Goochland County sits just west of Short Pump along the Route 250 corridor, rolling hardwoods, large parcels, and a pace of life that’s hard to find this close to Richmond. It’s one of the best places in Central Virginia to build on your lot, and McMahon Custom Homes has been doing exactly that here for years. From Sandy Hook and Maidens Road to the open land stretching toward Manakin-Sabot, we know this county, the soil conditions, the permitting process, and what it takes to build a home that belongs on the land it sits on. Josh McMahon personally oversees every Goochland project from the first site visit through the final walkthrough.
Whether you already own a parcel in Goochland or are still searching for the right lot, we guide you through every step, from site evaluation and design through permitting and construction. Our custom home financing page has information on construction loans if you’re still working through how to fund the build.
Goochland is one of the few counties in the Richmond metro where you can still find genuine land. Parcels of five, ten, even twenty acres with hardwood canopy, creek frontage, or James River views are still available. The Route 250 corridor connects Manakin-Sabot and Goochland Courthouse to Short Pump in under 20 minutes, and lots along this corridor are some of the most sought-after in Central Virginia for buyers who want space without sacrificing proximity to Richmond.
We build on your lot throughout Goochland County, off Maidens Road, along Sandy Hook Road, in the Manakin-Sabot area, and on rural parcels deeper into the county toward the James River. Our first step is always a site evaluation. We look at soil conditions, slope, septic feasibility, well placement, and driveway access before any design work begins. If you’re still searching for the right parcel, we can advise on what makes a Goochland lot buildable and what to watch for before you buy. For more on how the process works from land to keys, see our full guide to building on your lot.
We offer custom homes, construction, move-in ready homes, and financing in Goochland.
We build custom homes in Goochland, tailored to your style and needs, ensuring every detail aligns with your vision.
Transform your bathroom in Goochland into a luxurious retreat with our expert team, handling everything from planning to execution.
Revamp your kitchen in Goochland with modern designs and quality finishes, ensuring both functionality and style.
We offer personalized financing solutions in Goochland to make your dream home a reality, with expert guidance on securing the best options.
Looking for a hassle-free move? Explore our move-in ready homes in Goochland, built with premium materials and detail.
Our design team in Goochland collaborates with you to create a home that reflects your style and needs, from concept to blueprint.
We are a trusted Luxury Custom Home Builder in Goochland, VA, creating exceptional homes tailored to your vision with expert craftsmanship, premium materials, and thoughtful design.
McMahon Custom Homes does not build from stock plans or operate as a high-volume builder. Each home is designed based on your input, the specifics of your lot, and the needs of your household. From the initial meeting to the final walkthrough, all phases of the project are managed internally to provide clear communication and full project visibility.
Our approach is rooted in three things:
The layout of your home should support how you live each day. Our team takes the time to understand your goals, whether you need an open kitchen, a flexible space that serves more than one function, features that support long-term living, or areas designed around specific hobbies. Whether you are planning for a long-term family residence, a smaller home with flexible options, or a house that supports both remote work and gatherings, the design will be based on how you intend to use the space.
Most Goochland lots are not flat, utility-connected, and ready to build on. Steep grades, heavily wooded terrain, private roads, and properties requiring well and septic systems are common out here. We evaluate every site before design begins, looking at soil perc results, drainage patterns, clearing requirements, and where a well and drainfield can realistically go. The design gets built around what the land allows, and that approach is what keeps builds on schedule and on budget.
You will not be handed off between multiple vendors. Our team manages every part of the project, including permitting, plan development, budgeting, and construction, all handled internally. This helps maintain a clear schedule, stable costs, and a more manageable process.
Goochland is not a subdivision county. The lots are irregular, the terrain varies, and the character of the land is part of why people choose to build here. A floor plan pulled from a catalog ignores all of that.
We design every home around the specific parcel it sits on, orienting it to capture the best views, positioning the garage and driveway to work with the natural grade, and designing outdoor spaces that connect the home to the land around it.
Goochland homeowners tend to know exactly why they chose this county over somewhere closer to the city. Our job is to translate that into a home that looks like it belongs exactly where it sits.
