Mount Pleasant · Charleston County, South Carolina
Custom Home Builder in Mount Pleasant, SC
Chris Eller holds a South Carolina residential builder’s license and a South Carolina real estate broker’s license. In Mount Pleasant, where protected trees, flood elevation and neighborhood review boards decide what a lot will carry, that means one person evaluates the land, negotiates it and builds the house.
Mount Pleasant gives you more buildable land than either island, but it is not simpler. Marsh-front lots carry critical-line and flood questions, wooded lots carry the Town’s tree protections, and most established neighborhoods put an architectural review board between your plans and a permit. The lot you choose decides most of the budget before an architect draws a line.
Trees Decide the Footprint
The Town’s 2025 zoning update tightened tree protection. On residential lots, hardwoods 16 inches and larger in diameter are protected, and pines are now protected at 24 inches and larger. Each protected tree carries a root protection zone of one foot of radius for every inch of diameter, and removals require replacement planting. On a wooded lot, the tree survey often sets the house footprint and driveway before the floor plan does.
Flood Elevation and Freeboard
Mount Pleasant requires new homes in the flood zone to sit two feet above base flood elevation, double the old one-foot rule. On a marsh-front lot that can mean a raised or stem-wall foundation, flood vents, and elevated mechanical and electrical equipment. We confirm the zone and elevation from the survey and the current FEMA map before you buy.
Neighborhood Review Boards
Dunes West, Park West, Hamlin Plantation, Rivertowne and most planned communities have their own architectural review boards with their own submittal calendars, material lists and minimum sizes. In the Old Village, the Town’s historic district review adds another layer. We read the covenants and design guidelines before design starts, so the plans go in once.
Marsh-Front and Critical Line
The lots buyers want most back up to the marsh, and those are the lots with an OCRM critical line, buffers and setbacks that pull the buildable envelope back from the water. Docks are a separate permit. A survey showing the critical line is the first document we ask for on any marsh lot.
What a Mainland Build Costs
Mainland sites in Mount Pleasant generally price below the barrier islands, where we publish a working range of roughly $500 to $800 or more per heated square foot. Lighter foundation and wind requirements are the main reason. Every Iconic project is cost-plus with the markup fixed up front by scope, and every draw is backed by invoices and receipts.
Builder and Broker, One Team
Chris Eller has sold and built in Mount Pleasant for more than two decades. He can find the lot, write the offer with a due diligence period sized for a tree survey and a builder’s budget, and then build the house. Brokerage services are provided through The Cassina Group; construction is by Iconic Developments.
Mount Pleasant Projects
Colonel Vanderhorst Circle
Custom home in Dunes West to a Flatfish Designs plan.
5 Bed · 4.5 Bath · 4,209 Sq Ft · 2022Sand Marsh Lane
Cul-de-sac custom home in The Sound at Hamlin Plantation.
5 Bed · 3.5 Bath · 3,230 Sq Ft · 2018Bank Street, Old Village
Raised cottage with a balcony and hardwood throughout, a walk from Pitt Street.
4 Bed · 4 Bath · 2,066 Sq Ft · 2021Masonborough at Park West
Lowcountry craftsman on a third-acre cul-de-sac lot backing protected wetlands.
4 Bed · 3.5 Bath · 3,022 Sq FtBuilding team represented by Iconic Developments on each of these homes. The full portfolio, including Isle of Palms and Daniel Island, is in the photo gallery. Building on the islands instead? See Isle of Palms and Sullivan’s Island.
Free · No Obligation
Have Chris review the lot before you commit
In Mount Pleasant the trees, the marsh and the review board decide what you can build. Send the address and Chris will review:
- Protected trees and how they shape the footprint and driveway
- The flood zone, base flood elevation and two-foot freeboard requirement
- Any OCRM critical line and the buildable envelope behind it
- The neighborhood ARB or historic review the plans will face
- A realistic construction budget and timeline
At a Glance
| Service Area | Mount Pleasant, SC 29464 and 29466 — including the Old Village, Dunes West, Park West, Hamlin Plantation, Rivertowne and Belle Hall |
|---|---|
| What We Do | Lot evaluation, tree and flood due diligence, ARB submittals, new custom homes, buyer and seller representation |
| Licenses | South Carolina Real Estate Broker (2003); South Carolina Residential Home Builder |
| Designations | Certified Master Builder of South Carolina (HBASC), NAHB Certified Green Professional, CRS, CLHMS, ABR |
| Brokerage | Chris Eller, Broker Associate, The Cassina Group |
| Contract Type | Cost-plus with a fixed markup set by scope up front; every draw backed by invoices and receipts |
| Direct Line | (843) 343-3359 · Chris@IconicDevelopments.com |
Mount Pleasant Building Questions
Can I remove trees to build a house in Mount Pleasant?
Some, with a permit. On residential lots the Town protects trees 16 inches and larger in diameter, and pines 24 inches and larger. Each protected tree has a root protection zone of one foot of radius per inch of diameter, and removals must be replaced with new plantings. Get a tree survey before you design.
How high does a new home have to be built in Mount Pleasant?
In a FEMA flood zone, the Town requires the lowest floor to sit two feet above base flood elevation. Your survey and the current flood map set the exact number, and that number drives the foundation type, the stair runs and the cost.
What does it cost to build a custom home in Mount Pleasant?
Mainland Mount Pleasant generally prices below the barrier islands, where our working range is roughly $500 to $800 or more per heated square foot before the lot. Marsh-front lots, elevators, pools and finish level move the number. We price every home cost-plus with the markup fixed up front.
Do I need HOA or ARB approval to build in Mount Pleasant?
In most planned neighborhoods, yes. Dunes West, Park West, Hamlin Plantation and Rivertowne each run their own architectural review with their own guidelines and calendars, and the Old Village has historic district review. We fold those approvals into the schedule from the start.
Can you help me find a lot in Mount Pleasant?
Yes. Chris Eller is a licensed South Carolina broker with The Cassina Group as well as a licensed builder, so he can find the lot, negotiate it and build on it. If you already own land, start with a build-on-your-lot review.
Talk to the builder, not a call center
Whether you own a lot in Mount Pleasant, are under contract on one, or are weighing the mainland against the islands, one call will tell you what the lot will carry and what it will cost.