Custom Home Builder in Southside Chattanooga

The Southside has a different rhythm from a quieter street farther from downtown. Its small businesses, galleries and entertainment are a big part of the appeal. A home project here starts with how the property and the household will work together.

EPG Homes has built custom homes on the Southside and also handles remodels. The Chattanooga builder has been in business since 2013, and Evan Greene is a fourth generation builder. For a custom home or a larger remodel, the team starts with the homeowner’s goals and a clear picture of the project.

Southside Living, with the Home at the Center

Chattanooga’s official tourism guide calls the Chattanooga Choo Choo a Southside anchor and describes a neighborhood of restaurants, small businesses, galleries and entertainment. That setting explains why people want to live here, but it doesn’t make every property the same opportunity.

A buyer should think about the daily routine that comes with a particular home. Privacy, outdoor space, storage and the layout of the rooms all matter. The goal is a house that works on an ordinary day, not only in a finished project photo.

Evan and Haley own a home on the Southside, so this neighborhood is home for EPG too. They love walking for coffee, throwing the ball for their dog at Play Wash Pint, pushing a stroller to breakfast and walking to some of the best restaurants in Chattanooga.

A New Home Starts with the Actual Property

EPG brings custom home building experience on the Southside to the planning conversation. Every lot still needs a close look before the design is treated as finished. Access, available space, where the house sits and the requirements that apply all need to be understood together.

A mailing address or a new home down the block isn’t a substitute for looking at the lot itself. Utilities, drainage, the intended use and any restrictions need to be confirmed for the property being considered. Not every existing parcel can take a new home or a bigger footprint, and Evan’s team can help sort that out before a buyer commits.

Evan on a custom home build on the Southside.

Form Based Code Zoning on the Southside

Much of the Southside sits inside Chattanooga’s Downtown Form Based Code area. Conventional zoning mostly covers how a property is used, but form based code also sets how a home sits on the lot and faces the street. Setbacks, how much of the lot’s street frontage the house fills, maximum height, windows on the street side and driveway access can all come into play.

That means more steps than a normal building permit. The city asks for a consultation with its form based code planner before plan review, and the permit package can include a site plan, building elevations, window details and a stamped survey. If a lot can’t meet a standard as written, the project needs a modification, approved either by city staff or, for bigger requests, by the Form Based Code Committee at its monthly meeting. It takes a contractor who knows the process. EPG has built custom homes on the Southside and can help a homeowner sort out what a lot needs before the design is final.

Primary bath remodel by EPG Homes on the Southside

The South House, a Southside Remodel

EPG remodeled the South House on the Southside. It’s a good example of a project that started with an existing home rather than an empty lot.

An existing house brings a different set of questions. The team needs to understand what should stay, what needs to change and how the finished spaces should work together. The scope has to fit the house that’s actually there.

For a Southside homeowner, that conversation can be about staying in the neighborhood while rethinking the home itself. The remodeling page has more about how EPG approaches work on existing homes.

Design Decisions Before the Work

EPG works through the plan and selections before construction so the homeowner can see the project as a whole. How the rooms connect and how the home gets used should guide the finish decisions, not the other way around.

Evan stays involved while a project manager handles the day to day work. The online client portal keeps the schedule, progress photos and decisions in one place. The building process page explains how EPG approaches a new build.

Great room remodel by EPG Homes on the Southside

A Fixed Fee, Not a Bigger Paycheck for Upgrades

EPG’s builder fee is set up front for the agreed scope. Choosing a higher priced finish changes the cost of that selection, not the builder’s fee.

EPG works on a fixed fee, so an upgrade never raises the builder’s pay.

A Southside project needs a clear scope before it needs a price. The plans or the existing house, the selections and the work involved are what make the budget conversation useful.

Every Southside Lot Gets Its Own Review

An approval or building approach used somewhere else in Chattanooga doesn’t settle the questions for a Southside property. The right requirements and intended use need to be checked for the actual site.

A homeowner can start with a lot, an existing house or just an early idea. EPG’s team can then go over what information is available and what still needs an answer before the next decision.

For close in neighborhoods off the Southside, like Highland Park and Lincoln Park, see EPG’s infill custom homes page.

New Home Warranty

New EPG homes include a limited 10 year warranty backed by Quality Builders Warranty. The warranty page explains the coverage. The new home warranty doesn’t cover a remodel.

Talk Through a Southside Project

A lot purchase, a new home and a major remodel each raise different questions. EPG’s team can start with where the project stands now, then talk through what needs to happen next. For a Southside project, call or text Evan’s team at 423-646-7540.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the South House a new custom home?

No. The South House was an EPG remodel, not a new build.

Can a Southside project start with an existing home?

Yes. The starting point is the current house, the parts that should stay and the changes the homeowner has in mind. A clear remodeling scope helps those decisions fit together.

Does every Southside lot allow a new home?

That can’t be assumed. The property, access, utilities, intended use and the requirements that apply need a close look before a buyer treats a new home as buildable.

Does a nearby project settle the requirements for a Southside lot?

No. The intended use and the requirements that apply need to be confirmed for the actual property. Another project down the street isn’t a substitute for reviewing the lot being considered.

Does an upgrade increase EPG’s builder fee?

No. EPG works on a fixed fee, so an upgrade never raises the builder’s pay. A higher priced selection changes the cost of that selection, not the builder’s fee.

What helps EPG understand a Southside remodel?

Existing plans, photos of the spaces and a short list of priorities are great starting points. The scope can then be built around the actual home rather than a general idea.

How does a Southside homeowner get started?

Gather the property information, any plans and the main goals for the work, then call or text Evan’s team at 423-646-7540 to talk through the next step.