![]() | Blue Horse Building & Design |
Standouts
3x Best of Houzz winner
18 years in business
Eco-friendly
3 Houzz Awards
5 Houzz Badges
Contact Info:
Fred Ballard
2001 Prochnow Rd.
Dripping Springs, TX 78620
2001 Prochnow Rd.
Dripping Springs, TX 78620
Typical Job Costs:
$550,000 - 10 million
We handle a large range of projects: anything from a renovation (usually starts around $150K+) on up to a new custom home, which budgets can start around $550K on up. Please contact us to discuss your project scope.
We handle a large range of projects: anything from a renovation (usually starts around $150K+) on up to a new custom home, which budgets can start around $550K on up. Please contact us to discuss your project scope.
Category:
https://www.houzz.com/pro/ballardfred copied to clipboard
Watch my Highlight Video
Hays County's Elite Home Builders | Best of Houzz 2018, 2019, 2020
page_type: prop_plus_profile
We build a limited number of healthy, efficient, beautiful custom homes.
There is no work more rewarding than building a structure and space that will make your family feel at home. It will be where you take your rest, where you start your day, where you nourish each other and your friends. Where you develop your plans of attack and where you return to regroup. The new beginnings, happy endings... it will be the backdrop to your best memories. We can share any dream.
Services Provided
Barn Design & Construction, Energy-Efficient Homes, Home Additions, Home Extensions, Home Remodeling, Multigenerational Homes, New Home Construction, Project Management, Universal Design, Healthy Homes, Custom Homes, Architectural Planning, Interior Design, Landscape Architecture, Barn Design, Bed and Breakfast Design
Areas Served
Austin, Bear Creek, Bee Cave, Driftwood, Dripping Springs, Lakeway, The Hills, Barton Creek, Briarcliff, Lost Creek, Spicewood, Belvedere, Wimberley
Awards
Best Of Houzz Service Award 2018 - Client Satisfaction, Best Of Houzz Service Award 2019 - Client Satisfaction, Best Of Houzz Service Award 2020 - Client Satisfaction
Our Stories
Sponsored story
Environmentally safe materials are both beautiful and better for you, a Hill Country builder says
Item 1 of 1
27 Projects for Blue Horse Building & Design

Austin, TX
Verdi Place - ADU
15 photos

Austin, TX
Bell Springs - Barn Loft Remodel
9 photos

Austin, TX
Bellancia
23 photos

Austin, TX
Redbud Renovation
25 photos

Austin, TX
Cupid Drive
23 photos

Austin, TX
Lipan Trail Three
24 photos

Austin, TX
Lipan Trail Two
16 photos

Austin, TX
White Horse Cove
10 photos

Austin, TX
Tumbleweed Trail
19 photos

Austin, TX
Tower View One
23 photos

Austin, TX
Tower View Two
16 photos

Austin, TX
Travis Heights Renovation
22 photos
Featured Review

thix
Relationship
Client
Jake & Fred were a pleasure to have build our house! The whole process was very professional and on budget. This is the 3rd house I have built, I was very impressed to have a full time assigned foremen to our project. He was on site daily and alwaysRead Full Review
28 Reviews for Blue Horse Building & Design
5.0|28 reviews
Work Quality5.0
Communication5.0
Value5.0

Charlotte Norton
Relationship
Client
Blue Horse team was great to work with! They completed a shower remodel to fix what another company did all wrong. The communication, thorough explanation, attention to detail and overall customer service and quality was outstanding. Their passion for the building process is impressive. I would highly recommended for any project, large or small.
December 31, 2020

Tony Parent
Relationship
Client
I would recommend Blue Horse Building & Design for your next project. Excellent customer service and design consultation.
They walked us through each phase that matched there schedule and statement of construction. There team was skilled, courteous, responsible, and safe.
Project Management was on point and there project manager on site was very informative and really cares about there project satisfaction.
Give them a shout!!
Best
Tony Parent
Dripping Springs Texas
December 31, 2020

John Meeks
Relationship
Client
Blue Horse was a true pleasure to work with and highly professional. Our bathrooms were a challenging remodel, but Blue Horse put their best team members on the job and they were amazing . We even had custom cabinetry done and their attention to detail was impressive. We couldn’t be more pleased.
December 31, 2020

Lynn Stahl
Relationship
Client
This project was the renovation of the upstairs of an already-existing barn. It included the addition of beautiful, big picture windows, lots of closet space (and even a little playhouse up under the eaves), two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a nice living area, and a great kitchen/dining area. The workmanship is exquisite, and the people in charge were easy to access and responsive to questions. I highly recommend Blue Horse!
December 18, 2020

