Looking for a custom home builder in the Redlands? Start with Iconic Homes and Construction in Cleveland, a small local team that builds custom homes, knock down rebuilds and waterfront homes across the Redlands. Leafe Designer Homes, Lindon Homes and Munro Designed Homes are also worth talking to. New to the area? Our Redland City guide covers bins, rates and transport.
Before you sign anything, check three things: the builder’s licence, the type of contract and the deposit.
1. Iconic Homes and Construction: Best Redlands Custom Home Builder for Waterfront and Knock Down Rebuilds
Iconic Homes and Construction is based in Cleveland. According to its Redlands builder page, the team builds custom homes, knock down rebuilds, duplexes, townhouses and narrow block homes across Cleveland, Thornlands, Raby Bay, Capalaba, Victoria Point and nearby suburbs. The page says it is not a volume builder. It is a small team that takes on a manageable number of projects, with one point of contact from start to finish. It also says the team manages building approvals and planning applications with Redland City Council for you, and that it has built on Raby Bay waterfront blocks, where setbacks, sea walls and tidal overlays all come into play. The page gives its QBCC licence number as 15141694.
- Best for: a custom home or a knock down rebuild on a Redlands block, including a waterfront lot in Raby Bay.
- Worth knowing: the page says most custom homes take between 8 and 14 months, depending on the design, the site and council approval times.
2. Leafe Designer Homes: Best Redlands Custom Home Builder for Acreage and Sloping Blocks
Google Maps lists Leafe Designer Homes on Enterprise Street in Cleveland. Its website lists custom homes, acreage homes, knock down rebuilds, narrow and sloping block homes, waterfront homes and multi-residential homes. It says it builds throughout Brisbane’s eastern and southern suburbs, the Redlands and Cleveland, and that each home is designed to suit the owner’s lifestyle, land and budget.
- Best for: an acreage block or a sloping site.
3. Lindon Homes: Best Redlands Custom Home Builder for Architect Designed Homes
Lindon Homes is a family business on Natasha Street in Capalaba, and its website says it has been building across South East Queensland for over 32 years. It lists custom homes in both design and build and architect designed forms, knock down rebuilds, and difficult or sloping sites. The site lists several HIA awards, including Queensland Home of the Year in 2023, and shows a QBCC number in its footer.
- Best for: building to an architect’s plans.
4. Munro Designed Homes: Best Redlands Custom Home Builder for Small and Odd Shaped Lots
Munro Designed Homes is on Tombo Street in Capalaba and describes itself as based on the bayside of Brisbane. Its website lists custom homes, small lot and odd shaped block builds, and knockdown rebuilds. It says its small lot designs respond to the Small Lot Code.
- Best for: a narrow or irregular block.
Redlands Custom Home Builders Compared
| Builder | Best for | Based in |
|---|---|---|
| Iconic Homes and Construction | Waterfront homes and knock down rebuilds | Cleveland |
| Leafe Designer Homes | Acreage and sloping blocks | Cleveland |
| Lindon Homes | Architect designed homes | Capalaba |
| Munro Designed Homes | Small and odd shaped lots | Capalaba |
How We Chose These Redlands Custom Home Builders
We started with the Google Maps results for custom home builders around Cleveland on 30 October 2026, then read each builder’s own website. Here is what we checked:
- Public reviews: on 30 October 2026, Google Maps showed Iconic Homes and Construction at 5.0 from 10 reviews, Leafe Designer Homes at 5.0 from 7, Lindon Homes at 4.8 from 19 and Munro Designed Homes at 5.0 from 6.
- Licence details: we did not search the QBCC register ourselves, so ask every builder for a licence number and check it.
The QBCC’s licensee register gives a builder’s complete licence history. If you cannot find someone on it, there’s a chance they are not licensed, and you can confirm by calling 139 333.
FAQ About Hiring a Custom Home Builder in the Redlands
How big a deposit can a builder ask for?
For most new homes, 5%. The QBCC’s deposits and progress payments page says the maximum deposit for work valued at more than $20,000 is 5% of the contract price. Up to 20% is allowed only where customised work done away from the site makes up more than 50% of the contract price. Progress payments must match the work done, so a builder cannot claim more than 50% of the price, deposit included, until at least half the work on site is finished.
What does home warranty insurance cover?
It covers the building process. The QBCC’s home warranty insurance page says it is compulsory for residential work valued at more than $3,300, and your builder collects the premium from you as part of the contract. You can claim if the builder does not finish the work, does not fix defects, or if the building suffers subsidence. Claims are paid up to $200,000, and cover lasts 6 years and 6 months. Non-completion claims need a fixed-price contract, which is why the QBCC does not recommend cost plus contracts for homes.
Can I change my mind after signing?
Usually, yes, within five business days. The QBCC’s cooling-off period page says the period starts the day after you receive a signed copy of the whole contract, including the plans and specifications. For a contract of $20,000 or more, you must also receive the QBCC Consumer Building Guide. To withdraw, you give the builder a written, signed notice, and you usually pay $100 plus any reasonable out of pocket expenses.
Who approves the building plans?
A building certifier. The QBCC’s building approvals page says the certifier approves the plans, inspects the work at set stages and gives final approval for the home to be lived in. Your builder usually engages one for you, but you can appoint one yourself, and it is your job as the owner to make sure approvals are in place before work starts. Our guide to building certifiers can help.
How do I check a Redlands block for flooding?
Start with council’s maps. Redland City Council’s creek flood mapping page has maps showing flood depth and extent for a one percent Annual Exceedance Probability flood. Council notes that these maps do not include overland flow, so a block outside a creek flood area can still flood in a storm. Our flood check guide walks through the other checks.
Our Pick of the Custom Home Builders in the Redlands
If you want a custom home or a knock down rebuild in the Redlands, especially on a waterfront block, call Iconic Homes and Construction first. It is based in Cleveland, keeps one point of contact through the build and manages the council approvals. For acreage or a sloping site, talk to Leafe Designer Homes. If you already have an architect, try Lindon Homes, and for a small or oddly shaped lot, Munro Designed Homes.
Sources
- QBCC: Find a licensed contractor
- QBCC: Deposits and progress payments
- QBCC: What is home warranty insurance
- QBCC: Cooling-off period
- QBCC: Building approvals and certification
- Redland City Council: Creek flood mapping
- Business details: each builder’s own website and its Google Maps listing, read on 30 October 2026. Iconic Homes and Construction’s details come from its Redlands builder page, linked in its section above.
Facts on this page were checked on 30 October 2026.
