Sale 0 Sign In Join as a Pro GET IDEAS FIND PROFESSIONALS SHOP BY DEPARTMENT Play Video Previous Next Item 3 of 10 Grayson Dare Homes, Inc. Average rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars 4.817 Reviews Design-Build Firms About UsProjectsCredentialsReviewsIdeabooks About Us 8x Best of Houzz winner Family owned 19 years in business Durham's Unique Custom Home Builder | Best of Houzz 2021! Grayson Dare Homes was born from the idea of a different home building experience. I started Grayson Dare Homes, named for my two daughters, after spending way too many years in the BIG BUILDER world. Don't get me wrong, they do a great job of getting a lot of space for the money, but they do it by stripping away the very essence of what a home should be. Your home should be an expression of you and your family. It should speak of your personality, your taste, your family, and how you like to live. It doesn't have to be expensive, large, or ornate. It should simply be an expression of you. That's what we offer at Grayson Dare. A home designed for you, with you, for just how you live. Consumers have been brainwashed into thinking that building a new home is like buying a car...three models, four colors, which one do you want? But it doesn't have to be that way. Here's a challenge, close your eyes and dream of the most comfortable family room you can imagine. You see yourself relaxing on the sofa. Does is have a fireplace? Lots of windows? How about a French door? You have just started on the journey of designing YOUR new home! Let Grayson Dare translate your vision into reality, then enjoy the beautiful expression of you and your life that is your home, for years to come! Dare to dream... Read More Back to Navigation 52 Projects Kitchen Bathroom Bedroom Exterior Family Room Entry Dining Room Closet Hillsborough, NC Greystone 29 photos Timberlake, NC Snowbound 33 photos Mebane, NC Copper Red Traditional 25 photos French Gray Traditional 32 photos Durham, NC Ranch Remodel 23 photos Durham, NC Salty Dog 27 photos Load Next 6 Projects Back to Navigation Credentials 8 Houzz Awards 5 Houzz Badges 3 Affiliations Show All Back to Navigation Featured Review Km J Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars Relationship Client I love, love LOVE my home built by Grayson-Dare. I gave David a drawing of my floor plan and a drawing of my living room. Not only did he design what was in my head, he improved upon it. Their attention to detail is fantastic. I have the exact home I Read Full Review Write a Review 17 Reviews for Grayson Dare Homes, Inc. Glynnis Thorpe Average rating: 4 out of 5 stars Relationship Client Grayson Dare was our 2nd go round with a builder. The staff were all very personable and seemed genuinely interested in making our experience a comfortable one given our previous issue with another builder. I think they were upfront and honest. We had budget constraints but they definitely helped us choose options in our home that we would be comfortable with. I am pleased and happy with the beautiful home that we now live in. I have recommended Grayson Dare to friends of mine. We've been in the house a few months now and with any problem or question their office is always quick to respond to me. I especially appreciate their prompt service even after the house is built. Read More Like (1)June 10, 2020 Woody Taylor Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars Relationship Client Grayson Dare Homes helped us design and build our dream home. After talking with numerous home design/build firms, we really clicked with David and his design sensibilities. The entire staff and crew were great throughout the whole process. They sweat the details. The result is an incredible home and we couldn't be happier. We don't plan to ever do this again, but if we do, we'll get Grayson Dare to do it. Read More Like (1)November 26, 2019 Km J Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars Relationship Client I love, love LOVE my home built by Grayson-Dare. I gave David a drawing of my floor plan and a drawing of my living room. Not only did he design what was in my head, he improved upon it. Their attention to detail is fantastic. I have the exact home I always dreamed of! Like (1)August 26, 2019 cathy meek Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars Relationship Client I want to thank David and everyone at Grayson Dare for the wonderful job on our new home. Our home had burned down and it was a very emotional project. David took my design and built exactly what we wanted. Like (1)March 21, 2019 Peter Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars Relationship Client We particularly liked the design phase of our new home. David Vines is a wiz at taking ideas and translating them into an innovative final home, Like (1)November 28, 2018 Chris Dias Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars Relationship Client My wife and I decided to work with David on our second new construction home. Our first new construction home was built with a large builder, and we will NEVER go that route again. We decided to go with David because of his lot development acumen as well as his attention to detail (something you just won’t get with the “big builders”). Every idea that my wife and I brought to the table, David and team was able to accomplish. Whether you’re going for more traditional features, or if you’re looking to add some unique flavor to your house, David does a great job at figuring out