How do I start building a custom home in North Idaho?

The best first step is a free consultation with our team. We'll discuss your vision, lifestyle needs, timeline, and property to create a personalized plan. Every custom home is unique, so we tailor every detail to you. Contact Northwest Custom Homes at (208) 660-2896 to schedule your consultation.

How long does it take to build a custom home?

Most custom homes take 10-14 months from groundbreaking to move-in. The complete design-build process including planning, design, and permits typically spans 14-18 months total. We recommend starting the conversation at least 6 months before you want to break ground.

What is the design-build process?

Design-build means one company handles both the architectural design and construction of your home. At Northwest Custom Homes, this streamlines communication, prevents miscommunication, and typically results in a faster, smoother build compared to hiring separate architects and builders.

Do you build on our land?

Yes! We offer a Build on Your Land program throughout North Idaho. We provide free site analysis, help assess utilities and access, and can even help you find the perfect lot if you haven't purchased land yet. We build in Coeur d'Alene, Hayden, Post Falls, Sandpoint, Rathdrum, and Priest Lake.

What is Modern Vintage design?

Modern Vintage is our signature design philosophy that blends timeless architectural elements - natural stone, exposed timber beams, elegant arches, and dark exterior siding - with contemporary open floor plans, white cabinetry, and luxury finishes. The result is a home that feels both classic and current.

Where do you build in North Idaho?

We build custom homes throughout North Idaho including Coeur d'Alene, Hayden, Post Falls, Sandpoint, Rathdrum, and Priest Lake. Each area offers unique lifestyle benefits from lakefront living to mountain retreats, and our team has deep local knowledge of building conditions, lot availability, and neighborhood character.

What makes a custom home different from a production home?

A custom home is designed and built specifically for you, on your lot, with your choice of materials, layout, and finishes. Unlike production builders who repeat the same plans, every Northwest Custom Homes project is one-of-a-kind. Our design-build process gives you a single team from concept through move-in, with full control over every detail.

Do I need an architect or can you handle design?

You don't need a separate architect. Northwest Custom Homes offers full in-house design services as part of our design-build process. Our team creates custom floor plans tailored to your lifestyle, or you can start with one of our signature plans (Oakhaven, Stonebridge House, Belmont Manor) and customize from there.

Can I modify an existing floor plan?

Absolutely. Every one of our floor plans is fully customizable. You can modify the layout, adjust square footage, change exterior materials, reconfigure rooms, add features, or use our plans as a starting point for an entirely new design.

Can we build lakefront or waterfront in North Idaho?

Yes, we specialize in waterfront construction on Lake Coeur d'Alene, Hayden Lake, Lake Pend Oreille (Sandpoint), and Priest Lake. Waterfront builds require additional considerations including setback requirements, erosion control, dock permits, and foundation engineering for lakeside conditions. Our team has extensive experience navigating these requirements.

Meet the Family Behind Northwest Custom Homes

Tyann Bjorkman
Apr 17
4 min read

Third-generation North Idaho builders. Licensed Idaho contractor RCE-43798. Two Fendiches on every build — Eric leads construction, Luba leads interior design.

The short version

Founded 2016 — Northwest Custom Homes Inc., Hayden, Idaho
Licensed — Idaho contractor registration RCE-43798
Third-generation builders — Eric Fendich is the third generation of Fendich family builders working in North Idaho
2025 Parade of Homes People's Choice — Oakhaven floor plan
New construction only — we don't remodel, we don't do additions; we build from the ground up

Eric Fendich — Owner, Lead Builder

Eric is a third-generation North Idaho custom home builder. His grandfather and father built homes across Kootenai County for decades before him, and Eric carries the same hands-on approach into every project: he's on your lot from the first site walk, leads pre-construction himself, and stays on through final walkthrough. No project manager handoff, no "we'll assign someone to you."

The craft is in the details that survive twenty years — roof lines that shed snow, window placements that catch the right light in winter, mudroom layouts that actually work when you've got a wet dog and three pairs of ski boots. That's the stuff a third-generation builder sees and a first-time GC doesn't.

Licensed through the Idaho Contractors Board as RCE-43798. Fully insured. Written warranty on every home.

