Business Details
18 Years
experience
Custom Luxury Home Builder in Bluffton, SC
Founded in 2008, Simply Southern Homebuilder has established itself as a premier custom homebuilder in the Low Country region. With over 16 years of experience, the company specializes in creating luxury custom homes and signature designer homes tailored to clients' unique visions. The company's boutique approach emphasizes personalized service, with CEO Lisa Cornelius leading a team that prioritizes client communication, attention to detail, and quality craftsmanship. Their design/build process streamlines home construction through collaborative planning between clients, architects, and trusted subcontractors. The team's expertise extends to navigating architectural review boards and building departments to ensure smooth project execution.With a focus on high-end finishes and resale value, they work closely with vendors to secure premium materials at competitive prices. Their commitment to excellence is evidenced by long-term relationships with subcontractors and a track record of completing projects on time and within budget. The company maintains strong community ties through involvement in prestigious developments like Colleton River and Belfair. Their white-glove service includes daily job site visits and comprehensive support for out-of-town clients. This combination of experience, quality control, and client-centric approach has earned them a reputation for delivering exceptional homebuilding experiences.
Services
Custom Home Building
Signature Home Design
Design Build Services
Out-of-Town Client Support
High-End Finish Selection
Details
- Year established: 2008
Highlights and features
- We offer 16+ years of Low Country homebuilding expertise
- Our CEO personally oversees every project from start to finish
- We maintain daily communication with clients throughout the process
- We use only trusted, high-quality subcontractors and materials
- We guarantee on-time completion with transparent budget management
What people say
Exceeded expectations
Outstanding experience
On budget and on time
Superior quality
Terrific partner
Services
Custom Home Building
Our custom homebuilding service creates personalized luxury residences tailored to individual client needs. With over 16 years of experience in Low Country construction, we guide clients through every phase from land selection to final finishes. Our integrated approach combines architectural design, permitting, and construction management under one roof, ensuring seamless execution of your vision while maintaining strict quality control and budget adherence.
Signature Home Design
Our signature home collection features architecturally distinctive properties built to premium specifications. These move-in-ready homes incorporate high-end finishes and thoughtful design elements while maintaining the same quality standards as our custom builds. Each property is strategically located in prestigious communities and represents our commitment to innovative design and exceptional craftsmanship.
Design Build Services
Our design/build methodology streamlines home construction through coordinated planning between clients, architects, and contractors. This approach typically reduces timelines by 2-3 months while ensuring budget consistency. We manage all aspects from initial concept through final inspection, maintaining accountability and transparency throughout the process while delivering superior quality outcomes.
Out-of-Town Client Support
We specialize in supporting clients building homes from distant locations. Our comprehensive communication system includes weekly photo updates, virtual decision-making tools, and dedicated project coordination. This service ensures complete client involvement without requiring frequent site visits, maintaining transparency and control throughout the construction process.
High-End Finish Selection
Our finish selection service connects clients with premium materials and fixtures through our established vendor network. We provide expert guidance on design choices while leveraging our industry relationships to secure competitive pricing. This service ensures cohesive aesthetic execution while maintaining quality standards across all visible and functional home components.
People
Lisa Cornelius
Founder and President
With over 50 homebuilding projects completed, Lisa combines real estate expertise and design experience to lead all client projects. Her background includes VP roles at local homebuilders and founding two successful retail businesses in Michigan.
Dave Cornelius
Co-Founder & Managing Partner
An experienced business executive with engineering and MBA credentials, Dave provides strategic leadership and financial oversight. He manages investor relations for spec home projects and supports business growth initiatives.
Paul Cornelius
Administrator
Handling office operations and subcontractor management, Paul oversees financial administration and permitting processes. He maintains job site standards while supporting his parents' construction business operations.
Larry Muething
Construction Manager
With 40+ years in construction, Larry brings extensive expertise as a licensed general contractor. His experience ranges from luxury homes to commercial projects, ensuring quality control through 16-point inspection processes.
Questions
What types of homes do you build?
We specialize in custom luxury homes tailored to client specifications and signature designer homes with premium finishes in prestigious Low Country communities.
Can you work with out-of-town clients?
Yes, we provide comprehensive support for long-distance clients including regular updates, photo documentation, and virtual decision-making throughout the building process.
How long does the homebuilding process take?
Our design/build process typically takes 2-3 months for planning, with construction timelines varying based on project complexity and size.
What communities do you work in?
We have extensive experience in Colleton River Club, Belfair, Old Town Bluffton, Moss Creek, and Berkeley Hall Club developments.
How do you ensure quality construction?
We use trusted subcontractors, maintain daily job site visits, and follow a rigorous 16-point inspection process to ensure superior craftsmanship.
Who leads the homebuilding projects?
Founder Lisa Cornelius personally oversees every project, leveraging her 50+ homebuilding projects experience and design expertise throughout the process.
Reviews (4)
Susan Curran
Jul 03, 2021
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Simply Southern Homebuilders did an exceptional job in building our dream home. They were professional efficient and our home was completed on time with no problems. The best testament is that when we put our house on the market it sold in ONE day when other homes in Colleton River were on the market for over a year!
Susan and Bill Curran
Susan and Bill Curran
Kenneth Clark
Jun 17, 2021
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In 2014, my wife and I decided to build our dream house in Bluffton, SC on a lot that we had purchased in Colleton River. We had never built our own house before, so selecting and working with the right builder was of high concern. Friends who had been through the process before us described it in less than glowing terms, and so we were anxious about finding someone trustworthy to work with. We chose three builders to evaluate based on recommendations from friends and contacts we had made in the area. All three were highly regarded. Being an entrepreneur myself and in an executive services
Becky Powers
Jun 15, 2021
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We had an excellent building experience with Simply Southern. Our home was built 10 years ago, and we have always appreciated the quality craftsmanship that we noticed from the start. This builder is meticulous about details. Her background in interior design provides a true complement to her home building knowledge. We felt our ideas were important, and we appreciated the guidance we received to enhance the final design. We continue to receive compliments 10 years later.
Becky and Mike Powers
Becky and Mike Powers
Edward Lynch
Jan 01, 2021
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We have built 6 homes in the last 20 years in various parts of the country with many different builders. This was by far the worst experience we have ever had. Our home was constructed in Colleton River in Bluffton SC. We priced the home with many custom builders and SS was the most Competitive but dont let that fool you. Money is made up along the way with cheaper construction techniques and things left out to save money. Nothing is competitively bid as was promised during interviews. When things were questioned, left out or errors were made it was always our fault, never the builders fault