how to get things done! We have been very impressed with his follow-up after closing as well. When we used a large builder on our former project, we never heard from the builder after the home was closed on. Even on structural warranty issues, we had to follow up with the large builder several times before we could get something fixed. With David, it doesn’t matter if the issue is warranty related or not. If I need something fixed, I can reach him or any of his team members directly and know that the issue will be resolved within the week. Those “custom” homes may look like they cost a bit less, but they ended up costing us much more in the long run. Not to mention the hassle of following up over and over again just to get something as simple as a plumbing fixture leak fixed! Come on!! My wife and I couldn’t be happier with our decision to use Grayson Dare to build our home. They build quality construction, are extremely responsive, and they stand behind their work. I highly recommend using them to build your home! Read More Like (1)March 20, 2018 Michelle Opp Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars Relationship Client We couldn’t be happier about the house that Grayson Dare built for us. When we originally saw the listing, we loved the location and the neighborhood, but the proposed house design would have been too large for us. David was happy to work with us to design a house that was perfect for us, and he had so many great ideas that we never would have thought of on our own. David was such a pleasure to work with, always professional but also easy to talk to. There were a few small problems along the way, but David was great at reassuring us that each problem would be fixed – and then following through. He often took the time to explain what the issue was and why the problem happened, which I really appreciated. Jason, Barry, Bridgette, and Kristin were also very friendly and helpful, and we enjoyed working with the whole team at Grayson Dare. We did make a few small compromises to stay on track with the budget, but now I honestly don’t feel like our house is lacking anything. Last weekend was our first vacation out of town in over a year, and we actually decided to come home a day early because we both realized we’d rather spend that day in our own home than in the Airbnb where we were staying. Considering that we weren’t even planning to build a house before we saw the Grayson Dare listing, and we did very little research before deciding to go ahead with it, I am so thankful every day that we did! It’s not just the house, but the neighborhood, the shorter commute, the sense of community – this was definitely one of the best decisions we have ever made. I don’t know if we’ll ever build another house, because I can’t see us ever wanting to leave this one. But if we do, David would be the first person I would call. Read More Like (1)November 6, 2017 Lora Hindsley Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars Relationship Client My second time building with this company and I am very satisfied with their level of commitment to give you the house you are dreaming of. They are great to work with with and strive to givenyou a great experience. Like (1)November 1, 2017 Steve Barsby Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars Relationship Client We came across David Vines of Grayson Dare through his advertising a small in-fill project in downtown Cary, NC. He offered a house plan that fit us perfectly--3BR, 2 baths, single story, high and vaulted ceilings, with no wasted space in long hallways. Best of all, he offered to open up our living room to what would have been a window in an attic looking over the front street for $0 additional cost. So that room feels much larger than it is and gets all kinds of morning and South sunlight. He worked with us in designing the ceiling pitch in that room. He also shifted a ventless fireplace a bit to accomodate our desired media center, and constructed a built-in cabinet to house our favorite sliding drawers to hold cds. He opened up the kitchen to the living/dining room, and changed a planned breakfast room to a screened porch (giving us a $ credit). He willingly worked on other design issues. The house was built on time and on budget. The big negative we had was the flooring company he worked with that improperly installed a cork floor. We were left the task of forcing the contractor to replace the floor (only cost to us was to retain an attorney). All ended well, and the hardwood replacement floor is very nice. David is a conscientious builder and was responsive to our communications. We would hire him again and would recommend him to friends. Read More Like (2)October 28, 2016 Shelah Bloom Average rating: 4 out of 5 stars Relationship Client David is a talented builder with a great eye for design. He's able to execute a design that fits the look and feel of what you want in your new home. I told him what I wanted, sent him some pictures and he came up with a design which went back and forth with revisions. This back and forth process on the design was not at all rushed, and was not over until I was completely satisfied. The end result is that I am living in a home that feels like I am on vacation...like somewhere I prefer to be all the time. I love the space and the built-ins he put into the house. There was a part of the house I wanted designed very particularly and he did a great job. When the initial design for that door did not work