Most small builder websites make you hunt for the license number. Some never post it.
Wards Custom Building puts it on the About page: North Carolina General Contractor License #101306. Owner Matt Ward is a Triangle native with a construction management degree from East Carolina University and more than ten years in residential and commercial construction around Raleigh. His company builds new custom homes, adds onto existing ones, and remodels kitchens, baths, and exteriors.
That openness is a good start. The rest of the public record is thinner, and this guide is clear about where it stops.
Who Is Wards Custom Building?
Wards Custom Building is a raleigh general contractor specializing in custom building, additions, and remodels. Its home page cites “over a decade of experience in the industry.”
The documented history
The About page says Matt Ward was born and raised in the Triangle and became interested in building in high school, influenced by his father’s and grandfather’s interest in craftsmanship. He holds a B.S. in Construction Management from East Carolina University and has more than ten years of experience in residential and commercial construction in the Raleigh area.
Wards Custom Building is listed as a builder member in the 2025 Home Builders Association of Raleigh-Wake County directory. The phone on its website is (919) 426-8341.
The website does not publish a founding year, a count of completed homes, or project addresses. Because the license number is posted, you can verify it in minutes with the North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors. Do it, and confirm the license holder matches the company on your contract.
Where Wards builds
The company describes itself as a Raleigh general contractor, and its site title calls it a “Triangle Area Residential Contractor.” It does not list communities, towns beyond Raleigh, or a service-area map. Ask whether it will build on your lot if it sits outside Raleigh.
What Does Wards Custom Building Build?
Wards offers two lines of work: custom building, which covers new construction, additions, and full renovations, and custom redesign for kitchens, baths, and exteriors.
| Buyer question | What the public record shows |
|---|---|
| State contractor license | L.101306 (Ward’s Custom Building, LLC): Building classification, limited license limit, active through Dec. 31, 2026 per the NC Licensing Board for General Contractors, checked Oct. 14, 2026 |
| Services | New construction, home additions, full renovations, kitchen, bath, and exterior redesign |
| License | NC General Contractor License #101306 |
| Owner credentials | B.S. Construction Management, East Carolina University |
| Experience | More than ten years in residential and commercial construction |
| New homes shown | Two “Custom Build” project galleries |
| Pricing | Not published |
| Warranty | Not published |
The project galleries
Wards’ projects page shows photo galleries without addresses or written descriptions. The galleries are titled Custom Build (two projects), Master Bath and Closet Addition, Home Addition, Covered Deck, Neighborhood Pergola, Kitchen and Bath (two projects), Office Windows and Door, Kitchen, and Bath.
The balance tells you where most of the work sits: additions and remodels outnumber new homes. That is common for a contractor this size, and it is the main thing to probe if you want a new house.
There is an upside to that mix. A contractor who spends his weeks opening up existing walls learns how houses fail: where water gets in, where framing was cut short, where the last builder saved money. Ask Ward what he has learned from remodels that changes how he builds new.
How Does Building With Wards Work?
Wards does not publish a step-by-step process. The home page says the company works closely with clients and supports them “through every step of your custom building journey.” Contact runs through the phone number and a form on the website.
Expect a first meeting on your lot or in your home, then a scope and price. With an owner-run firm, the person who prices the job is usually the person you will call during construction. Confirm that, and ask who runs the site on days the owner is elsewhere. Ask how plans are produced, how long a custom build typically takes, and how you will get updates during construction.
What Should You Verify Before Signing With Wards Custom Building?
Before signing with Wards Custom Building, verify the license, the new-home track record, the contract type, and the warranty. Our guides to finding the right Triangle builder and why the builder’s agent works for the builder cover how to keep someone on your side.
Check license #101306
Look up the license, confirm it is active, check the license limit against your project budget, and confirm the holder matches the name on your contract.
Ask for new-home references
Two of the eleven galleries are new custom builds. Ask for completed new-home addresses, the year each was finished, and owners you can call.
Clarify who designs the house
Wards does not say whether it designs in-house or works from your architect’s plans. Ask, and find out who is responsible if the plans and the site do not match.
Choose the contract type
Ask whether the price is fixed or cost-plus, how allowances are set, and how change orders are priced and approved.
Get the warranty in writing
Wards’ site publishes no warranty terms. Ask for the written warranty and compare it with our home-builder warranty guide.
How Does Wards Compare With Other Building Options?
Wards is a licensed, owner-run Raleigh contractor whose work spans new homes and renovations.
| Option | Price level | Lot | Builder access | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wards custom build | Ask for a quote | Your lot | Direct to owner | Buyers who want a small, licensed builder they can call directly |
| Wards addition or remodel | Ask for a quote | Your existing home | Direct to owner | Owners who want more space or a new kitchen without moving |
| Larger custom builder | Varies | Your lot or theirs | Sales and project staff | Buyers who want a deep new-home portfolio |
| Production builder | Lower | Subdivision lot | Sales office | Buyers who want a set plan and price |
Who Is a Strong Fit for Wards Custom Building?
Wards fits a Raleigh owner who wants a hands-on contractor with verifiable credentials.
The strongest candidates usually:
- own a lot or a home in Raleigh;
- are deciding between building new and adding on;
- want to deal directly with the license holder;
- bring their own plans or want help shaping a modest custom project;
- will check references before signing.
It is a weaker fit for buyers who want a builder-owned lot, a model home, or a long published list of completed custom homes.
Final Thoughts About Wards Custom Building From Tim Clarke
I like a builder who posts the license number where you can see it. Wards does, and Matt Ward’s construction management degree and decade in the field give a buyer something real to check.
The question is new-home depth. Most of the published work is additions and remodels, so ask to see the custom builds and talk to those owners.
I have spent 17+ years in Triangle real estate. We represent you, and our team builds as well as sells, so we know what a sound custom-build contract looks like from both sides of the table.
If Wards is on your list for a new home or an addition, call us at (919) 355-8462.
Sources
- https://www.wardscustombuilding.com/
- https://www.wardscustombuilding.com/about
- https://www.wardscustombuilding.com/services
- 2025 HBA Raleigh-Wake County builder-member directory (print)
- https://portal.nclbgc.org/Public/Search (NC Licensing Board for General Contractors, license L.101306)
