These walls and ceilings add character and depth to every room, with features such as:
Explore ceiling treatments that elevate spaces with architectural interest and style.
Click a photo to enlarge, or click “See Tour” to see the rest of the home.
Travars Built Homes has been named Best Builder of Chatham County 2025 by Chatham Magazine readers!
This recognition means so much, coming from our home base in Chatham County – one of the nation’s fastest growing regions for all the reasons we love living here and building wonderful homes here. We are honored by this reflection of our commitment to quality, craftsmanship, care and the homeowners we work closely with to create custom homes the way they want them.
Our hands on approach helps ensure everything is good to go — from initial conversation to turning on the taps.
Thank you for your trust and recognition of the incredible homes we create together across Chatham and beyond throughout the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill area.
Learn more about what makes Travars Built Homes Best in Chatham.
Our outdoor living spaces are crafted to extend the comfort of your home into the fresh air. Features include:
Step into the gallery to see how outdoor living becomes an everyday luxury.
Click a photo to enlarge, or click “See Tour” to see the rest of the home.
These great rooms showcase both comfort and character, designed to bring people together in bright, open spaces. Look for:
Explore each great room and imagine how it can be the heart of your gatherings—large or small.
Click a photo to enlarge, or click “See Tour” to see the rest of the home.
Phil is the driving force behind day-to-day construction. With a sharp eye for detail and unwavering commitment to quality, he helps ensure everything behind the walls is just as strong and well-crafted as what’s visible on the surface.
One of my favorite involvements outside of building incredible custom homes is competing in obstacle race courses. Both activities share similarities — expert evaluation and navigation of challenges, efficient processes and focus on results. But while a competition ends at the finish line, our commitment to your new home continues long after construction is completed.
We pay attention to every piece of the project, which might be why it can feel like we receive more invitations to your backyard BBQs than warranty calls. But if there’s something you’d like us to take a look at even after you’ve settled in, Andrew or I will typically swing by personally to answer your questions.
We’ll also provide contact information for trusted trade partners if additional follow-up is needed.
An easy way to stay connected after you settle into your home is through your personal online portal – the same one that guided you through build phases. Even after construction is complete, you can access documents, ask questions, or revisit details about your home.
We appreciate the 5-star reviews you share for Travars Built Homes — even years after move-in:
Phil Travars has been 100% responsive to our calls and questions even after the one-year warranty period ended.
— S. Grimm
On top of all the things listed above, they are also a small family business. It feels good to support locals, especially when they put out a much better product than the bigger builders in the area. If you need a custom-built home, look no further than Travars Built Homes!
— R. Green
Now that we’re settled, we’re grateful not just for the quality of the home itself, but for the integrity of the people who built it. Travars Built Homes doesn’t just build houses—they build trust, stability, and peace of mind.
— W. Wood
We had our home inspected about six months after we moved in by a third-party inspector (not affiliated with Travars) who inspects hundreds of new builds in the Triangle area, and they said it was a very well-constructed home — no corners were cut, with high-grade finishes. Building a home is a serious commitment of time, energy, and money, and Travars Built Homes makes it all worth it.
— N. Lafave
You can see more reviews here: Customer Reviews: What Homeowners Are Saying About TBH – Travars Built Homes
After we hand you the keys, the biggest takeaway is that we’re still here for you. Our family works closely with your family to create your home — and we enjoy hearing how everything is going and how much you love your new home.
At Travars Built Homes, we believe the finish line isn’t the day you move in — it’s knowing you’ll be comfortable, confident, and happy in your home for years to come.
-Phil Travars
A: After completion, you’ll go through a final walkthrough, receive your closing documents, and officially take ownership of your home. You’ll also get orientation on key systems and how everything works day to day. Travars Built Homes stays involved to make sure that transition feels clear and well-supported.
A: Yes, new custom homes include a builder warranty—typically covering workmanship and systems during the first year. This gives you time to live in the home and note any adjustments that may come up. Travars Built Homes provides a 12-month builder warranty and clear follow-up so nothing gets overlooked.
A: You can expect a structured follow-up, including a scheduled 12-month warranty review to address items that come up after living in the home. Small adjustments are normal as materials settle and systems are used day to day. Travars Built Homes keeps the process clear and organized so you know exactly when and how to share anything that needs attention.
Explore each kitchen layout and let our gallery spark ideas for the heart of your new home.
Click a photo to enlarge, or click “See Tour” to see the rest of the home.
Scandinavian architectural design is a top custom home request in the Raleigh Triangle area – backed by stunning influence across the globe with clean lines, thoughtful proportions, and bold window effects that promote natural light. What style stands out, among all these striking Scandinavian Farmhouse possibilities?
Steep eaves and bold rooflines, paired with expansive windows invoking welcoming natural light, set Scandinavian inspired plans apart with a distinctive modern appeal. These features create striking silhouettes from the street with uncluttered layouts inside.
Scandinavian farmhouse homes blend beautifully into the rolling hills and wooded acreage of Chatham, Alamance, Orange, Wake, and surrounding counties. Striking rooflines and compelling window groupings stand out in custom home neighborhoods and countryside locations with a natural connection to landscape and luxury, with:
Some of our favorite architects designed these Scandinavian farmhouses and a lot of other plans we love to build in central North Carolina. From homesite planning to customizations, we work with you to adapt and enhance the design/build of your Scandinavian farmhouse style to the way you want to live—on your land or ours, together with the Travars Builder Brothers.