McMahon Custom Homes LLC
1925 Ellis Drive
Maidens, VA 23102
We meet to discuss your vision, preferred layout, budget, and any unique features you want in your new home. We also review your site, whether in Goochland’s rural farmland or a suburban neighborhood.
We evaluate soil conditions, utilities, access, and the best orientation for sunlight and privacy. Goochland’s rolling terrain and wooded areas can influence design choices, so this step is essential.
Our team creates preliminary designs and refines them into detailed construction documents. You will see floor plans, exterior elevations, and 3D renderings that make it easy to visualize your new home.
We handle all local permits and approvals, working closely with Goochland County’s building department to move your project forward without unnecessary delays.
We provide a clear breakdown of all costs, from foundation work to final finishes, so there are no surprises along the way. See our Richmond-area custom home cost guide for typical price ranges.
We guide you in choosing durable and beautiful materials that suit your style and budget, sourcing from trusted local suppliers whenever possible.
Our on-site management ensures workmanship meets our high standards. Inspections are performed at key stages to confirm that every detail is right.
We review every feature with you, provide maintenance guidance, and remain available for warranty service after you move in.
Whether you already own a lot or are just beginning your search, we’ll partner with you to craft a home that’s truly yours. Reach out now and take the first step toward your dream home.
If you already own land in Goochland County, you’re ahead of most custom home buyers. We build on privately owned lots throughout the county, off Maidens Road, along Sandy Hook Road, near Manakin-Sabot, and on larger rural parcels toward the James River. Our process starts with a thorough site evaluation covering soil conditions, drainage, septic feasibility, well placement, and clearing requirements. Once we understand what the land needs, we design a home around it. For more on how the on-your-lot process works from land to keys, see our full guide to building on your lot.
Goochland has a lot of older homes with real character, farmhouses and established properties on large lots that just need kitchens and bathrooms brought up to date. McMahon Custom Homes offers full kitchen remodeling and bathroom renovation services in Goochland County. Same design-build process, same personal oversight from Josh, same attention to finishes that we bring to a new custom build. If you love where you live but the kitchen or bath is holding the house back, we can help.
Want to see McMahon Custom Homes’ work in Goochland before you commit? We have a completed model home at 1925 Maidens Road in Maidens available to visit in person or by virtual tour. Call Josh at 804-774-5217 to schedule a walkthrough or take the virtual tour online.
The families we build for in Goochland tend to fall into a few groups. Short Pump and West End buyers who want more land for their money and are willing to move 15 minutes west to get it. Families who inherited property in Goochland and are finally ready to build on land that has been in the family for years. People who are done with HOAs and subdivisions and want a home on their own terms. And buyers relocating to the Richmond area who discover Goochland and realize it offers something the closer-in suburbs can’t.
If any of that sounds like you, call Josh and start the conversation.
Other Locations We Serve:
Check out our recent projects to see the quality and craftsmanship of our custom homes.
McMahon Custom Homes proudly serves the entire Goochland County area, including the following specific locations:
Whether you’re located in the heart of Goochland or one of its beautiful rural areas, our team is ready to assist you with expert home building and remodeling services.
In most cases, yes. Public sewer access is limited across Goochland County, which means the majority of new homes rely on private septic systems. Before design begins, we conduct a soil perc test to determine whether your land can support a septic system and where it can be installed. This is one of the first things Josh evaluates on any Goochland lot, and the results directly shape your home's placement and site plan.
There is no single answer, but most rural lots in Goochland that support a custom home with a well and septic system run between 2 and 5 acres at minimum. The actual requirement depends on your soil perc results, county setback requirements, and the size of your planned home. Some lots support a build on less acreage; others with poor soil conditions need more. Josh evaluates every lot individually rather than applying a blanket number. You can read more about what affects lot buildability in our on-your-lot guide.
Yes, on most rural properties in Goochland. Private wells are the standard water source for new construction outside of areas with public water access. Well placement has to be coordinated carefully alongside your home's footprint and septic system to meet Goochland County health department requirements. Josh plans for this from the start so there are no surprises during permitting.
