warranty is only as useful as the booklet behind it. Read both before you fall for the porch fireplace.
I have spent 17+ years in Triangle real estate. Our team builds as well as sells, so we know how to read a builder’s allowances, change-order terms, and warranty language. We also know what comparable new homes in Apex and inside Raleigh are actually closing for.
If a Colby Crossing home, the Laurel Hills house, or an Elm Street build on your own lot is on your list, call us at (919) 355-8462. We’ll represent you from the first walkthrough to the keys.
Sources
- https://elmstreetbldrs.com/
- https://elmstreetbldrs.com/About
- https://elmstreetbldrs.com/About/Warranty
- https://elmstreetbldrs.com/Available-Homes
- https://elmstreetbldrs.com/Custom-Home-Communities
- https://elmstreetbldrs.com/New-Luxury-Homes/Colby-Crossing/Apex-NC/cid/442
- https://elmstreetbldrs.com/New-Luxury-Homes/Laurel-Hills/Raleigh-NC/cid/392
- https://elmstreetbldrs.com/New-Luxury-Homes/Build-On-Your-Own-Lot/Raleigh-Durham-NC/cid/408
- https://elmstreetbldrs.com/New-Luxury-Homes/Alabama-Avenue/Durham-NC/cid/664
- https://elmstreetbldrs.com/New-Home-For-Sale/Apex-NC/Colby-Crossing-Homes/id/10130578
- https://elmstreetbldrs.com/New-Home-For-Sale/Raleigh-NC/Laurel-Hills-Homes/id/10165655
- 2025 HBA Raleigh-Wake County builder-member directory (print)
- https://portal.nclbgc.org/Public/Search (NC Licensing Board for General Contractors, license L.76718)
