Designing and building a luxury home should be easy and enjoyable, and that holds just as true in Cashiers and Highlands as anywhere else we build. But building on the Plateau does come with its own considerations. This is a more remote setting than metro Atlanta, which means sourcing materials and coordinating vendors and subcontractors takes real local relationships, not just a phone book. Choosing a builder with deep, trusted ties to the area matters here more than almost anywhere else we work.
How We Build in Cashiers and Highlands
We guide every Cashiers and Highlands project through our 9-Step Process to Perfection, built alongside our Loudermilk Connect app, which gives you real-time schedule and budget updates, a 24/7 live video feed, daily work logs and photos, the ability to approve change orders from any device, and a running archive of every selection you make along the way.
We start with an Inspiration meeting to learn your style and preferences, almost always beginning with a chef-inspired kitchen with a generous island and real room to host, then work outward from there. Families with pets often add a dog-washing station near the garage. Families who entertain often add a second prep kitchen. Families with young athletes often ask for a dedicated backpack nook or sports storage near the mudroom.
As we move into Architecture and Design, you'll have real opportunities to refine the plan until it's exactly right, whether that means an indoor basketball or racquetball court, a half-field of turf for practice, a custom closet built for a serious shoe or handbag collection, or a climate-controlled wine cave. Once your home is framed, we'll walk the site with you to confirm everything feels right in person. During Mechanicals, we do a full walkthrough together to finalize exactly where vents, returns, and light fixtures land, the easiest and least expensive time to make a change, before drywall goes up. Interior & Exterior locks in the last selections, paint, stain, pavers, stonework, and Finishes brings in fixtures, final trim, and punch-list work. Before you move in, one of our senior leaders personally completes a 500-point inspection of your home.
We call the final step Home Sweet Home, and we mean it literally, we'll stock your refrigerator, leave a basket of snacks on the counter, and set out fresh towels and toiletries so your first night feels like home, not a move-in. Many of our Cashiers families bring their kids to help turn a shovel of dirt at groundbreaking, and pose for photos once framing is complete. We've stenciled children's names into the threshold of their future bedrooms more than once, and we're always happy to label a gym, office, or family room however means something to your family.
A Modern Rustic Feel, Rooted in the Landscape
Nearly every home we build in Cashiers and Highlands shares a few things in common: natural wood beams, oversized fireplaces, outdoor fire pits or fire features, and expansive windows and sliding pocket doors that frame the mountains and bring the outdoors in. We often blend that rustic foundation with Modern European touches, standalone soaking tubs, marble showers, a true chef's kitchen, and private en suite baths throughout.
We use the latest smart home technology and whole-home automation to keep every system, lighting, climate, security, running quietly in the background, and we build with durable, energy-efficient materials suited to mountain weather.
Renovations, Additions, and Land Development
We're not only building new homes on the Plateau. Our team also takes on renovations and additions for homeowners looking to transform an existing space, and we work with clients on land development and homesite planning throughout Cashiers and Highlands, helping evaluate a lot's potential before a single design decision is made.
What It Costs to Build in Cashiers and Highlands
A custom home in Cashiers or Highlands typically falls between $3 million and $14 million or more, averaging around $5 million, generally working out to $700 to $1,000 per square foot. Where your project lands in that range depends on size, the complexity of the site, and the finishes you select.
We develop a real budget with you at the start of the project and refine it as we go, so there are never surprises, and our Loudermilk Connect app keeps that budget and schedule visible in real time throughout construction. Our long-standing relationships with local vendors and suppliers also help control costs, and we apply what we call progressive value engineering throughout, things like stacking walls, shortening HVAC runs, and siting your home to take full advantage of natural sun and shade.
Where We Build
We're proud to offer our clients several distinct communities across Cashiers and Highlands:
Saratay Falls is a quiet community of old-growth trees, hiking trails, and streams, anchored by a 40-foot natural waterfall visible from several points in the neighborhood.
Cedar Hill is an intimate four-home enclave with more than 20 acres per lot, giving every homeowner a true private, estate-like setting.
Pilots Knob sits just a short drive from Cashiers, with sweeping mountain views, a gated entrance, a picturesque waterfall, and nearby Christmas tree farms that add real character to the drive in.
Lonesome Valley offers extensive hiking trails, fly fishing streams and ponds, a recreational lake and boathouse, tennis, a fitness barn, a pool, disc golf, rock climbing, and destinations like Canyon Spa and Canyon Kitchen, just minutes from the shops and restaurants of the Village of Cashiers.
And if you already own land in Cashiers or Highlands, we're just as glad to build there, on your lot, to your vision.
A Real Sense of Community
Cashiers and Highlands are known for luxury homes, but what keeps so many of our clients here is the community itself. A few of our own favorite local spots:
- Whiteside Mountain, a 20-minute climb to a 5,000-foot summit with views that make every step worth it.
- Slab Town Pizza, for a slice, a cold beer, and good company.
- Buck's Coffee, right at the crossroads of downtown, with espresso drinks and what might be the best oatmeal on the Plateau.
- Happs Place, a barn-and-grill with a kid- and dog-friendly patio, perfect for an easy dinner out.
- Whiteside Brewing Co., for locally brewed beer and genuinely good food.
- Cashiers Farmers Market, open weekends for fresh produce, barbecue, and seasonal finds straight from local growers.
Built for the Way You Live
Whether you're planning a mountain retreat or a full-time residence on the Plateau, we'd welcome the chance to show you what building with Loudermilk Homes in Cashiers and Highlands looks like. Take our Design Questionnaire to start uncovering your own style, or reach out to schedule a discovery appointment.
