Custom Home Builder in Terrell Hills, Texas

Five miles from downtown. Fort Sam Houston at its eastern edge. Heritage oaks on streets laid out in 1919. And a community that once took San Antonio to court, and won, to stay exactly what it is.

Terrell Hills is the kind of place that earns its reputation quietly. No splashy marketing. No master-planned amenity center. Just 1.6 square miles of independently governed city, tree-lined streets, architecturally distinguished homes built across a century, and one of the most coveted school district addresses in all of San Antonio. New construction here , whether on a rare vacant lot or the site of a home that has served its time, is an opportunity worth approaching seriously. McNair Custom Homes has been building at that standard in San Antonio’s established communities since 1998.

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Tri Cities Enclave
Independent Since 1939

Alamo Heights ISD
Excellence in Education

Teardowns and Rare Lots Since 1998

Direct Access to
Our Team – Always

A City That Fought for Its Independence – Twice

The story of Terrell Hills begins the way the best Texas stories do: with a small group of people who had a clear idea of what they wanted and were willing to fight for it.

In 1919, Frederick Terrell – a former mayor of San Antonio and a banker who had done well enough to put his name on a development – sold 22.5 acres to a private association with one purpose: to create a residential community of quality on the northeastern edge of the city. Six families and three bachelors signed contracts to build homes. The community grew slowly and deliberately, as planned communities tend to when the people founding them are paying close attention.

By 1939, with San Antonio’s political winds shifting, the residents of Terrell Hills made a preemptive move. When the newly elected mayor of San Antonio made his intention to aggressively tax the prosperous neighborhoods on the city’s edge widely known, Terrell Hills held an election, incorporated as a municipality on March 31 of that year, and placed itself beyond his reach. Six years later, San Antonio attempted to annex Terrell Hills outright, without holding an election in either city. Terrell Hills sued. The court voided the annexation. In 1957, the city adopted a home-rule charter that made its independence permanent.

What Terrell Hills has been ever since is a 1.6-square-mile incorporated city in the heart of San Antonio, surrounded entirely by the city it has twice refused to become part of, with its own police department, its own fire department, its own city council, and its own standards for what gets built within its borders.

Forbes has recognized it as one of the most expensive suburbs in the United States. Median listing prices have touched $1.3 million. Homes here range from mid-century cottages to estate properties on half-acre lots beneath heritage oaks. And the school district, Alamo Heights ISD, is the same one that anchors Alamo Heights and Olmos Park, completing the Tri Cities’ claim to the most distinguished residential corridor in all of San Antonio.

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Why Terrell Hills Buyers Choose McNair Custom Homes

Teardowns and Infill Builds Are The Norm Here

Terrell Hills doesn’t have undeveloped subdivisions coming online. Like its Tri Cities neighbors, new custom homes here are almost always the result of a teardown or a rare vacant lot – a property acquired because of its address, its lot size, or its position on a particular street, with the intention of building something the land and the neighborhood both deserve. McNair Custom Homes is experienced with the full scope of this work: demolition coordination, utility transition, the Terrell Hills permit process, and the design discipline required to build a home that earns its place in a neighborhood this established.

The McNair Experience™
Precision for Complex Builds

The margin for error on an infill build in a dense, established neighborhood is narrow. Neighboring structures are close. Street access for crews and materials requires coordination. The city has its own permit process and its own expectations for construction conduct within its 1.6-square-mile boundary. McNair Custom Homes three-step process – Discuss It, Design It, Build It – brings the structure and clarity that complex projects like these require. You always know what’s happening, what it costs, and what comes next.

Design That Belongs on the Block

Terrell Hills streets are architecturally layered – Spanish Revival from the 1920s, Colonial and Tudor from the 1930s and 40s, mid-century moderns, and contemporary custom builds, all coexisting at a consistently high level of quality. A new home built here carries the obligation to contribute to that conversation, not ignore it. McNair Custom Homes’ architects and design partners approach every Terrell Hills project with that context in mind – whether the design is a thoughtful contemporary build that earns its place through craft and proportion, or a classically inspired home that fits the neighborhood’s original architectural palette with conviction.

Alamo Heights ISD
Defining the Tri Cities

Alamo Heights Independent School District serves the overwhelming majority of Terrell Hills, including Woodridge Elementary, Alamo Heights Junior School, and Alamo Heights High School. For most buyers pursuing a Terrell Hills address, the school district is not incidental – it is the address. McNair Custom homes understands that dynamic and treats school zone confirmation as a fundamental part of the site evaluation, not an afterthought.