The most common ones are wooded lot clearing, uneven terrain, septic system design on difficult soils, well drilling, and long driveway access from the road. Each of these adds cost and time if they're not anticipated early. McMahon Custom Homes is based in Goochland and Josh has built on this land. He knows where these challenges tend to show up, and that local experience matters when you're trying to keep a rural build on schedule and on budget. Our build-on-your-lot process is designed specifically to surface these issues before they become expensive problems.
Yes, and we'd strongly recommend it. Josh reviews potential lots before clients commit to purchase, looking at soil and septic feasibility, site access, clearing requirements, and overall buildability. Understanding what a lot will actually cost to develop changes the math on whether it's the right buy. You can learn more about what that process looks like in our build-on-your-lot guide.
Site preparation costs can run higher on rural lots. Clearing, grading, well drilling, and septic installation add line items that suburban builds with existing utilities don't have. Land prices in Goochland are generally lower than in suburban Henrico or Chesterfield, which often offsets a meaningful portion of those site costs. For a fuller picture of what drives custom home pricing in Central Virginia, our cost guide breaks it down by phase. Josh gives every client a realistic site cost picture during the pre-construction planning phase so there are no surprises after you've committed to a design.
Yes, and it's one of the most appealing aspects of building in Goochland. Many parcels throughout the county have no HOA, which means you control your design, your exterior materials, your outbuildings, and how you use your land. No committee approvals, no restricted color palettes, no rules about what you can park in your driveway. For buyers coming from suburban neighborhoods, that freedom is a significant part of the appeal.
Very practical for most of the county. Properties along the Route 250 corridor put you 15 to 25 minutes from Short Pump and 30 to 40 minutes from downtown Richmond depending on where exactly you're building. The Maidens Road and Sandy Hook areas, where McMahon Custom Homes is based, sit comfortably within that range. You get genuine rural character without giving up reasonable access to the city.
Yes. Goochland is one of the premier locations in Central Virginia for luxury custom home builds, and it's a segment McMahon Custom Homes works in regularly. Large parcels, rural privacy, and proximity to Richmond make it a natural fit for higher-end builds with premium finishes, custom architectural detail, and expansive layouts. Josh personally oversees every project regardless of scale, and the same design-build precision applies whether you're building at $500,000 or $1.5 million. If you're thinking about a custom home build in Goochland at the higher end of the market, the free consultation is the right starting point.
Yes. McMahon Custom Homes offers full kitchen remodeling and bathroom renovation services throughout Goochland County, and we're one of the only custom home builders in the area who does. Goochland homes have strong bones but kitchens and bathrooms age. Josh personally oversees every remodel with the same precision he brings to a full custom build. If your Goochland home needs a refresh, the process starts with a free consultation.
We're not just a builder who works in Goochland. We're based here. Josh McMahon has spent 15 years building custom homes across Central Virginia with Goochland County as home base. He knows the land, the county permitting process, the soil conditions in different parts of the county, and the contractors and suppliers who operate here. Beyond local knowledge, McMahon operates as a true design-build firm, which means Josh designs your home and builds it, serving as your single point of contact from first consultation through final walkthrough. No handoffs. No project managers you've never met. One experienced builder who is accountable for every decision from the first sketch to the day you move in.
Yes. Goochland's large rural parcels make it one of the better settings in Central Virginia for barndominium builds. The lot sizes, the county's flexible zoning on many properties, and the rural character all suit the style well. Josh designs and builds barndominiums on your lot throughout Goochland County, handling site evaluation, county permitting, design, and construction. If a barndominium is what you have in mind, the free consultation is the right place to start.
In most cases, yes. Public sewer access is limited across Goochland County, which means the majority of new homes rely on private septic systems. Before design begins, we conduct a soil perc test to determine whether your land can support a septic system and where it can be installed. This is one of the first things Josh evaluates on any Goochland lot, and the results directly shape your home's placement and site plan.
