Locations / New Kent, VA
Build Your Custom Home in New Kent County, VA
New Kent gives you what's becoming rare: space. Real space. Room for a home that's truly yours—with privacy, land, and a rural lifestyle that still connects you to Richmond.
Why New Kent County
Why Build in New Kent County?
New Kent is the fastest-growing county we build in — 453 single-family permits in 2024, up nearly a third in a year. That growth comes with a specific catch most buyers do not find out about until late: if your parcel touches a road carrying a public water or sewer main, connecting is not optional.
- 01
453 Homes in 2024 — Up 31% in a Year
New Kent permitted 453 single-family homes in 2024 against 345 in 2023 (U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey) — a 31% rise, the steepest of any county we build in, ahead of Henrico (+26%) and Goochland (+20%) while Hanover slipped 8% and Powhatan fell 15%. Practically, that means active comparable sales for appraisal, established trades, and a county permit office that processes new homes constantly rather than occasionally.
- 02
If a Main Runs Past Your Lot, You Connect
Any residential structure on a parcel abutting a street or public way containing a water or sewer main must connect to the public system, unless the Director of Public Utilities grants non-user status. This surprises people who bought rural acreage expecting well and septic and found a main at the road. It changes both the budget and the site plan, so we check it against the parcel before you make an offer.
- 03
Land Disturbance Starts at 2,500 Square Feet
New Kent triggers a land disturbance permit at 2,500 square feet — four times stricter than Powhatan's 10,000. Almost any new home clears that threshold, so treat the permit as a certainty rather than a possibility. It can be filed at the same time as the building permit, which is the only reason it does not add weeks to the schedule.
- 04
The Health Department Goes First, Not Second
If your home will be served by private well or septic, New Kent requires Health Department permitting to be complete before you apply for either the land disturbance or the building permit, with the approved packet attached to both applications. Get this order wrong and the building permit application is simply not accepted. We sequence it first as a matter of course.
- 05
$0.58 per $100 — Second Lowest Around Richmond
New Kent's 2026 real estate tax rate is $0.58 per $100 of assessed value. On a $700,000 assessment that is $4,060 a year, against $5,670 in Hanover, $5,810 in Henrico and $6,230 in Chesterfield. Only Goochland's base rate ($0.53) is lower among the counties we build in.
- 06
$324,209 Average Build Value — Second Only to Goochland
The average reported construction value on a New Kent single-family permit in 2024 was $324,209 — just under Goochland's $327,151 and well above Chesterfield's $208,232. That is the structure as declared on the permit, land excluded. It reflects a county building larger custom homes, not just subdivision inventory.
The New Kent Lifestyle
Space Over Proximity — A Different Kind of Living
New Kent isn't for everyone—and that's the point. It's for people who want to see trees instead of rooflines, who value space over proximity, and who appreciate a slower pace without sacrificing access to Richmond.
Your morning might start with a walk through your woods. Your evening could mean dinner at a local vineyard. Your weekends belong entirely to you—and your property. Families appreciate the ability to let kids roam, the quiet that comes with distance, and the long-term value that land appreciation brings.
Building a custom home in New Kent means designing a property that's truly an estate—where the home and land become one investment in lasting value.
Frequently Asked Questions
Building in New Kent — Common Questions
What does it cost to build a custom home in New Kent County?+
New Kent's 2024 permits averaged $324,209 in reported construction value across 453 single-family homes (U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey) — the structure only, before land, site work and utilities. Whether you are on public water and sewer or on well and septic moves that number more than any finish selection will.
Do I need a well and septic system in New Kent, or can I connect to public water?+
It depends on the parcel, and you may not get a choice. If your land abuts a street or public way carrying a water or sewer main, you are required to connect unless the Director of Public Utilities grants non-user status. Where no main is available, you are on private well and septic, and the Health Department must issue those permits before you can apply for a land disturbance or building permit.
How long does the permit process take in New Kent?+
The sequence matters more than the calendar. Health Department approval for well and septic comes first; the approved packet then accompanies both the land disturbance application (triggered at 2,500 square feet, which nearly every new home exceeds) and the building permit. Those last two can be filed together. Applying in the wrong order is the usual cause of delay.
What is New Kent's real estate tax rate?+
$0.58 per $100 of assessed value for 2026 — $4,060 a year on a $700,000 assessment. That is below Hanover ($0.81), Henrico ($0.83) and Chesterfield ($0.89), and above only Goochland's base rate of $0.53 among the counties we build in.
Is New Kent still growing?+
Yes, and faster than anywhere else we build. Single-family permits rose from 345 in 2023 to 453 in 2024, a 31% increase, while Hanover slipped 8% and Powhatan fell 15%. For a custom build that matters mainly for appraisals: active comparable sales make financing a larger home materially easier.
Take the Next Step
Talk With Us
Book 15 minutes to answer your home building, financing, or land search questions.
Walk Your Lot
We walk the property with you and flag access, soil, septic, and build constraints.
Plan Your Build
Two ways to get your bearings before you talk to anyone.
Have a question?
What would you like to know about building in New Kent?