Fort Sam Houston Defining the Eastern Edge

Every home out there comes with a warranty because it’s expected. Our homes focus on quality because we believe in it. You still get the warranty you expect, but there’s so much more to it than that. The tradespeople who build your home have worked with us for years. They care about the work, not just the paycheck – and it shows in every detail.

A Builder Accountable to the City’s Long Memory

Terrell Hills has roughly 5,000 residents in 1.6 square miles. Reputations travel fast and last a long time. McNair Custom Homes has operated in communities like this one for more than 25 years – small, established, and intensely attentive to the quality of what gets built within them. The same team that designs and builds your home is the team you’ll reach after you move in. That continuity isn’t a differentiator in a community this size. It’s a requirement.

Custom Home Building Services in Terrell Hills

Teardown and Replacement Builds

The great majority of new custom homes in Terrell Hills start the same way: an existing structure on a street worth building on, acquired by a buyer with a clear vision for what should come next. McNair Custom Homes manages the full scope of this path – demolition coordination, utility disconnects and reconnects, tree preservation assessment, Terrell Hills permit submission, and a design process that begins fresh with the land as its starting point.

We do the diligence upfront: setbacks, utility connections, existing easements, deed restrictions, and any city-specific requirements that shape what the property actually allows. The goal is a home that holds its value, honors its street, and performs well for decades.

Your lot. Your legacy. Our precision.

Building on a Vacant Lot

Vacant lots in Terrell Hills are genuinely uncommon. When one does become available – through an estate sale, a rare subdivision, or an undeveloped parcel that has simply been waiting for the right moment – it represents one of the most valuable building opportunities in the entire San Antonio market. McNair Custom Homes approaches these projects with the same thoroughness as any teardown: early engagement with the Terrell Hills permit process, full site evaluation, and a design conversation that starts from the specific character and context of that particular piece of land.

If you’re watching a lot or moving toward an acquisition, connect with us early. The preparation we do before you need to move will serve you when the timing is right.

Let’s Talk About Your Property

Learn About Build On Your Lot

Architecture and Design for Terrell Hills

The homes that hold the most value in Terrell Hills are the ones built with genuine design conviction. Homes that look like they were designed for a specific lot, a specific street, and a specific buyer rather than assembled from a standard options package. McNair Custom Homes’ architect partners bring that conviction to every project. Their work spans the full range of styles present in Terrell Hills, from classically proportioned estates that could have been built in the neighborhood’s founding decade to contemporary builds whose confidence in clean lines and quality materials earns their place just as surely.

Don’t have an architect? We’ll help you find the right fit – or connect you with our in-house designer.

Our Architect Partners Include:

Distinctive Drafting and Design
Design by Gustavo Arredondo
MSA Architecture and Interiors
J Terrian Designs
Oscar Flores Design Studios
Almendariz Design
Studio S Architekts

How McNair Custom Homes Builds in Terrell Hills

Step 1
Discuss It
It begins with your property and an honest assessment of what it involves. Teardown or vacant lot? What are the setbacks, the utility situation, the tree survey picture? What does the Terrell Hills permit timeline look like? What does the street expect architecturally, and what does your vision call for? What is the full realistic cost – including site work, demolition if applicable, and the complete scope of what this specific lot requires? We work through every one of those questions before anything is designed.
Design It
With a clear picture of the site and your vision, our architectural and design work begins. Floor plans, elevations, material selections, and a detailed project cost estimate – all developed collaboratively with your direct involvement at every meaningful decision point. For Terrell Hills projects, this phase specifically addresses the contextual design obligations of the street – scale, proportion, materials, and the relationship between the new home and its established neighbors.

Step 2
Step 3
Build It
Terrell Hills permits in hand, construction begins with the care and discipline the neighborhood warrants. Managing a build in a dense, established city requires attentive site management – scheduled deliveries, considerate working hours, consistent communication with city officials and neighbors, and professional conduct throughout. You’ll have milestone updates, a framing walk-through, a thorough “blue tape” inspection, and a closing day that delivers exactly what was designed and promised.

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Terrell Hills, the Surrounding Tri Cities Corridor, and Beyond

Terrell Hills sits at the heart of one of the most distinguished residential corridors in all of San Antonio. McNair Custom Homes builds throughout the Tri Cities and the surrounding north-central San Antonio communities.

Boerne
New Braunfels
Texas Hill Country
…and wherever your lot is located.

We’ve built in more communities than we can list here – if you have a lot anywhere in Terrell Hills or the greater San Antonio area, reach out. Chances are, we’ve built nearby.

