Gradison Design Build
Gradison Design Build is a fourth-generation, family-owned custom home builder and renovator based in Indianapolis, serving affluent homeowners in Carmel, Zionsville, Fishers, Westfield, Noblesville, and surrounding premium planned communities through a direct-to-consumer design-build model with a dedicated land development subsidiary.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1986
- HeadquartersIndianapolis, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Gradison Design Build does
Gradison Design Build is a fourth-generation, family-owned custom home builder and renovation contractor headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana (6330 E 75th Street, Suite 156). Founded in 1986 and currently led by fourth-generation brothers Joe Gradison (client relationships, design and build strategy) and Mark Gradison (construction strategy and field processes), the company delivers custom residential construction, whole-home and targeted renovations, room additions, and residential land development services to affluent homeowners across the Indianapolis metropolitan area, including Carmel, Zionsville, Fishers, Westfield, Noblesville, Boone County, and Williams Creek/Meridian Hills. Operations span a defined set of premium planned communities such as Wild Air, South Village of Nickel Plate, Asherwood of Carmel, Chatham Hills, Promontory, and Holliday Farms, with on-lot custom builds also offered throughout the region.
The company executes projects through a five-stage collaborative design-build methodology: initial consultation, early planning, design development and documentation, construction, and project completion with post-closing warranty follow-up. Its core technology layer is Buildertrend, a third-party construction management platform that provides clients with centralized 24/7 access to construction documents, project schedules, and direct communication with internal and field team members. Gradison operates a parallel subsidiary, Gradison Land Development, which handles upstream land acquisition, planning, engineering, and construction of homesites, supporting the builder's vertical integration into residential community development.
Commercially, Gradison operates a direct-to-consumer go-to-market with no channel intermediaries, generating revenue through one-time project fees on custom builds (quote-based, with disclosed examples such as a $939,900 move-in ready spec home), project-based renovation contracts, and unit-priced lot sales (e.g., $150,000 for a South Village lot). Marketing relies on the company's website, active social presence (Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn), customer testimonials, repeat regional editorial coverage in Sophisticated Living Indianapolis magazine, and exclusive or select builder positions within partner communities. The firm also maintains a strategic interior design partnership with Savvy Decor to bundle design services into its custom home offerings.
Gradison Design Build firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Gradison Design Build
- Legal name
- Gradison Design Build
- Website
- https://gradisonbuilding.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1986
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Gradison Design Build is a fourth-generation, family-owned custom home builder and renovator based in Indianapolis, serving affluent homeowners in Carmel, Zionsville, Fishers, Westfield, Noblesville, and surrounding premium planned communities through a direct-to-consumer design-build model with a dedicated land development subsidiary.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Gradison Design Build industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Custom Home Construction
- NAICS
- New Housing For-Sale Builders (236117), Residential Building Construction (23611), Residential Remodelers (236118)
- SIC
- General Bldg Contractors - Residential Bldgs (1520)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Custom Home Building (IMAFABAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Design-Build / EPC General Contracting (IMAFAAAD), Architectural Reconfiguration & Structural Alterations (HSAPAEAB)
Keywords
Where Gradison Design Build is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Indianapolis
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Gradison Design Build business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Custom Home Building: Design and construction of custom homes tailored to client specifications. Revenue is generated through one-time project fees based on home size, design complexity, and lot costs. Projects range from spec homes to fully custom builds.
- Home Renovations: Renovation services including whole-home renovations, room additions, and space reimagining. Revenue generated through project-based pricing based on scope of work.
- Land Development: Residential land development services including land acquisition, planning, engineering, and construction. They develop and sell homesites in various communities.
- Lot Sales: Sale of developed lots in various communities. Lots range from compact urban lots to estate lots (1-2 acres). Examples include South Village lots at $150K and move-in ready homes at $939,900.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Move-in Ready Spec Homes |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Lot Sales |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Custom Home Building |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Renovations |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Gradison Design Build product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Gradison Design Build designs and constructs custom homes, performs residential renovations (whole-home, room additions, and space reconfigurations), and develops residential land into homesites. The company follows a five-step collaborative design-build methodology (Initial Consultation, Early Planning, Design Development + Documentation, Construction, and Project Completion + Follow-up) and uses Buildertrend software to provide clients with 24/7 access to project documents and schedules.
Product overview
Gradison Design Build operates as a single unified design-build service rather than a software product company. The company offers three interconnected service lines: Custom Homes (new construction from lot selection through design and build), Renovations (whole-home or targeted space updates), and Land Development (residential land acquisition through community construction). These services are delivered through a five-step collaborative process—Initial Consultation, Early Planning, Design Development, Construction, and Project Completion—utilizing Buildertrend construction management software internally for project tracking. The company builds exclusively in specific Indianapolis-area communities including Wild Air, South Village of Nickel Plate, Asherwood of Carmel, Chatham Hills, Promontory, Holliday Farms, Boone County, Williams Creek/Meridian Hills, Wood Wind Landing, and offers on-lot custom building throughout the region.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Custom Homes Design and construction of custom homes for individual homeowners in the Indianapolis metro area. Engages clients through a five-step collaborative process (Initial Consultation, Early Planning, Design Development + Documentation, Construction, Project Completion + Follow-up) with post-closing warranty support. Includes spec homes (example: move-in ready 3-bedroom home in South Village of Nickel Plate, Fishers at $939,900) and fully custom builds.
