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10 Tips for Building Your Custom Home on the Oregon Coast

What You Need to Know

Building your custom home on the Oregon Coast opens the door to a lifestyle that blends natural beauty, small-town charm, and lasting value. From cozy custom cottages to spacious multi-level homes, the coast offers a wide range of home styles to suit every family’s dream.

Each coastal town brings its own personality to your future home. Cannon Beach is renowned for its high-end custom homes and walkable town center, which offers scenic views and a sense of retreat. Newport blends rich culture, fresh seafood, and recreational activities, making it a prime location for timber frame or heavy timber homes. Further south, Waldport offers a more affordable path to homeownership, with beach access and small-town warmth that is ideal for building equity in a growing market.

In many cases, building your home on the coast can be more cost-effective than purchasing an existing property. With a custom approach, you gain complete control over your home’s design, plans, and materials, ensuring every feature is tailored to your lifestyle. Furthermore, custom-built homes in appreciating areas often deliver long-term value and substantial equity potential.

However, coastal construction comes with unique challenges. Zoning laws, soil stability, foundation types, and county-specific building codes all vary across the region. That’s why partnering with a trusted custom home builder experienced in Oregon Coast projects makes all the difference. A knowledgeable team will help you assess your site, navigate the permitting process, and ensure your home design aligns with the local environment, making the process smoother and more predictable.

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Before diving into your project, here are six essential things to consider before purchasing land and four design features to remember when building a seaside home in Oregon.

6 Must-Knows Before Buying a Coastal Lot in Oregon

Before you can begin building your custom home on the Oregon Coast, the first step is securing the right lot. Where you build matters just as much as what you build—and understanding the land’s unique characteristics is key to a successful and stress-free construction process.

When purchasing land, consider the following factors:

Oregon’s coastal beauty comes with environmental exposure. By understanding your lot’s flood zone, you can plan ahead and choose innovative and resilient designs.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) designates coastal areas into different flood zones based on risk. For example, Zones V, VE, and V1-30 indicate high-risk coastal areas prone to storm surges and wave action. Building in these zones often requires elevated foundations, stronger structural support, and storm-resistant designs. You will likely need to purchase flood insurance, which adds to your overall costs of homeownership.

A durable, well-located home with thoughtful design is more likely to retain or increase in value over time. As coastal properties are subject to changing weather patterns, erosion, and rising water levels, a lot with strong environmental resilience can reduce long-term risks and maintenance costs. Look for lots with natural barriers, good drainage, and elevation. Contact your local officials, real estate agents, or your custom home builder to help evaluate the property’s condition and future land stability.

At HiLine Homes, we help you determine if your lot meets your needs through a feasibility study. By combining smart site planning, durable construction, and high environmental standards, you’re not just building a home, you’re building equity.

Consider access to electricity, water, sewer, internet, and roadways when selecting a coastal lot. Some remote areas may lack reliable service connections, which can affect your budget and timeline. Without proper utilities, you may face delays or increased construction costs to install septic systems, water tanks, or off-grid solutions. Visit InMyArea to confirm the availability of utility services near the lot.

Before you begin building your custom home on the Oregon Coast, it’s essential to understand how local zoning laws will impact your home plans, foundation, and overall construction process. These regulations are in place to protect the coastal environment, including dunes, wetlands, and those breathtaking waterfront views that make coastal living so special.

Here are a few key zoning considerations that can affect your building site and design plans:

Easements: Utility or drainage easements may restrict where you can build on your property.
Height restrictions: Common in many coastal communities to protect scenic views for neighboring homes.
Impervious surface limits: These rules limit how much hard surface (like roofs and driveways) can be included to manage stormwater runoff and safeguard local ecosystems.
Setback regulations: These laws define how close your home can be to the water’s edge and other natural features, helping preserve the coastline.

You can typically find official zoning information by searching online for “local zoning map [your city],” but interpreting those rules can be overwhelming without experience.

That’s why partnering with a custom home builder who knows Oregon’s coastal zoning laws is so important. A trusted builder can help you do a land evaluation to identify potential issues early, prevent unnecessary delays, and move your project forward with confidence.