There is no single answer, but most rural lots in Goochland that support a custom home with a well and septic system run between 2 and 5 acres at minimum. The actual requirement depends on your soil perc results, county setback requirements, and the size of your planned home. Some lots support a build on less acreage; others with poor soil conditions need more. Josh evaluates every lot individually rather than applying a blanket number. You can read more about what affects lot buildability in our on-your-lot guide.
Yes, on most rural properties in Goochland. Private wells are the standard water source for new construction outside of areas with public water access. Well placement has to be coordinated carefully alongside your home's footprint and septic system to meet Goochland County health department requirements. Josh plans for this from the start so there are no surprises during permitting.
The most common ones are wooded lot clearing, uneven terrain, septic system design on difficult soils, well drilling, and long driveway access from the road. Each of these adds cost and time if they're not anticipated early. McMahon Custom Homes is based in Goochland and Josh has built on this land. He knows where these challenges tend to show up, and that local experience matters when you're trying to keep a rural build on schedule and on budget. Our build-on-your-lot process is designed specifically to surface these issues before they become expensive problems.
Yes, and we'd strongly recommend it. Josh reviews potential lots before clients commit to purchase, looking at soil and septic feasibility, site access, clearing requirements, and overall buildability. Understanding what a lot will actually cost to develop changes the math on whether it's the right buy. You can learn more about what that process looks like in our build-on-your-lot guide.
Site preparation costs can run higher on rural lots. Clearing, grading, well drilling, and septic installation add line items that suburban builds with existing utilities don't have. Land prices in Goochland are generally lower than in suburban Henrico or Chesterfield, which often offsets a meaningful portion of those site costs. For a fuller picture of what drives custom home pricing in Central Virginia, our cost guide breaks it down by phase. Josh gives every client a realistic site cost picture during the pre-construction planning phase so there are no surprises after you've committed to a design.
Yes, and it's one of the most appealing aspects of building in Goochland. Many parcels throughout the county have no HOA, which means you control your design, your exterior materials, your outbuildings, and how you use your land. No committee approvals, no restricted color palettes, no rules about what you can park in your driveway. For buyers coming from suburban neighborhoods, that freedom is a significant part of the appeal.
Very practical for most of the county. Properties along the Route 250 corridor put you 15 to 25 minutes from Short Pump and 30 to 40 minutes from downtown Richmond depending on where exactly you're building. The Maidens Road and Sandy Hook areas, where McMahon Custom Homes is based, sit comfortably within that range. You get genuine rural character without giving up reasonable access to the city.
Yes. Goochland is one of the premier locations in Central Virginia for luxury custom home builds, and it's a segment McMahon Custom Homes works in regularly. Large parcels, rural privacy, and proximity to Richmond make it a natural fit for higher-end builds with premium finishes, custom architectural detail, and expansive layouts. Josh personally oversees every project regardless of scale, and the same design-build precision applies whether you're building at $500,000 or $1.5 million. If you're thinking about a custom home build in Goochland at the higher end of the market, the free consultation is the right starting point.
Yes. McMahon Custom Homes offers full kitchen remodeling and bathroom renovation services throughout Goochland County, and we're one of the only custom home builders in the area who does. Goochland homes have strong bones but kitchens and bathrooms age. Josh personally oversees every remodel with the same precision he brings to a full custom build. If your Goochland home needs a refresh, the process starts with a free consultation.
We're not just a builder who works in Goochland. We're based here. Josh McMahon has spent 15 years building custom homes across Central Virginia with Goochland County as home base. He knows the land, the county permitting process, the soil conditions in different parts of the county, and the contractors and suppliers who operate here. Beyond local knowledge, McMahon operates as a true design-build firm, which means Josh designs your home and builds it, serving as your single point of contact from first consultation through final walkthrough. No handoffs. No project managers you've never met. One experienced builder who is accountable for every decision from the first sketch to the day you move in.
Yes. Goochland's large rural parcels make it one of the better settings in Central Virginia for barndominium builds. The lot sizes, the county's flexible zoning on many properties, and the rural character all suit the style well. Josh designs and builds barndominiums on your lot throughout Goochland County, handling site evaluation, county permitting, design, and construction. If a barndominium is what you have in mind, the free consultation is the right place to start.
