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Serving Ellensburg, Cle Elum, Kittitas County, Yakima Valley

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Cle Elum · Suncadia

Suncadia Custom Home
Builder in Cle Elum, WA

Resort homes built through Design Review—not around it.

5.06 reviews on

Benchmark Custom Homes builds precision-grade custom homes inside Suncadia Resort—Cle Elum's master-planned mountain community with championship golf, lodge amenities, and a Design Review Committee that approves every new home and meaningful exterior change.

If you are comparing Suncadia custom home builders—WoodRidge, Merle, Bauer, or others—ask how many projects they have delivered through final DRC compliance and whether they engineer for 115 psf ground snow load from schematic design. Our portfolio includes Kokanee Loop. See also our luxury Cle Elum builder page.

Client story
“We walked into a Benchmark home in Tumble Creek and knew that was it. Quality workmanship, perfect on the lot, beautiful finishes. Warren and Marissa made it seamless and worry-free.”

— Steve and Mandy, Tumble Creek · Read more testimonials

Building here

What Suncadia builds demand

  • 115 psf ground snow load, 110 mph gust, severe weathering exposure, 24-inch frost line (City of Cle Elum / resort design criteria)
  • Most homesites are forested—Building Envelope vs. Natural Area defined on your Homesite Diagram
  • Storm water and snow melt retained and infiltrated on-site per Suncadia DRC Design Guidelines
  • Engineering required for structures over 4,000 sq ft, timber/log/steel systems, and mountain-exposure assemblies
Permitting & review

Process and jurisdiction

  • Suncadia Design Review Committee (DRC) under the Suncadia Residential Owners Association—guidelines revised May 2019 (1st Revision V3)
  • County building permits through Kittitas County CDS, 411 N Ruby Street, Suite 2, Ellensburg WA 98926 (2018 IRC + WA amendments)
  • DRC final compliance required before county permit issuance on resort parcels
  • Sub-associations (Tumble Creek, Nelson Preserve) may add overlay standards
Communities

Where we build in Suncadia

Suncadia core & Nelson Preserve

Primary resort neighborhoods with baseline DRC standards. We move submittals from pre-application through final compliance on forested and golf-adjacent homesites.

Tumble Creek

Private sub-community with tighter material, massing, and landscape standards layered on the Suncadia DRC. See our dedicated Tumble Creek page.

Paintbrush Lakes & golf-course frontage

Homesites with lake and fairway views require careful massing and landscape buffers. Tree protection and Natural Area boundaries are strictly enforced.

Why build here

Why owners choose Suncadia

  • Championship golf, trail network, and lodge amenities without maintaining resort infrastructure yourself
  • I-90 access to Seattle in roughly 80 minutes—viable as primary or second home
  • Architectural consistency enforced by DRC protects long-term property values
  • Mountain setting with engineered infrastructure (utilities, roads, snow management)

Suncadia is a master-planned resort at the eastern foot of the Cascades—golf, spa, dining, and trail access with a gated-community design standard that keeps the built environment cohesive.

Built work

Recent Suncadia area builds

Kokanee Loop custom home in Cle Elum, WA by Benchmark Custom Homes — custom home builder
Trust

Built on certainty

  • 30+ years as a licensed gc
  • 98% client referral rate
  • Six-year structural and one-year full coverage warranty
FAQ

Common questions about building in Suncadia

We build inside Suncadia and coordinate DRC submittals on every project. Featured-builder status is a resort marketing designation—we focus on delivered work and client referrals. See Kokanee Loop in our portfolio.

DRC and pre-construction typically runs 4 to 6 months. Construction runs 12 to 18 months depending on size and site complexity. See our build process and the Suncadia DRC guide.

Architecture, materials, landscape, massing, and site work against Design Guidelines and your Homesite Diagram. Our DRC process guide explains each stage.

Yes. Exterior changes require DRC approval. See Suncadia and Tumble Creek remodeling and luxury remodeling.

115 psf ground snow load with severe weathering exposure. See our mountain snow load guide.

Yes. Budget, schedule, and photos are available throughout construction. See our second home guide.

Explore

Planning a project in Suncadia?

Review how we deliver custom homes, teardown & rebuilds, and luxury remodels — then see related work and budgeting resources.

Builder pages