they replaced it with a better mechanism that was perfect. Everyone who has been to my house thinks it is very nice--and it is. I explained what I wanted (something like a New England Farmhouse) and he totally got it. I couldn't be happier. Basically he took my ideas and was able to execute them into physical reality--and the result was great. The work is of very high quality. The reason for the four instead of five stars was some of the things that took place during the process, which don't feel like big issues now at all but I think need to be mentioned. The software they use, called co-construct, is very poorly designed and time consuming to use. Co-construct is typical of professional softwares in which there is simply little or no competition for products and thus doesn't have to work well. Second, the budget was not well explained and there were errors in the end. Third, David himself was very nice and was easy to communicate with, but his chief person on the ground was sometimes rude and hard to communicate with. The rest of his crew--particularly the person who dealt with most of the day to day things with me, as well as the repairs that followed after the house was built, was very pleasant. In the scheme of things these were little issues. The major point is that I got a very nice house built. I would highly recommend Grayson Dare. Read More Like (1)October 4, 2016Last modified:October 4, 2016 Julie Thurman Average rating: 4 out of 5 stars Relationship Client Our family built a house with Grayson Dare on the last lot in an existing neighborhood that had mostly been built out since the 1990s. It was a wonderful opportunity, and we loved the ability to completely customize the design of our home, while also keeping in mind the character of the neighborhood. David worked with us to develop a floor plan that would fit our family perfectly. He was able to guide us in areas that we wouldn't have considered and provide us with creative ideas that met all of our needs and wants in a new home. Even throughout the building process, we were able to make changes to some aspects of the design as new ideas came up while the house was starting to take shape. For example, as the house was being framed, we decided to add a bay window at the last minute. Also, if David saw something that he didn't think would look quite right as the house was being built, he'd let us know and suggest a change. We really appreciated the flexibility and fluidity of the process. Of course, no construction process is 100% smooth the whole way through, but David was always quick to respond and try to correct any issues. There were some employee changes that occurred during our build, and I truly believe that if the team that is there now was there during the entire construction of our house, the process would have been even smoother. We have really enjoyed being in a space that works so well for our family for the past 2.5 years and look forward to many more years in our beautiful Grayson Dare Home. Read More Like (1)September 26, 2016Last modified:September 26, 2016 Claudia Draffin Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars Relationship Client Working with David Vines, we were able to build a custom one-level home which suits our retirement needs. At 3300 square feet, it's large enough to be welcoming to guests but small enough for us to manage and maintain. David's designs are flexible; he is willing to adapt his design ideas to the clients' needs. We had never built a house before so it was good to have guidance from the Grayson Dare team. This group uses Co-Construct, a computer program which outlines the options available and also provides a means of communication with the team. The sub-contractors on our project were knowledgeable and courteous. All changes, problems and complications were dealt with in due course. David stands behind his work. Building can be a complicated process and good communication is key. David's company is still young; we look for him to be a success in the Raleigh-Durham area. Photos of our French Country home are included in the Grayson Dare gallery. Read More Like (1)September 17, 2016 Angela Smith Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars Relationship Client We hired Grayson Dare to build our 3400 sq ft home, and we were impressed with them every step of the way. Building a custom home is challenging, but they walked us through the process step by step. Perhaps the best thing about their company is that they stand by their product. After close, several small issues can come up. Each time, they were very responsive, took big steps to address the problem to our satisfaction, working with the subcontractors. All in all, we are very pleased to have worked with them while building our dream home! Read More Like (1)September 13, 2016 Laurie Darlow Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars Relationship Client I discovered Grayson Dare Homes right as I was about to commit to a 'cookie cutter' home. It wasn't what I wanted though and I struggled with the decision. As I sat in traffic stopped on I-40 I clicked on a link a friend had sent me for Grayson Dare Custom Homes. It was a rainy Friday afternoon. I figured I had nothing to lose. So I called. And they answered the phone! I explained that I was in town from overseas and didn't have much time. They opened on a Saturday to meet me and discuss their process and show me a piece of property. I couldn't believe this was happening - I