What Our Clients Say About Building with McNair Custom Homes

“Lots of people talk about integrity and great service, but John and his team show these values in everything they do every day! We built with them and it was a great experience beginning to end!”

John and Jill

The Craftsmanship We Bring to Every Build

11 Chaumont

977 Scarlett Ridge

9714 Midsomer Place

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Building to the Standard This City Has Always Demanded

Meet the McNair Team

Terrell Hills has been holding its standard since 1919. The original residents signed contracts requiring homes to be built within five years. The city incorporated in 1939 to protect its character. It sued the City of San Antonio in 1945 and won. It adopted a home-rule charter in 1957 to make that independence permanent. A hundred years of that kind of institutional intentionality produces a city that takes what gets built within it very seriously and a real estate market that rewards quality consistently and punishes shortcuts eventually.

McNair Custom Homes was built on a compatible understanding. John McNair founded this company in 1998 on the belief that building a custom home should be done with the kind of precision, honesty, and personal accountability that makes the finished product worth pointing to decades later. He built a team that stays engaged, a process that surfaces complexity early, and a finished standard that holds up under the scrutiny of neighbors who have been watching this street for thirty years.

In a city where a home built in 1940 by architect Bartlett Cocke recently sold for the first time in 85 years, that kind of longevity is the only metric that matters.

Building Homes | Building Relationships

Terrell Hills has been built carefully since the beginning. So have we.

Ready to Build in Terrell Hills?

Whether you’ve identified the right teardown candidate, you’re watching a lot that isn’t on the market yet, or you already hold a property and you’re ready to think seriously about what should come next – the conversation starts here.

Tell us about your property and your vision. We’ll give you a direct, honest answer on what’s possible and what it takes.

Or call us directly: (210) 920-4265

📍 21252 Gathering Oak, #200 | San Antonio, TX 78260

(Serving Terrell Hills, Alamo Heights, Olmos Park, and the Tri Cities corridor.)

Frequently Asked Questions About Building
a New Home in Terrell Hills

Q: Does McNair Custom Homes build in Terrell Hills?

A: Yes. McNair Custom Homes builds luxury custom homes in Terrell Hills and throughout the Tri Cities corridor, including Alamo Heights and Olmos Park. We specialize in the teardown and infill builds that represent most new construction opportunities in this fully developed enclave, as well as the rare vacant lot build when one becomes available.

Q: What school district serves Terrell Hills?

A: The majority of Terrell Hills is served by Alamo Heights Independent School District, one of the most highly regarded school districts in San Antonio. Schools serving Terrell Hills include Woodridge Elementary School, Alamo Heights Junior School, and Alamo Heights High School. A small portion of Terrell Hills is served by North East ISD. Always verify your specific address with the relevant district before purchasing.

Q: How does new construction typically happen in Terrell Hills?

A: Because Terrell Hills is a fully developed, 1.6-square-mile city with almost no undeveloped land remaining, new custom homes are almost always the result of teardown projects – a buyer acquires an existing property, removes the structure, and builds a home specifically designed for that lot. Vacant lots do occasionally become available through estate sales or parcel changes, but they are rare and move quickly. McNair Custom Homes is experienced with both paths.

Q: What makes building in Terrell Hills different from other San Antonio neighborhoods?

A: Terrell Hills is an independent incorporated city with its own municipal permit process, its own city council, and an architectural character defined by nearly a century of established residential development. New construction here carries a contextual obligation to design with the street in mind and requires navigating a dense, fully developed residential environment where neighboring structures are close and site management demands discipline. It’s not suburban infill; it’s city building in one of San Antonio’s most distinguished addresses.

Q: How long does it take to build a custom home in Terrell Hills?

A: Most custom builds in Terrell Hills take between 12 and 18 months from design completion to delivery. For teardown projects, demolition, utility transition, and site clearance add time before construction begins. McNair Custom Homes accounts for the Terrell Hills permit process and all site preparation in the project timeline from the outset so the schedule is realistic from day one.

Q: Why is Terrell Hills bordered by Fort Sam Houston?

A: Fort Sam Houston, a major U.S. Army installation, defines Terrell Hills’ eastern boundary and has been a defining presence in the community since its earliest days. The proximity has historically drawn military officers, defense professionals, and government families to Terrell Hills and it remains a meaningful factor for buyers connected to Fort Sam who want the finest residential address closest to the installation.

Custom Home Builder in Terrell Hills, Texas

Tri Cities Enclave
Independent Since 1939