Luba Fendich — Interior Design Lead

Luba leads interior design in-house for every NW Custom build — no hired-gun decorator brought in at framing time, no "the owner's spouse picks finishes from a binder." Her modern-vintage aesthetic has become the visual signature of our homes: warm natural materials, craftsman detailing, tile and cabinetry specified to hold up to real family life, and interiors designed from first sketch through final finish as one continuous piece with the exterior.

When exterior and interior design share one hand, the house reads as one thought. That's hard to fake later.

Where we build

We build custom homes across Kootenai County and most of North Idaho. Active build areas include Coeur d'Alene, Hayden, Post Falls, Rathdrum, Athol, Harrison, Dalton Gardens, and Hauser. We have a specialty in lakefront homes on Lake Coeur d'Alene and Hayden Lake — the craft of building on a sloped lakefront lot with snow load, wind exposure, and shoreline setbacks is its own discipline, and it's one we've been doing for a long time.

If you've already bought your lot, see our Build-on-Your-Land program. If you're still looking, we have floor plans available to customize — Oakhaven (2025 Parade of Homes winner), Stonebridge, Belmont Manor, and more.

What makes NW Custom Homes different

We only do new construction

We don't remodel. We don't do additions, second stories, or ADU add-ons to existing homes. Our craft is best served by starting with a blank slate — either on your land or ours. If you're looking for remodel work, we can refer you to a few North Idaho remodeling specialists we trust.

Both of us are on every build

Luba designs the interior. Eric runs the construction. On a single-owner-operator custom builder, that continuity matters: the decisions made in month one (cabinet depth, beam placement, window sightlines) still make sense in month nine because the same two people have been in the room the whole way through.

Budget transparency

We provide written, itemized bids after a pre-construction consultation — no vague "investment range" stuff. If your budget doesn't match the house you have in mind, we'll tell you early rather than discover it at framing. This is something our past clients will confirm; ask any of them.

Awards and recognition

2025 Parade of Homes People's Choice Award — Oakhaven floor plan, North Idaho Parade of Homes
Idaho Contractors Board — Licensed, registration RCE-43798, in good standing (verify here)

Frequently asked questions

How long has Northwest Custom Homes been in business?

Northwest Custom Homes Inc. was founded in 2016. However, owner Eric Fendich is a third-generation North Idaho builder — the Fendich family has been building homes in this region for three generations. The company is the newer entity; the craft and the family name in local construction are not.

Where is Northwest Custom Homes located?

Our office is in Hayden, Idaho (ZIP 83835), about ten minutes north of Coeur d'Alene. We build across Kootenai County — primarily Coeur d'Alene, Hayden, Post Falls, Rathdrum, Athol, Harrison, Dalton Gardens, and Hauser — with a specialty in lakefront homes on Lake Coeur d'Alene and Hayden Lake.

Is Northwest Custom Homes licensed in Idaho?

Yes. We hold Idaho contractor registration RCE-43798 with the Idaho Contractors Board, are fully insured, and back every home with a written warranty. You can verify our license publicly at ibol.idaho.gov.

Who owns Northwest Custom Homes?

Eric Fendich is the owner. Luba Fendich leads in-house interior design. They run the company as a two-person principal team; Eric is on every build personally and Luba is on every interior personally. There is no separate sales team or project-manager layer — when you meet Eric and Luba, you've met the company.

Do you build outside of Kootenai County?

We occasionally build elsewhere in North Idaho for the right project, but our primary service area is Kootenai County. If you're building further afield, reach out — we'll tell you honestly whether it's a fit.

Do you do remodels, additions, or renovations?

No. We focus exclusively on new construction — either on your land or in the neighborhoods we build in. We don't take on remodels, additions, second stories, in-law/ADU add-ons, or renovations. If that's what you need, we can point you to North Idaho remodeling specialists.

How do I start a project with Northwest Custom Homes?

Give us a call at 208-660-2896 or email Fendich.eric@gmail.com. We'll schedule a pre-construction consultation — usually a 45-minute meeting where we walk through your lot (or review one together), talk through your floor plan ideas, and give you a straight answer on whether we're the right team for your build. No pressure, no pitch deck, no ask for a deposit to talk.

Ready to start?

Call 208-660-2896 or email Fendich.eric@gmail.com to schedule a no-pressure pre-construction consultation. Or read about our Build-on-Your-Land program first if you've already got a lot.

See our work in person: follow @northwest_customhomes on Instagram for ongoing build progress, or watch for us at the annual North Idaho Parade of Homes.