A: Scandinavian farmhouse homes are popular because they combine clean, modern design with natural light and a strong connection to the landscape. Large windows, simple forms, and open layouts fit well with the wooded lots and rolling terrain common across central North Carolina. Travars Built Homes helps tailor these designs to your homesite so the style feels both intentional and livable.
A: Key features include steep rooflines, expansive window groupings, and balanced, minimalist proportions. These elements create a bold exterior presence while keeping the interior open, bright, and uncluttered. Travars Built Homes walks through these details with you early so the plan reflects both the style and how you want to live in it.
A: Yes, they’re especially well-suited for rural and wooded homesites because the design emphasizes natural light and views. Window placement and clean lines help the home feel connected to the surrounding land without overcomplicating the structure. Travars Built Homes works with you to position the home and adjust the design so it fits your lot naturally.
Custom isn’t just a word we use in homebuilding — it’s the heart of what makes your home different from anyone else’s. I’m Andrew, and I’ll be working alongside you at Travars Built Homes to shape the spaces that matter most to your family. While I’ll guide you through this in person during your build, I wanted to share a few thoughts ahead of time. Here’s what I see when we talk about what “custom” can really mean in your home.
“Custom” can mean different things to different people. What does custom mean to you, as you consider what you want your new home to have?
We work with you to design/build special spaces, when everything else you’re looking at doesn’t capture what you envision.
Because the way you see the flow in your home and how you plan to live and grow there is something only you will know.
Maybe you need an extra en-suite for your family as time passes. Or maybe it’s just for your princess.
You might be looking that perfect kitchen with a secret pantry ( or secret second kitchen) Time out in a man cave. A home gym with room to stretch – areas of importance to you that aren’t always offered on floor plans.
We work with you to customize your plan and help you compare it to other plans.
Phil and I are true Builder Brothers. We work closely with you throughout the build process to help ensure your home is truly yours.
Whether you’re considering something classic, colonial, clever, contemporary or just about any architectural style, inside and out, I always enjoy the opportunity to be creative together, being a part of ideas, transforming them to paper and to reality.
No matter what “custom” means to you, Travars Built Homes will look at the possibilities. Because, to me, “custom” doesn’t just mean minor changes, like renaming a “dining room” to say “office” on a set of plans – it is so much more.
Looking forward to re-imagining your plan together.
– Andrew, Travars Built Homes
If you’re planning to build a home on your own land in Orange County, North Carolina—whether it’s in Efland, Cedar Grove, Hillsborough, or one of the other rural areas—you’ll want to be familiar with the county’s septic and well requirements before breaking ground.
The process for getting septic and well approvals can be different from county to county, so it’s important to know what to expect where your land is located. At Travars Built Homes, we work across Chatham, Alamance, Durham, Orange, Wake, and other surrounding counties, so we understand how to help you navigate the requirements specific to your property.
If your property is not served by public sewer, you will need a septic system to handle wastewater from your home.
In Orange County, the Environmental Health Division manages septic system approvals. The process typically includes:
Tip: Soil conditions can vary greatly across Orange County—especially in rural areas like Cedar Grove and Efland. Testing early in the planning process can save you time and help with house placement on the lot.
If your land does not have access to public water, you will need a private well for your home’s water supply.
In Orange County, well construction is also managed by the Environmental Health Division, and typically includes:
Note: Setback and depth requirements can vary depending on your property’s location and soil type. Properties in rural Orange County often have plenty of space for both a well and septic, but site-specific conditions still determine placement.
Travars Built Homes is based in central North Carolina and builds in Orange County as well as Chatham, Alamance, Durham, Wake, and other surrounding areas. Each county has its own permitting process, so working with a builder who is familiar with multiple jurisdictions can streamline your experience and help avoid delays.
When you work with us to build on your land:
Important DisclaimerRegulations can change over time. Always confirm current septic and well requirements with Orange County Environmental Health before making land purchases or finalizing your home plans.
There’s a reason I get excited about the pre-drywall stage—this is where the bones of your home start telling their story. I’m Phil, and I’ll be guiding your custom home build with Travars Built Homes. While I’ll be walking you through this in person during your build, I wanted to share a few things ahead of time. Here’s what I look for (and what you can, too).
There’s something powerful about watching your custom home coming together as we walk through each phase of the project.
The pre-drywall walk-through is one of my favorite tech talk opportunities, before we give the go-ahead to the drywall crew to close off the view of the components tucked inside your framing that make everything work.
As a build phase, what’s behind the walls is just as important as deciding on that perfect shade of paint, or counter top color.
The time we spend together at your pre-drywall walkthrough provides the opportunity to see and ask about the systems intertwined to work together within your walls (and an opportunity to know where not to drill when you hang your TV, artwork and photos.)
I’ll be at your side to answer questions about “rough-ins” that will give your home life, such as:
Pre-drywall activity is a transformative phase of the build – the feeling of a structure truly starting to feel like Home.
It’s like watching a plot point in a movie, where you start to see things come together. I’m a visual person, so this really sets the stage of everything to come.
We’ll get this on calendar in your online portal right after the county inspector’s approval for this phase of the build.
See you there!
– Phil, Travars Built Homes
