What You Should Know
- We are an independent builder, not a Lindal dealer. You buy your package through your Lindal representative. We build it — foundation through final inspection.
- A Lindal package covers the design, the post-and-beam structure and the exterior shell. Everything else is the builder's scope: site work, foundation, utilities, mechanical, interior, permits.
- Most of the risk in a kit home build is sequencing and site readiness, not the package. The materials arrive on a schedule that does not wait.
- In Sonoma and Napa County, WUI fire detailing and hillside engineering are where local experience matters most.
Our Lindal experience
Howard Construction Inc. has built two Lindal post-and-beam homes in Northern California. The first was completed in Santa Rosa, Sonoma County. The second is nearing completion in Napa Valley — the home in the photographs on this page, set on an oak-studded property with vineyard frontage and long views to the ranges beyond.
That is a modest number, and we would rather state it plainly than inflate it. What it means practically is that we have been through the full cycle once and are completing it a second time: taking delivery of a package, staging it, assembling a post-and-beam frame to tolerance, and carrying it through California inspections to a finished home. The lessons from the first build are visible in the second.
What a Lindal package includes — and what it does not
This is the single most common source of budget surprise for people building a kit home, so it is worth being precise about the line.
| In the Lindal package | Your builder's scope |
|---|---|
| Engineered plans & structural design | Site survey, soils report, civil engineering |
| Post-and-beam frame, western red cedar | Excavation, grading, retaining, drainage |
| Roof structure & exterior shell materials | Foundation & slab |
| Windows & exterior doors | Utility trenching, well, septic or sewer |
| Cedar ceiling liner & interior trim package | Plumbing, electrical, HVAC, solar |
| Detailed material list & specifications | Insulation, drywall, flooring, cabinetry, tile, paint |
| — | Permits, plan check, fees, inspections |
| — | All labor, supervision, and scheduling |
The practical rule: the package price is not the house price. Budget the Lindal package as one line item inside a full custom-home budget. For 2026 pricing across Sonoma and Napa County, see our cost to build a house guide.
Why building a Lindal is not like building a conventional custom home
The design arrives resolved
On a conventional custom build, drawings evolve during construction and the cost of that evolution lands on the owner. With a Lindal, the structural engineering and material list arrive complete and specified. That removes a genuine category of risk — material shortages, substitutions, and mid-build redesign.
But the schedule becomes unforgiving
What replaces that risk is sequencing. The package ships as a defined set of components, and the site has to be ready when it lands: foundation cured, access adequate for delivery, staging area cleared and protected, crew available. A conventional job absorbs a two-week slip. A kit delivery does not care about your two-week slip.
Assembly precision replaces improvisation
Post-and-beam framing is unforgiving in a way stick framing is not. Beams land on posts at engineered connections; there is no discreet shimming your way out of a foundation that is out of level. The foundation and the mudsill have to be right, because everything above them is manufactured to spec.
The material deserves care
Western red cedar is a premium material and it arrives on site in a finished-quality state. How it is unloaded, stacked, covered and protected between delivery and installation directly determines what the finished ceiling looks like. Exposed post-and-beam structure means the framing is the finish — there is no drywall coming later to hide a careless mark.
What wine country adds to a Lindal build
The Lindal system is used worldwide. What it cannot ship you is knowledge of the county counter you are about to walk into. In Sonoma and Napa County, the site-specific work is where projects are won or lost:
- WUI fire detailing. Much of both counties sits in a mapped Wildland-Urban Interface zone, triggering California Building Code Chapter 7A: Class A roof assembly, ember-resistant vents, ignition-resistant exterior materials, enclosed eaves, and decking clearances near the structure.
- Hillside and soils. Expansive clay is widespread across the North Bay. Slope, drainage, and engineered foundations frequently drive more cost than the structure above them.
- Seismic engineering. Northern California lateral loads are designed into the foundation and connections, and inspected accordingly.