Heather
Relationship
Client
We've had the great folks at Blue Horse help us with two renovation projects and they were fantastic! We understood they usually do larger projects and new construction, but we were patient and willing to work around their schedule to get them to help us. They built an addition to our home to create a large office for two and completely rebuilt an old outbuilding from the studs up into a stunning guesthouse. We couldn't be happier with the quality of their work, it is really excellent and of high craftsmanship! We highly recommend them. It is clear they have great and well-developed relationships with their team and vendors because the operation was a very well-lubed machine and the results were exactly what we wanted. They were very neat in their cleanup (every day!) and their communication was simply excellent. Finally, they were our first foray into hiring a real contractor for a project, and they were very upfront on the costs and delivered the completed project on schedule and on budget. It is rare to find a team that delivers on all fronts, but this is what you get from Blue Horse. We are so happy to have trusted them with our odd projects and they really elevated our property. Thanks y'all!
December 18, 2020

thix
Relationship
Client
Jake & Fred were a pleasure to have build our house!
The whole process was very professional and on budget.
This is the 3rd house I have built, I was very impressed to have a full time assigned foremen to our project. He was on site daily and always answered questions we had.
I would defiantly hire Blue Horse to build my next house.
November 30, 2020

Kate van den Bosch
Relationship
Client
We bought a new build custom Blue Horse house and lived in it for 4 years. Every detail was impressive - the way they thoughtfully kept mature trees on the property, amazing finish standards, a living space that was an incredible pleasure to call home every day. The quality of the house itself and the architecture alone would be enough for us to recommend Blue Horse to anybody looking for their next home.
When the time came to move back to Europe + sell (with heavy heart!), an over zealous property inspection did its best to find what faults it could, but the house was sturdily built and they could only find the most minor, cosmetic issues. We had a short closing and worried that it might be too short a timeframe to get Blue Horse's help for the one issue raised which was covered under warranty. We were blown away by the fast and professional response from their team who went out of their way to facilitate the resale of the house. We only wish they built houses in the UK!
September 6, 2020

Wendy Phillips
Relationship
Client
I would highly recommend Blue Horse Building and Design. We started a build with Blue Horse in 2015. We have been in our home for over three and a half years and absolutely love it. Any question or need we have had since has been responded to and answered immediately. Recently we had a mishap; I noticed a water mark on our ceiling in our downstairs bath. Our daughters bath is directly above. We had quick response from BHB. Mike McNamara is wonderful. His decision was to start with checking the plumbing and drain beneath the tub. Unfortunately we were not able to determine the problem. When that possibility became a fail, it was determined that the leak was due to a tile issue. Within one week they had removed the existing tile and green rock; also required for the repair, the glass doors needed to be removed. Everything was replaced and reinstalled, again, within ONE week. All drywall repairs were made and any paint work needed was too completed (With zero cost to us, 3 ½ years after moving in). Blue Horse not only builds a quality home with attention paid to ALL details; they 100% back their homes. They have impeccable customer service. Our decision to use Blue Horse is one we are so grateful for and we would rebuild with them again with no question. I highly back and recommend them. Thank You Blue Horse!!
January 25, 2020

Ana Maria and Will Major
Relationship
Client
We hired Blue Horse in 2018 and had the home complete in 2019. Blue Horse was outstanding to work with every every step of the way. There attention to detail is amazing,- no detail is over looked. Mike, our project manager was on the job site every day and he was only a phone call away if we ever needed anything. We would highly recommend and use their services again!
December 29, 2019

Daniel Roark
Relationship
Client
I hired Blue Horse to build for me a guest ADU (accessory dwelling unit) on my property in Austin. The project was small in size (600sf) but a complex design in its modernity. The Blue Horse team did a tremendous job and their attention to detail, professionalism, and energy through all phases of the project was extremely impressive and reassuring. Special acknowledgment goes to Mike M., the onsite partner/GC, who is a seriously talented individual and was an absolute pleasure to work with. At one point mid-construction as things were cruising along, I semi-joked that we should embark on another project. Well I have no doubts that Mike, Jake and Blue Horse will continue to embark on numerous other creative, meticulous, elegant building projects. And for now, I get to enjoy the beautiful structure they skillfully built for me. A great company comprised of great individuals. 5+ stars.
December 8, 2019

Joyce Palevitz
Relationship
Client
These folks are wonderful to work with - flexible, professional, totally trust-worthy. I can recommend them wholeheartedly. They are in the process of completing my 2200 sq foot home and Jake and Mike in particular have each been a godsend.
December 6, 2019

allison wilcox
Relationship
Client
We love Blue Horse! Our house isn't completed yet, but the process has been seamless and enjoyable. Jake and his team are highly responsive with great design skills.
December 4, 2019

Giuseppe Rizzi
Relationship
Business Partner
Fred and Jake are two extraordinary professionals. They have an uncommon knowledge of all the Custom Building process and they are able to deliver outstanding results without surprises and misunderstandings.
They are great in support the client trough all the process and helping to take the better decisions to make the process balanced.
I have Top expectations and Bluehorse Building is going to be my partner for my real estate developments
December 15, 2018Last modified:December 15, 2018