actually thought this might work. It was kind of like one-stop shopping - finding property and a builder in one fell swoop? I'm not usually that lucky! The owner, David Vines and his Grayson Dare team patiently worked with me over the next 9-10 months while I continued to work in Pakistan. David and I designed my house together. My priority was to have a quilting studio and a home where I could 'age in place.' So we started with the quilting studio - he asked me all the right questions about the equipment and tables needed checking sizes and noting the natural light needed. The rest of my house was designed around that. We looked a hundred of pictures of houses online - interiors and exteriors so he could get an idea of my tastes and preferences. Over the next 2 months we tweaked the floor plans, moving walls, windows and doors and adjusting square footage. I made so many changes I was afraid he would fire me as a client! Despite the 10-hour time difference and a crummy internet connection from my end, David used a program that allowed me to see the floor plans making changes as we discussed the flow of the home - as I watched. While David and his team designed and built my house from October through June, I only went home to the U.S. twice - once to pick out everything (cabinetry, flooring, tiles, appliances etc) and then again for closing - and to to make a few final selections for those all - important finishing touches. They sent me videos to update me on the progress - from clearing the property to framing and beyond. They helped me and guided me through the selection process for everything from lighting to sinks to faucets to flooring and tile. Although it was overwhelming at times, they quickly focused my attention keeping in mind my tastes and preferences as well as my budget. When I didn't understand a technical detail or process, they patiently explained it to me and answered all my questions. A friend in Durham keeping tabs on the progress described my house as solid and beautifully finished. Indeed, it is. Grayson Dare paid attention to even the smallest of details I wanted. I loved the process and I'd do it all over again - if I had to. But I won't need to because Grayson Dare helped me get it right the first time. When I first started doing my research on purchasing a home (since the 2008 real estate bust) my bank told me of the difficulties of trying to build a custom home which was always my dream. I quickly gave up that dream until I met David Vines and his team at Grayson Dare. They financed the construction loan. All my friends and co-workers said, "No way will your house be finished by June." They were wrong. Except for a few finishing touches that required my final decisions when I saw my house, we closed on schedule. I believe we could have closed sooner but David happily worked with me on the closing date because of my limited ability to get to the U.S. from Pakistan. David assured me I could build this house from overseas and his team would be successful but I figured I was in for a year of total frustration and I was scared to make such a huge financial commitment. Even his crew was amazed at what we accomplished. The key was communication and for me a lot of late nights online with a less than ideal internet connection from my end. Again, Grayson Dare's patience and professionalism pushed us through to the final product - an absolutely gorgeous custom, dream home. I haven't moved in yet because I am still overseas but I am totally awestruck by the pictures of my house and I absolutely cannot wait to get "home." A huge thanks to David Vines and his Grayson Dare team for building my dream home! Read More Like (1)September 12, 2016Last modified:September 12, 2016 Marketa Dickinson Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars Relationship Client We are a retired couple who wanted to downsize and live in a newly constructed single story house, ideally in the same area. Knowing this adventure was not for the feint hearted, we engaged our builder-Grayson Dare. They provided us with a building lot and dream house that met our expectations. We found a house plan after much Internet browsing and David Vines and his team modified the floor plan to fit the site, provided us with certain design criteria and constructed the house in fairly short order. David incorporated features such as wide doors etc suitable for the developing elderly. He was sensitive to the neighborhood and the ‘fit’ of our house therein. Since this was a custom built house, there were a few decisions that were made ‘on the fly’ but the end result was to our satisfaction. Deadlines were duly met and we moved in on schedule. Grayson Dare operate through web-based ‘co-construct’ but were readily available for face to face discussions. Such weekly meetings helped the process enormously. There were hundreds of decisions to be made but there was plenty of advice from the Grayson Dare team and preferred vendors etc. We were provided with a budget for most items (appliances, cabinets, carpets etc.). This was adequate in most cases but we had to keep a watchful eye in order to prevent too much ‘budget creep’. Any imperfections during and after construction were promptly rectified. The end result is a house that looks great and it’s a joy to walk into a fresh new home. Read More Like (1)September 10, 2016 WW Wood Average rating: 4 out of 5 stars Relationship Client We hired Grayson Dare to build our home, and have been very pleased