- Access. Rural wine country parcels often have long private drives with width and turning constraints that a package delivery truck must actually negotiate. This is worth confirming before anything ships.
- Septic and well. Many buildable parcels are unserviced. Capacity evaluation belongs early in the process, not after the package is ordered.
- Local jurisdictions. The City of Napa, City of Santa Rosa, and unincorporated county each run different fee schedules and review timelines. See our service areas for how we work in each.
How we work with Lindal owners
| Stage | What we do |
|---|---|
| Before you order | Walk the property with you. Assess slope, access, utilities, septic feasibility, fire zone and delivery route — while changes are still free. |
| Design coordination | Work alongside your Lindal representative and designer so the plan suits the site rather than fighting it. |
| Budget | Build a written line-item estimate for everything outside the package, so you see the whole number early. |
| Permitting | Handle submittal, plan check responses, engineering coordination and fees through approval. |
| Site & foundation | Grading, drainage, utilities and a foundation set to the tolerance post-and-beam requires. |
| Delivery & assembly | Receive, stage and protect the package; assemble the frame; dry in the structure. |
| Finish | Mechanical, interior, cabinetry and finishes through final inspection and occupancy. |
If you have not bought a package yet, talk to us before you do. An hour walking your land can change which model fits, where the house sits, and what the site work will cost — and those decisions are far cheaper before an order than after one.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Howard Construction build Lindal Cedar Homes?
Yes. Howard Construction Inc. is an independent licensed general contractor (CA Lic. #836369) that has built Lindal post-and-beam homes in Northern California. We have completed a Lindal home in Santa Rosa and are finishing a second in Napa Valley. We are not a Lindal dealer or distributor; homeowners buy the Lindal package through their Lindal representative, and we build it.
Do I need a builder if I buy a Lindal home package?
Almost always, yes. A Lindal package supplies the engineered design, the structural post-and-beam system, and the exterior materials. It does not include the foundation, site work, utilities, mechanical systems, interior finishes, or the labor to assemble any of it. A licensed local general contractor handles the permit process and everything from the ground up.
How is building a Lindal home different from a conventional custom home?
The design and structural engineering arrive resolved, and the material list is detailed and complete, which removes much of the pricing guesswork and material-shortage risk of a conventional custom build. What replaces it is a sequencing discipline: the package arrives in a defined order and the site, foundation, and crew must be genuinely ready when it does. Assembly precision matters more than improvisation.
Can a Lindal home meet California WUI and fire code requirements?
Yes. Lindal states that all Lindal homes built in California are designed and engineered to meet or exceed California fire code, and can be designed for WUI areas. Building in Sonoma or Napa County still means detailing Chapter 7A compliance on site: ember-resistant vents, Class A roof assembly, ignition-resistant exterior materials, and decking clearances near the structure.
What does it cost to build a Lindal home in Sonoma or Napa County?
The Lindal package is one line item; the finished cost is the whole build. In 2026, custom homes in Sonoma and Napa County generally run $400 to $850 per square foot including site work, foundation, utilities, mechanical systems, interior finishes, permits and fees. A Lindal build sits inside that range, with the package itself typically representing a fraction of total project cost.
Where has Howard Construction built Lindal homes?
We completed a Lindal home in Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, and are currently finishing a Lindal home on an oak-and-vineyard property in Napa Valley. Both are in Northern California wine country, where we have built since 2000.
Building a Lindal in Sonoma or Napa County?
Phil will walk your property, review your plans or the model you are considering, and give you a written line-item estimate for everything the package does not cover. No charge, and no obligation.
Get Your Free Estimate →About our relationship with Lindal: Howard Construction Inc. is an independent licensed general contractor (CA Lic. #836369). We are not a Lindal dealer, distributor, or authorized representative, and we are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Lindal Cedar Homes. Lindal packages are purchased directly from Lindal through its network of independent dealers; we are the builder homeowners hire to construct them. Lindal and Lindal Cedar Homes are trademarks of their respective owner. To find your Lindal representative, visit lindal.com.