Builds by Carly Mountain Home Construction

Builds by Carly Mountain Home Construction Building in the Smokies—and showing what makes it work.

For tradespeople, builders, investors, and anyone who loves a hard build: follow cliffside construction as it happens, then tour finished vacation homes.

09/28/2026

Thinking about buying raw land to build your dream cabin? Stop and watch this first. Building a custom home on a steep mountain is completely different from building on flat dirt—and if you don't know the rules, the mountain will eat your budget alive.

Full masterclass is up on YouTube now, -> Link in bio.

09/21/2026

A honeymoon suite in the Smokies with a hot tub, a putting green, and a game area, all added by the owner after the build.

Every add-on was chosen with a couple's stay in mind. If you're hosting in the Smokies, deciding who you're building the stay for first makes the amenity list a lot easier to settle.

09/17/2026

When you’re building on steep land, some parts of the project are not something you want to guess on.

At our Mountain site, we have a wing wall that helps retain soil and support how the driveway and foundation area come together. This is not just a decorative wall — it has to account for pressure, drainage, elevation changes, and how the land is being held back.

That’s why we brought in an engineer for this part of the build.

Sometimes engineering is required by code, the building department, the site conditions, or the design itself. But even when it is not obvious to the average person, there are times when bringing in an engineer is simply the smart thing to do.

A properly designed wall can affect safety, access, long-term durability, and the overall success of the project.

Disclaimer: Engineering requirements vary by location, site conditions, wall height, soil conditions, design, and local building department requirements. Always work with qualified engineers, contractors, and local officials when building retaining walls, foundations, or structures on steep land.

09/13/2026

Seven mountain lots. Four look more workable. Three could change the entire plan.

Join me and my team as we work through what it would take to fit cabins, driveways, private outdoor spaces, and septic systems onto this terrain—and whether the difficult lots make sense to develop.

Full Video Live on Youtube: Link in bio.

09/02/2026

Welcome to the reality of custom mountain building. Today, we are tackling one of the most difficult lots I have ever developed.

When you build on a cliffside, gravity isn't your only enemy. We are dealing with massive property line setbacks, extreme septic constraints, and zero room for error—oh, and a local black bear.

09/01/2026

Before building on raw land, you need to know exactly where you are allowed to build.

At this property, we’re planning a hiking trail that leads up to a small lookout point on the ridge. It sounds like a simple outdoor amenity, but before we choose the final location, we need to make sure it stays outside the building setbacks.

That’s why surveying is so important.

Property lines, setbacks, easements, and buildable areas are not things you want to guess on — especially on steep land where moving something later could be expensive, difficult, or sometimes not realistic.

A few feet can make a major difference when you’re planning a house, driveway, deck, trail, or outdoor amenity.

Surveying helps protect the project, the budget, and the finished property.

Disclaimer: Property lines, setbacks, easements, permitting rules, and buildable areas vary by location and property. Always work with qualified surveyors, local officials, and building professionals before building or placing structures on land.

08/29/2026

We just bought a property with a three-bay garage—and it’s almost the same size as the one-bedroom house we’ll be building!

It can’t become additional living space, but almost everything else is on the table. One bay is completely separate, while the other two bays are connected.

What would you create in this space—and what do you think we have planned?

08/28/2026

You voted, and we listened! At our Azalea model in Pigeon Forge, we removed the large pine tree obstructing the mountain view—but kept the corner tree for privacy from the neighboring property.

Now imagine enjoying this view from the future hot tub or waking up to it through the bedroom’s window wall.

Did we make the right decision?

08/25/2026

What happens when you invite real clients and future buyers inside a brand new, custom site-built luxury home to tear apart the floor plan? No sugarcoating—just honest feedback on layout, headroom, square footage, and what actually works for a high-end mountain build.

Full reactions live on Youtube Tours Channel: Link in bio.

08/19/2026

Building on the steepest, rockiest terrain in the Smoky Mountains means you can't just build to minimum code—you have to engineer for the elements.

In this Bluff Mountain job site update, we are breaking down why we went above and beyond to add spray foam insulation underneath our treehouse-style pier foundation, even though it wasn't required.

Full Video Live on Youtube: Link in bio.

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Knoxville, TN

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+18655050514

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