Residential Construction in The Heights.
Building new in an established The Heights neighborhood means working inside existing utility, drainage, and deed-restriction constraints. Those constraints should shape the design from day one, not surface at plan review.
Residential Construction in The Heights, Texas typically costs $275–$450 per square foot for ground-up residential construction, and takes 3–5 months of design and permitting, then 9–14 months on site. Novara Construction is a licensed, insured design-build contractor serving The Heights, Houston and surrounding Harris County, handling design, permitting, and construction under one fixed-price contract.
$275–$450 per square foot for ground-up residential construction.
Greater Houston market ranges, not a quote. Your number depends on scope, finish level, and existing conditions.
3–5 months of design and permitting, then 9–14 months on site.
Permitting duration varies by jurisdiction — see below for who reviews work in The Heights.
What's included
- Ground-up single-family construction
- Teardown and rebuild on established lots
- Garage apartments, guest quarters, and detached shops
- Engineered foundations and structural framing
- Full permitting and inspection management
The Heights homes
The Heights is bungalows and cottages from the 1910s–1940s: pier-and-beam foundations, shiplap, original longleaf pine, small kitchens, and one bath. The work is almost always a combination of preservation and modernization — leveling and reinforcing the foundation, replacing knob-and-tube wiring and galvanized plumbing, insulating, then rebuilding the kitchen and baths and often adding to the rear.
Site and utility review, design, permitting, then a sequenced build with a single point of contact and a fixed-price contract.
Who reviews it
Much of the area sits inside a City of Houston historic district, where exterior changes and additions require a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Houston Archaeological and Historical Commission before a building permit is issued. We prepare those applications and design additions that will actually get approved.
- Houston Heights
- Norhill
- Woodland Heights
- Sunset Heights
- Shady Acres
77007 · 77008 · 77009
Not listed? Call and we'll confirm coverage for your address.
The Heights questions
Can you demolish and rebuild on my existing lot?
Yes — including demolition permits, utility disconnects, tree protection where required, and drainage plans.
How is a fixed price possible on new construction?
By completing design and selections before we contract. Unknowns get priced as allowances, and any change is a written change order with a number attached before work starts.
Can I add on to a home in a Heights historic district?
Usually yes, with the addition set back and subordinate to the original structure. It requires a Certificate of Appropriateness, which we prepare and submit.
Do you do foundation work on pier-and-beam bungalows?
Yes. Leveling, sill and joist replacement, and new piers are common first phases before finish work begins.