with the results! We've been living in the house for 2 months now, and have had only very minor issues arise. They were organized and efficient during the building process, and we've been pleased with the quality of workmanship so far, as well. We've heard horror stories about other builders, and are happy to report that we don't have any. Read More Like (1)September 7, 2016Last modified:September 7, 2016 HU-7138107 Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars Relationship Client The definition of custom and accommodation. Professional sub contractors, transparent process, excellent end product, thorough warranty/support after close. Highly recommended if you want your exact vision completed with great communication and not a faceless tract builder's approximation of such. Like (1)September 7, 2016 Back to Navigation 4 Ideabooks Back to Navigation 80 Comments Commented: ivory cabinet color?Hi Lucia, and thanks for your question! I apologize for the delay in response. This house closed several years ago and required some work to locate the cabinet details. You are correct regarding the p... August 2, 2021 Commented: floor stain with black island is great!Hi Pam and thanks for your question! Sorry for the delay in response! The flooring in this remodel was Red Oak Select (2.25), and was installed by Frazee Carpet and Flooring. July 3, 2021 Commented: Do you know the dimensions of this closet?Good morning Roberta and thanks for your question! This is the long side of an L-shaped master closet. This section of closet is the long side of the L and is about 13 ft. deep and is about 6ft. wide. May 14, 2021 Commented: Love the carpet!Good afternoon NB and thanks for your question! The flooring in this home was done by @Frazee Carpet &amp; Flooring and is Shaw Cabana carpet and the color is Sugar Cookie! May 12, 2021 Commented: Railing where did they come fromHi Nancy and thanks for your question! Those are custom stair rails designed by a local company in Durham NC, called Custom Steel, Inc. March 10, 2021 Commented: I absolutely the flooring. Could you please tell me the make and colorHi Jill and thanks for your question! This flooring is level 2 engineered hardwood (5&quot;). The brand is Mohawk Weatherby Birch. The color is Java Birch. February 23, 2021 Contact Grayson Dare Homes, Inc. Send Message View Phone Number Website 1415 W. NC-54 Suite 215 Durham, North Carolina 27707 United States Typical Job Cost $250,000 - 1.5 million Read More License Number NCGL 48864 76 Followers Follow Find me on Facebook Find Design-Build Contractors to Help Get the Job Done Tired of reading all the DIY tutorials? We are here to help. With over 1 million home professionals on Houzz, you’ll easily find the trusted Design-Build Contractor for your next project in Durham, NC. Read Reviews from Durham Homeowners Like You Read homeowners reviews before hiring the Design-Build Contractor to help with your project in Durham. If you have questions, read other homeowners’ reviews or our discussion forum for a second opinion. Easily Contact Trusted Design-Build Contractors If you’re browsing Houzz and have a contractor in mind, then you’ll quickly find that requesting a quote is easier than ever. From one simple dashboard, you can manage all the Design-Build Contractor quotes you got. Design-Build Firms near Durham Durham County Design-Build Firms · Durham Design-Build Firms · Orange County Design-Build Firms · Cary Design-Build Firms · Chapel Hill Design-Build Firms · Morrisville Design-Build Firms · Carrboro Design-Build Firms · Butner Design-Build Firms · Hillsborough Design-Build Firms · Creedmoor Design-Build Firms Professional Categories in Durham Durham Architects & Building Designers · Durham Design-Build Firms · Durham General Contractors · Durham Home Builders · Durham Interior Designers & Decorators · Durham Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Durham Kitchen & Bathroom Remodelers · Durham Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Durham Landscape Contractors · Durham Swimming Pool Builders Related Services Custom Homes · Home Remodeling · New Home Construction · Home Additions · Kitchen Remodeling · Home Extensions · Bathroom Remodeling · Kitchen Design · Architectural Design · Building Design United States Select country United States United Kingdom Australia Deutschland France Россия 日本 Italia España Danmark Sverige Ireland Singapore New Zealand India © 2021 Houzz Inc. COMPANY About Houzz Houzz Credit Cards Gift Cards Careers Privacy & Notice Terms Cookie Policy Do not sell my info Mobile Apps Copyright & Trademark BUSINESS SERVICES For Professionals Remodeling Software Floor Planner Contractor Leads For Brands Trade Program Buttons & Badges GET HELP Your Orders Shipping & Delivery Return Policy Review Professionals Suggested Professionals Accessibility Houzz Support Contact Sign In CONNECT WITH US Houzz Blog Twitter Facebook YouTube RSS United Kingdom Australia - English Canada - English Danmark - Dansk Deutschland - Deutsch España - Español France - Français India - English Ireland - English Italia - Italiano 日本 - 日本語 New Zealand - English Россия - Русский Singapore - English Sverige - Svenska United Kingdom - English US - English Tailor my experience using cookies By continuing to browse this site or use this app, I agree the Houzz group may use cookies and similar technologies to improve its products and services, serve me relevant content and to personalise my experience. Learn more. Continue