Custom Homes in Fredericksburg, TX
Building in Fredericksburg
Our second office is at 603 FM 2093 in Fredericksburg, and Gillespie County is one of the places we build most. We’ve built homes at Boot Ranch and in Vineyard Ridge, and we build on acreage around town and west toward Harper.
Fredericksburg is the Gillespie County seat. German immigrants founded it in 1846 and laid it out along one long, wide main street, which is still Main Street, where US 290 and US 87 run together. The city had 10,875 residents in the 2020 census, and the county about 26,700. Enchanted Rock is 18 miles north.
Schedule a site walk
Schools
Fredericksburg ISD runs Fredericksburg High School, Fredericksburg Middle School, Fredericksburg Elementary, Fredericksburg Primary and Stonewall Elementary. Harper ISD covers the west side of the county, and Doss Consolidated CSD serves the Doss area. Private options include St. Mary’s Catholic School, Heritage School and Ambleside School of Fredericksburg.
What we check on Gillespie County land
Inside the city
New homes inside the city limits need a city building permit. In the historic district, or on a designated landmark, exterior work also needs a Certificate of Appropriateness, which can go to the Historic Review Board.
The city’s subdivision rules reach into its extraterritorial jurisdiction, and the city won’t issue a building permit on a lot without an approved, recorded plat. Short-term rentals of less than 30 days need a city permit inside the city limits but not in the ETJ.
Septic, wells and floodplain
The Gillespie County Sanitation Office permits septic systems. Since August 2025, you file a floodplain determination with the County Engineer before the septic application. The Engineer’s office also handles floodplain development and driveway permits.
Wells fall under the Hill Country Underground Water Conservation District. A domestic well on more than 10 acres doesn’t need a permit, but it has to be registered before drilling. New domestic wells have to sit 75 feet from property lines and public roads, unless the tract existed before May 1, 1990, and at least 50 feet from a septic field.
Buying land in Gillespie County
Gillespie County tightened its subdivision rules in December 2024. A new lot that depends on its own well now needs at least 6 acres, up from 3. With public or community water and a septic system, the minimum is 2 acres, and with public water and sewer it’s 1 acre. Older listings and articles may still quote the 3-acre rule.
If a seller is splitting off a tract for you, or you’re looking at a newer subdivision, those minimums affect whether you can drill a well and what you can build. We’ll go through them with you before you make an offer.
Building in Harper
Harper is 23 miles west of Fredericksburg on US 290, an unincorporated community where the headwaters of the Pedernales River run. It had 1,332 residents in 2020. Harper ISD covers pre-K through 12th grade on three campuses, and the district also reaches into parts of Kerr and Kimble counties.
The land around Harper is mostly ranch country. Because it’s outside any city, permits come from Gillespie County and the water district, and the well and septic questions come first. For a land agent’s view of the area, listen to our Local Guide episode with Weston Jenkins.
Where we build around Fredericksburg
Boot Ranch
A private golf community about 5 miles from town with estate homesites. Homes have to meet the community’s design standards, and we’ve built there.
Vineyard Ridge
A gated neighborhood off FM 1623 near Stonewall, with deed restrictions and an HOA. We’ve built there too.
Acreage around town
Rural tracts outside the city on well and septic, permitted through Gillespie County and the water district.
Harper and the west side
Ranch land along US 290 toward Harper, in Harper ISD.
Building in a particular subdivision? Send us its name or deed restrictions, and we’ll tell you how a custom home fits.
Walk your land with us first
Whether you already own land in Gillespie County or you are still shopping, Steven will walk the property with you and tell you what it will take to build there.
Schedule a site walkHelp me find landHomes we have built
Our Fredericksburg work includes homes at Boot Ranch and Vineyard Ridge.
From the Local Guide
Conversations with Fredericksburg business owners and leaders from our podcast, Texas Hill Country Insider.
Community Banking in the Hill Country: Dan Kemp of Security State Bank & Trust
Why a local bank matters when you’re financing land and a custom home here.
Public Safety in Gillespie County: Sheriff Chris Ayala on Serving Fredericksburg
Safety, youth outreach and flood preparedness from the county’s sheriff.
Choosing Countertops for Your Hill Country Home: Granite, Quartz and Quartzite with Schumann Granite
Granite, quartz, quartzite and porcelain compared by a Fredericksburg fabricator.
Questions about building in Fredericksburg
Do I need a city permit to build in Fredericksburg?
Inside the city limits, yes. New homes need a city building permit, and homes in the historic district or on a designated landmark also need a Certificate of Appropriateness for the exterior. Outside the city, septic, floodplain and driveway permits come from Gillespie County.
How many acres do I need for a well in Gillespie County?
Since December 2024, a new subdivision lot that depends on its own well needs at least 6 acres, up from 3. A domestic well on more than 10 acres doesn’t need a water district permit, but it still has to be registered with the Hill Country Underground Water Conservation District before drilling. Lots platted under older rules may differ, so we check the plat for your tract.
Can I use my home as a short-term rental?
Inside Fredericksburg’s city limits, rentals of less than 30 days need a city permit, and whether you can get one depends on zoning. Short-term rentals in the city’s extraterritorial jurisdiction don’t need a city permit. If renting is part of your plan, tell us early so the design fits.
Do you build at Boot Ranch?
Yes. We’ve built at Boot Ranch and in Vineyard Ridge. Homes in these communities have to meet their design standards, and we handle the review as part of the build.
Can you help me find land around Fredericksburg?
Yes. Tell us the area, how much land you want and what you plan to build, and we’ll look at properties with you. Before you make an offer, we’ll walk the land and tell you what it will take to build there.
Schedule a site walk
Pick a time to talk with Steven Butcher. Let him know whether you own land in Gillespie County or are still looking, and he will set up a visit to the property. If you are still looking, he can help you find land that works for what you want to build.
Other places we build
We build across the Hill Country from our offices in Kerrville and Fredericksburg.
- Kerrville and Hunt
- Spring Branch
- Junction
- Mason
- Llano
- Marble Falls