When building your custom home on the Oregon Coast, one important step that’s often overlooked is reviewing the elevation certificate. This official document shows your property’s height relative to the base flood elevation (BFE)—a crucial factor in determining your foundation design and long-term insurance costs.

If your lot is located in a designated coastal flood zone, an elevation certificate is more than just helpful—it’s required. Local building departments use this certificate to ensure your home is constructed safely and meets elevation standards for the area.

As most homes near the ocean are at a higher risk for storm damage, flooding, and wind, most coastal homeowners are required to carry flood insurance and may need windstorm coverage as well. Premiums can vary greatly by location and flood zone designations and it’s essential to include insurance costs in your budget planning during the design and building process.

Furthermore, some counties may have higher tax rates for ocean front or view properties. Consult with your home builder for the local tax rates based on similar projects in the area.

4 Home Plan Design Features for Custom Homes on the Oregon Coast

With the scenic beauty of the Oregon coast comes the elements. Your coastal home must be designed to withstand salt-laden air and strong sea winds. Whether you choose to build a HiLine Home, an additional dwelling unit, or a shell home, selecting the right features and planning early in the process allows you to acquire a strong, efficient, and low-maintenance construction for years to come.

Before finalizing a floor plan, ensure you understand the height limits.

Coastal cities like Cannon Beach enforce height limits (approximately 28 feet in residential zones) to preserve scenic views, sunlight, and maintain a human-scale streetscape. Because coastal homes often require elevated foundations for flood safety, some floor plans may need to be modified or re-engineered to meet height codes while still offering multi-level functionality.

By finding a trusted custom home builder, you can adapt a design that maximizes your site without overstepping regulations.

Homes on the coast often support a more relaxed social lifestyle. Instead of rigid, formal rooms, consider open multifunctional spaces that provide flexible accommodations for everyday family life and entertaining.

A flexible floor plan allows your home to evolve with your needs, whether hosting friends or creating a quiet reading nook. Flex rooms, kitchen-dining-living combinations, and media spaces facilitate easy movement, increased natural light, and more efficient use of your square footage as your family grows and evolves.

One of the most cherished aspects of living on the Oregon coast is the stunning natural scenery. Your home design should prioritize the layout, room orientation, and windows that showcase its coastal views.

Plan your home’s layout around the sun’s path and your lot’s view corridors. With a thoughtful orientation, you can harness the natural light to reduce electricity consumption and create a warm, inviting environment.

To top it off, use large, storm-resistant windows in the kitchen, living room, and master bedroom to bring in natural light and create a constant connection to the outdoors. A transom window above exterior doors and clerestory windows, positioned high on the walls, can open up the room’s space by bringing in sunlight.

Along the Oregon Coast, life doesn’t just happen inside. Covered outdoor spaces allow you to enjoy ocean breezes and coastal views while being shaded from rain and the scorching sun. Wraparound porches, covered patios, screened porches, and verandas allow people to enjoy the coast year-round while providing them comfort from the elements.

Adding porches to multiple sides of your home can improve cross-breezes, expandable space, and enhance overall design flexibility for family meals, relaxing mornings, and social gatherings.

Contact Us to Start Building Your Dream Coastal Home

The Oregon coast features stunning views, close-knit communities, and a range of lot options. By understanding zoning, flood zones, and other factors when choosing a property and designing a home with the coastal elements in mind, you can build an investment that you can enjoy for years to come.

With nearly 30 years of building in the Pacific Northwest, HiLine Homes delivers local expertise, a proven process, and affordable pricing that builds your custom home from concept to completion. From our offices in Medford, Redmond, Roseburg, and Salem, we help simplify every part of the home-building journey—from choosing the right lot and floor plan to navigating permits and building codes.

Ready to achieve your coastal home away from home?

Contact your local HiLine Homes office to speak with a knowledgeable Home Consultant about our home building process. If financing is needed, be sure to ask about our approved lenders, whether you need to purchase land or not.