- Renovations Residential renovation services for homeowners including whole-home renovations, targeted space renovations, floor plan rearrangement, square footage additions, and room additions (e.g., master bedroom and bathroom configuration on older homes). Includes skilled crews and tradesmen and full project management with a focus on keeping projects on track and stress-free.
- Land Development Residential land development services spanning land acquisition, planning, engineering, and construction. Gradison has developed and sold thousands of homesites, creating thriving neighborhoods, and sells lots ranging from compact urban lots to estate lots (1-2 acres), with example lot pricing at $150,000 for a 5,227 sq ft lot in South Village.
Companies that use Gradison Design Build
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Gradison Design Build technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Gradison Design Build partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Savvy DecornotableGradison Design-Build partners with Savvy Decor for interior design services on custom home projects. Notable collaborations featured in Sophisticated Living Indianapolis magazine including 'Farmhouse Chic' (2022) and 'Matchmade' (2023) features. The partnership combines Gradison's construction expertise with Savvy Decor's interior design capabilities to deliver fully designed custom homes.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Gradison Design Build competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- David Weekley Homes: National design-focused homebuilder offering customizable homes in select markets. Comparable on design-driven custom-build positioning, though at greater scale than Gradison.
- PulteGroup: Large national homebuilder with Indianapolis-area operations across multiple brands. Competes in the broader residential construction market, including premium product lines that overlap with Gradison's customer base.
- Toll Brothers: National luxury homebuilder with active operations in the Indianapolis metro. Overlaps with Gradison in the premium/luxury segment but operates at much greater scale and across many geographies.
- M/I Homes: Regional and national homebuilder with a meaningful Indianapolis presence across multiple price tiers. Comparable as a residential construction competitor but at significantly larger scale and broader portfolio.
- AR Homes (Arthur Rutenberg Homes): Franchise-style network of custom luxury homebuilders operating across multiple U.S. markets. Comparable in custom luxury positioning and design-build process, though operating as a distributed network.
- Lennar: One of the largest U.S. homebuilders with a significant Indianapolis presence. Comparable as a residential construction competitor but at vastly larger scale and with a production-builder model.
Direct peers
- Homes by Westwood: Long-standing Indianapolis-area custom home builder focused on premium communities across Carmel, Zionsville, and surrounding suburbs. Comparable in customer segment, custom-build model, and Indianapolis footprint.
- Estridge Homes: Indianapolis-based custom home builder serving the same affluent Carmel/Zionsville/Fishers corridor with similar design-build and custom-construction offerings. Directly comparable in geography, customer base, and price point.
Regional players
- Fischer Homes: Cincinnati-based regional custom and semi-custom homebuilder serving Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana markets. Comparable regional custom-builder model, though anchored in a different metro area.
- Frankel Homes: Custom homebuilder serving the greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky region with a design-build approach and premium positioning. Comparable regional luxury custom-builder model outside of Indianapolis.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Gradison Design Build social profiles
Digital presenceGradison Design Build financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Gradison Design Build leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Gradison Design Build subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Gradison Design Build funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Gradison Design Build M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Gradison Design Build
What does Gradison Design Build do?
Gradison Design Build designs and constructs custom homes, performs residential renovations (whole-home, room additions, and space reconfigurations), and develops residential land into homesites. The company follows a five-step collaborative design-build methodology (Initial Consultation, Early Planning, Design Development + Documentation, Construction, and Project Completion + Follow-up) and uses Buildertrend software to provide clients with 24/7 access to project documents and schedules.
Is Gradison Design Build a public or private company?
Gradison Design Build is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Gradison Design Build founded?
Gradison Design Build was founded in 1986. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Gradison Design Build based?
Gradison Design Build is headquartered in Indianapolis, United States, in the North America region.
How does Gradison Design Build make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Custom Home Building is the primary driver. The others are home Renovations, land Development and lot Sales.
Who are Gradison Design Build's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are David Weekley Homes, PulteGroup, Toll Brothers, M/I Homes, AR Homes (Arthur Rutenberg Homes) and Lennar. Direct peers are Homes by Westwood and Estridge Homes. Regional players are Fischer Homes and Frankel Homes.
Does Gradison Design Build have an API?
No public API is recorded for Gradison Design Build.
What industry is Gradison Design Build in?
Gradison Design Build's product category is Custom Home Construction. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAFABAC, Custom Home Building, with a secondary code of IMAFAAAD, Design-Build / EPC General Contracting. Its NAICS code is 236117 and its SIC code is 1520.