Heather
Relationship
Client
We love Blue Horse - after we worked with them the first time they earned our loyalty and next project! These guys are are what you dream of when searching for a builder/designer. We ventured into our first Build/Design project ever with a small expansion of an office space. We spoke to 5-6 different firms and Blue Horse stood out for its beautiful, quality finishes and communication skills. Their bread and butter is likely new home constructions, yet were willing to take on our small project, which thrilled us.
What we admired about the company - 1) their fantastic communication, 2) their team's experience and high quality of work, 3) they showed up when they said they would and met our schedule deadline, 4) they came in on budget, 5) they cleaned up at the end of every day, minimizing the eyesore and safety concerns around a construction site, 6) even our dogs loved them. No other vendor has come close to their attention to every detail. Somehow, Jake and Mike and the entire team just got us and our new office has surpassed our expectations.
With this success we immediately got on the books for a larger project, the rebuild of an out-building to a lovely guest house. Again, they did a great job. They offered up so many creative suggestions that helped us stay on budget and build a new space that integrated beautifully with all the other structures on the property.
Blue Horse B/D is just great people, efficient, smart, experienced, nimble, understanding and WOW we just love the beautiful spaces they created for us. We feel very fortunate and look forward to working with them again.
December 10, 2018

Channing Meekins
Relationship
Client
The amazing folks at Blue Horse listened our wants and needs for our dream home and made it a reality. From conception, to design, to build out, the team was easy to work with and left us with a stunning home that exceeded our expectations. It was especially helpful to have an experienced project manager onsite that held our hand through the process and made excellent finish and design suggestions. Our design included a rainwater collection system that has been invaluable during the drought last summer...and it looks really cool! I have and will continue to recommend Blue Horse to anyone in the Austin area who is looking for a builder.
December 7, 2018

Ana Maria and Will Major
Relationship
Client
We have been working with Jake and Mike over the last few months on the construction of our home. We have throughly enjoyed our experience with Blue Horse! They not only have been very knowledgeable, but they have been very timely at getting back to us with any questions we have had during our construction process. We not only would recommend them, but would hire them again in a heart beat!
November 30, 2018

cleopetricek
Relationship
Client
We have been living in our beautiful Blue Horse custom home for one year, the experience we had during construction with Jake Bradley and Mike McNamara was top notch.
Our home is located within Austin city limits and we experienced significant city related setbacks which Blue Horse handled with great professionalism. Mike McNamara was heavily involved in our build and we greatly appreciate his attention to detail and his assistance in doing things right.
Our home was a unique design by an architect requiring onsite adaption which Jake and Mike handled with enthusiasm. When our architect first met Jake and Mike, he commented that we didn’t need to interview any other builders.
Jake and Mike have an approachable demeanor and are genuinely interested in creating a real family home. They can handle any level of detail required. Many people would say after building a house, they would never want to endure that stress again, after our experience with Blue Horse we could absolutely say we would build again ONLY with them. If Blue Horse had a wait; we would wait for them until they were ready to add a new project.




November 21, 2018Last modified:November 21, 2018

Twist Tours Real Estate and Portfolio Marketing
Relationship
Colleague
As a architectural photography company, it is such a treat to be able to photograph above excellent work as is done by Blue Horse Building and Design. Crisp, clean and GORGEOUS subject matter! Thank you for being such a great client.
August 10, 2018

Courtney Clark
Relationship
Client
Blue Horse took our worn-out looking, 100-year-old home and turned it into a showpiece worthy of being on magazine covers (which it was, thanks to them!)
The first thing we noticed was their consciousness. On the first project, the backyard/pool/garage/poolhouse build, the team spent time every single evening before they left, picking up each stray nail and any piece of garbage. They left NOTHING behind, even when they were coming back in 12 hours. The finished product was breathtaking.
Then they worked with us to update the kitchen - I had been told kitchen remodels are a nightmare, but the Blue Horse team made it incredibly easy. They're honest about the *actual* time a project will take, so your expectations are set from the beginning.
I love working with Blue Horse. The quality is uncompromising, exactly what you want in your home. You can't make a better choice than to hire Blue Horse - they'll make your home beautiful!



February 22, 2018

geechie
Relationship
Client
Love these guys, particularly Jake Bradley and Mike McNamara. Total commitment to superb craftsmanship, fine finishes, and a trove of great creative problem-solving as well. Couldn’t be happier - this project took close to two years and was by far the best construction experience I’ve ever had. And also one of the most satisfying creative collaborations of any kind that Ive been a part of.
January 6, 2018

Zen LIving, LLC
Relationship
Client
Blue Horse just completed a stunning spec project (SF+ ADU) for me. They have been extremely easy and pleasant to work with. The end product exceeded everyone's expectation. In fact, one of the units sold with with the first 2 days on the market. Highly recommended!!




