Lake homes built around the Corps line.
On Lake Lanier, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers owns the shoreline. Where your house, septic and dock can go depends on where its line and easements fall. We plan the build around them from day one.
Why lake lots are different
Lake Sidney Lanier is a Corps of Engineers reservoir. At its 1071-foot full pool it covers about 39,038 acres, and the land between the water and your lot line is public. Private owners use it only under a permit.
Three things decide what you can build: where the government property line runs, whether your lot carries a flowage easement up to the 1085-foot flood elevation, and whether the shoreline in front of you allows a dock.
What we plan for on every Lanier lot
The property line is not a contour
The Corps line runs in straight lines between survey monuments. Trees marked along it are witnesses, not the exact boundary. We work from a current survey and keep the house well back from the line.
Flowage easement to 1085
Where an easement applies, you cannot put a habitable structure in it or change the ground's contour. Some non-habitable structures may be allowed with a Corps Consent to Easement.
No new septic below 1085
The Corps does not allow new septic systems below the 1085 elevation, whoever owns the land. On a lot without sewer, that shapes where the house and drain field go.
Docks are permitted, not owned
A Shoreline Use Permit is temporary, tied to the permit holder and void when the property sells. New owners must apply again, and the number of private docks is capped.
Vegetation and views
The Corps allows only minor vegetation work on public land, by permit, along a narrow path to the water. Clearing for a view or a lawn is not allowed. We design the house, decks and windows for the view the lot actually has.
The full rules, with sources, are in our guide to building a home on Lake Lanier.
How we build
- Start with the land
We walk the lot with you before plans are final: access, slope, septic or sewer, buffers and where the house should sit.
- Open-book pricing
Custom homes are built cost-plus. You see the supplier and subcontractor invoices behind every draw, not a single lump number.
- Permits and plan review
We handle submittals with the city or county building office and coordinate the surveys, soil reports and engineering they require.
- On site, every day
Jerry runs the job in person. You get regular progress updates with photos, like the public build journal for Lakewood Lodge.
Lake communities we serve
Talk to Jerry and Karen about your build.
Tell us about your land and your plans. We reply by phone or email.