Build new, and build it right.
Ground-up construction across East Texas, residential and commercial. From the slab up, poured for the clay we actually stand on.
The number is the number
With ground-up, there are no surprises behind the wall, because there is no wall yet. You get a clear scope, a real schedule, and a price that holds. I've built new when a renovation quote came back higher than new construction, and I'll tell you straight when that's the case. Too many contractors only know one play, so everything looks like that play. I do both, so the advice isn't bent toward what's in my truck.
East Texas clay is the wildcard and it decides everything below grade. I pour for the ground we're standing on, not a catalog spec. Get the slab right and everything above it is easier. Get it wrong and it doesn't matter how pretty the build is, the floor will tell on you in a year.
Ground-up vs. renovation, the real call
People ask me which is better. There's no better, there's right for your bones and your budget. If the structure is sound and the layout mostly works, renovate. You keep the foundation, the shell, the roofline, and a pile of money you'd otherwise spend re-pouring what already exists. If fixing it costs more than replacing it, or the layout can't ever do what you need, build new.
The catch with renovation is the unknowns behind the drywall. The catch with ground-up is the longer timeline before you see a dollar of return, and the bigger upfront check. I put both numbers on the table side by side and let you decide with open eyes. A builder who won't show you the renovation number because he'd rather sell you new is a builder I wouldn't hire.
What we build
- Commercial and light-industrial new construction
- Retail, office, and mixed-use buildings
- Churches and ministry facilities
- Custom residential and barndominiums
- Shell buildings with future finish-out
Questions owners actually ask me
Ground-up or renovate, which should I do?
Depends on the bones. If fixing it costs more than replacing it, build new. I'll show you both numbers. Here's the longer version: Ground-Up vs. Renovation.
Do you manage the whole job?
Yes. Permits to certificate of occupancy. One contractor responsible for the schedule, not five subs pointing at each other.
How do you handle the slab?
I read the soil and pour for it. East Texas clay gets respected, not ignored. That's the part that decides whether the building lasts.
What does it cost?
Texas commercial ground-up runs roughly $190 to $340 a square foot in 2025 and 2026, industrial on the low end. I scope your specific build before quoting. Residential and barndos are a different range, and I'll walk you through it.
Thinking about building new? Call me at (903) 242-8266 or email jw@sabinebuilt.com. Tell me what the building needs to do, and I'll scope it honestly, including the renovation number you should compare against.
Tenant Finish Out · Commercial Renovation · Metal Buildings · Read: Ground-Up vs. Renovation