November 19, 2017

Joshua Nguyen
Relationship
Client
Hands down the reason why we decided to use BH was because we enjoyed their company. If you are going to invest 12+ months, good people make all the difference. There will be challenges and stressful times and having people that you enjoy and respect make all the difference. We are happy to call the BH team our friends for life. Regarding the construction quality, the home far exceeded our expectations due to the detailed craftsmanship (woodwork), the engineering thoughtfulness, and “sturdiness”. It might appear unrealistic to say it was a flawless build but to be honest…it was damn near close. If we were to build again, we would ONLY use Blue Horse, no questions asked.

November 6, 2017Last modified:November 6, 2017

Matt Fajkus
Relationship
Colleague
Blue Horse does exceptional work and I would be happy to work with them on a future project. I have known Jake to be great to work with and would highly recommend them.
November 5, 2017

unitedcustom
Relationship
Colleague
Blue Horse has always been great to work with over the years. They are prompt, professional, and take pride in their product. We have done several projects with them and are always happy to work with this group of professionals.
April 7, 2015

roadrunnerrancher
Relationship
Client
We chose Blue Horse for our custom home (design-build). Fred and Jake had great ideas, worked with our budget, and constructed a quality home. We'd work with them again.




June 16, 2013Last modified:June 28, 2013

sallietrout
Relationship
Client
Fred & Jake from Blue Horse were a pleasure to work with. Unlike many contractors, they were involved, vested in our interests and honest.
May 4, 2013Last modified:May 30, 2013

jc8032
Relationship
Client
My experience using Blue Horse was very good. The craftsmanship was excellent, and the business practices, scheduling, attention to detail, etc. were handled very well. I would recommend this group.
May 2, 2013Last modified:June 28, 2013

Furman + Keil Architects
Relationship
Colleague
Blue Horse Building is a thoughtful, detail-oriented, and well-managed construction company that we were happy to have worked with. So happy that we've already teamed up with them again for our next project. They truly embody a team effort and mentality that strengthens the architect-contractor relationship. This project was new construction restrained by a dramatic site as the house sat at the edge of a bluff overlooking the lake. Our team fought for every inch of the footprint to provide a fully programmed house, and throughout the process, Blue Horse Building offered tactful suggestions that met our design aesthetic. With our teams' collaboration, the result was a polished, budget-conscience house that fulfilled our clients' wishes. We look forward to the next project with Blue Horse.
March 25, 2013Last modified:March 27, 2013
Commented: banquette seatingYou're very welcome!
Thank you.
January 3, 2021
Commented: Can you What brand of motorized patio screens?HU-55313308, the exterior motorized shades were purchased from Texas Sun & Shade, the brand is Rainier Industries.
I hope this helps.
BHB+D
January 1, 2021
Commented: Beautiful. What is the color of the stucco and roof?jmaxheath, The stucco color is a Sto Acrylic Limestone finish that is color matched to Behr “White Pepper” - The roof color is Dark Bronze.
Hope this helps!
BHB+D
November 21, 2020
Commented: Paint color please?Sewsanne S The wall color is Sherwin Williams #7636 Origami White. The trim and cabinets are Sherwin Williams #7005 Pure White. The color is throughout the house except for kids rooms.
I hope this hel...
November 11, 2020
Commented: Who is the mfg of the island light fixture?teslpp, unfortunately that was a selection by the home owner and we do not have that information at this time.
BHB+D
November 3, 2020
Commented: backsplash tilefitfor94 Unfortunately it was a direct selection and purchase by the homeowner and we do not have that information.
September 19, 2020
Find Home Builders to Help Get the Job Done
Tired of reading all the DIY tutorials? We are here to help. With over 1 million home professionals on Houzz, you’ll easily find the trusted Home Builder for your next project in Dripping Springs, TX.
Read Reviews from Dripping Springs Homeowners Like You
Read homeowners reviews before hiring the Home Builder to help with your project in Dripping Springs. If you have questions, read other homeowners’ reviews or our discussion forum for a second opinion.
Easily Contact Trusted Home Builders
If you’re browsing Houzz and have a contractor in mind, then you’ll quickly find that requesting a quote is easier than ever. From one simple dashboard, you can manage all the Home Builder quotes you got.
Home Builders near Dripping Springs
Professional Categories in Dripping Springs
Dripping Springs Window Treatments · Dripping Springs Window Contractors · Dripping Springs Air Conditioning & Heating · Dripping Springs Electricians · Dripping Springs Furniture Repair & Upholstery · Dripping Springs Garage Door Repair · Dripping Springs Gardeners & Lawn Care · Dripping Springs Home Stagers · Dripping Springs Movers · Dripping Springs Painters
BHB+D