Habitas | Design-Build Studio

The Studio

A good home is designed and built by the same hands, not handed off between them.

Austin's building boom has produced plenty of homes designed by one firm, built by another, and coordinated by no one in particular. That gap is where budgets slip and details get lost between the drawing and the job site.

Habitas keeps design and construction under one roof. The same studio that draws the plan manages the build, so decisions made in the design phase carry through to the finished home instead of getting reinterpreted by whoever ends up on site.

Capabilities

Design and construction, under one studio.

Habitas takes on new home construction and whole-home renovations for Austin-area homeowners, managing the project end to end.

01

Custom new-home construction

Ground-up homes designed around the site: orientation, natural light, and how the house sits on its lot.

02

Whole-home renovations

Full renovations and additions to existing Austin-area homes, sequenced as one project with one point of contact.

03

Design and concept development

Early-stage sketches, layout options, and material direction before anything is finalized or priced.

04

Material and finish selection

Guidance on materials that hold up in Central Texas heat and sun while staying true to the design intent.

05

Permitting and approvals

Coordinating architectural plans, permits, and inspections through the City of Austin or the relevant county.

06

Construction management

Scheduling and overseeing the build, trade by trade, with regular updates from groundbreak to final walkthrough.

Studio Work

The house we are designing toward.

Warm white oak, board-formed concrete, native limestone, and rooms that open to the Hill Country. This is the material language Habitas builds in.

Concept image of a white oak and limestone kitchen

Kitchen, concept

Concept image of white oak stair treads against board-formed concrete

Stair detail, concept

Concept image of a plaster and stone primary bathroom

Primary bath, concept

Concept image of a hill country terrace and negative edge pool at dusk

Terrace, concept

Concept image of a living room opening to a covered terrace

Living, concept

Concept image of oak, limestone, and linen material samples

Materials, concept

Concept image of a hand-drawn floor plan with material samples

Drawing, concept

Every image on this page is an AI-generated concept rendering showing the material palette and design language described above. None of them are photographs of a completed Habitas project. Send Bobby real job-site and finished-project photos and they replace these one for one.

Concept image of a lit entry door set into a board-formed concrete wall

Why Habitas

One studio, one point of accountability.

Habitas is structured so the person shaping the design is the same person accountable for how it gets built.

One point of contact

Bobby is involved from the first conversation through the final walkthrough, not handed off to a rotating project team.

Written scope before you commit

A written proposal outlining scope and process before any deposit changes hands, not a verbal estimate.

Based in Austin

Familiar with local permitting and Central Texas building conditions, rather than a design team working remotely.

Design and build together

Design decisions are made with construction in mind from day one, instead of a plan that gets re-priced and reworked once a builder sees it.

Process

From first conversation to final walkthrough.

The same five steps whether it is a full renovation or a ground-up new build.

01

Discovery

An in-depth conversation about vision, budget, and timeline, along with a look at the site or the existing home.

02

Design and concept

Initial concepts, layout options, and a material direction developed and reviewed with you before anything is finalized.

03

Planning and permitting

Detailed plans, material selections, and the permits and approvals needed before construction starts.

04

Construction

The build is scheduled and managed in-house, with regular updates so you know what is happening on site.

05

Final walkthrough

A punch-list walkthrough before the project is considered complete. Nothing is called finished until you have signed off.

Service Area

Austin metro, and the Hill Country beyond it.

Habitas takes on projects across the Austin area, including:

Central and West Austin

Tarrytown, Clarksville, and the older central neighborhoods where renovations and additions are common.

Westlake and Barton Creek

Larger lots and custom new-home sites in the western hills, where site orientation shapes the design.

South and Travis Heights

Zilker, Travis Heights, and the neighborhoods along the greenbelt and Lady Bird Lake.

Greater Hill Country

Projects further out toward Dripping Springs and Lakeway. Ask if your site is in range.

Start a Project

Tell us about
the project.

New build, renovation, or something in between. Describe it in your own words and Bobby will follow up to schedule a conversation.

Email[email protected]

StudioAustin, Texas

Questions

Asked before we start.

What areas do you serve?

The Austin metro area, including Central, West, and South Austin, plus nearby Hill Country communities. If you are unsure whether your site is in range, ask. It is a quick answer.

Are you licensed and insured?

Ask us for current license and insurance information for Habitas and we will have it ready before any work is scheduled. Always confirm a contractor's license and registration yourself before signing a contract.

Do you handle design as well as construction?

Yes. Habitas develops the design concept and manages construction as one process, rather than handing a finished design to a separate builder.

Do you handle permits?

Yes, on projects that require them. New builds, additions, and structural work typically need permits through the City of Austin or the relevant county, coordinated before construction begins.

How is a project priced?

You get a written proposal outlining scope and process before any deposit is collected, so you know what to expect in writing rather than a verbal ballpark.

Do you take on renovations, or only new builds?

Both. Whole-home renovations and additions get the same process as a ground-up new build, just scoped and scheduled differently.

How soon can you start?

It depends on the size of the project and current scheduling. Reach out with a rough scope and timeline for a realistic start window.

Can I supply my own architect's plans?

Yes. If you already have plans from an architect, Habitas can build to those plans and manage the trades, permitting, and inspections.

Are the photos on this page real projects?

No. Every image here is an AI-generated concept rendering used to show the material palette and design direction. They will be replaced with photographs of real Habitas work as soon as those are available.

What is the best way to reach you?

Email [email protected] or use the form on this page with your project details and a good time to talk.

Homes drawn and built
by the same hands.

A good home is designed and built by the same hands, not handed off between them.