North Idaho
North Idaho builders, building for North Idaho conditions.
Paulson Construction is a family-owned North Idaho building company working across Kootenai and Bonner County and into Eastern Washington since 2012. We build custom homes, accessory dwelling units, remodels and additions, shops and garages, and light commercial buildings, and we are registered with the Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing under DOPL #3361976.
What we build
Custom Homes
Paulson Construction is a family-owned custom home builder serving North Idaho and Eastern Washington, building since 2012 and registered with the Idaho Division of Occup…
ADUs
Paulson Construction designs and builds accessory dwelling units (ADUs) across North Idaho and Eastern Washington. An ADU is a self-contained second dwelling on the same …
Remodels
Paulson Construction remodels homes across North Idaho and Eastern Washington, from single-room kitchen and bathroom renovations to whole-home remodels and additions. We …
Shops & Garages
Paulson Construction builds detached garages, workshops, shops and outbuildings across North Idaho and Eastern Washington. We build both stick-framed and steel-framed str…
Commercial Buildings
Paulson Construction builds commercial buildings across North Idaho and Eastern Washington, including purpose-built facilities, shell buildings, tenant improvements and l…
Building here is not building anywhere
Snow load and roof design
Design snow loads across the panhandle are high and they climb with elevation. Roof geometry, framing, ice protection and where snow is allowed to shed are structural decisions, not styling ones.
Frost depth and foundations
Footings must bear below the local frost line, and the drainage, backfill and porch detailing around them are what actually keep a foundation still through freeze and thaw.
Septic, well and water
Many parcels here are unsewered. Septic permitting runs through Panhandle Health District, well permitting through the Idaho Department of Water Resources, and both can constrain where a house sits.
City versus county
A Coeur d'Alene or Sandpoint mailing address does not mean the parcel is inside the city. Jurisdiction determines fees, setbacks, review timelines and inspections.
Access, slope and fire
Forested and hillside parcels bring driveway grade, turnaround and fire apparatus access into the design conversation earlier than most owners expect.
Shoreline and floodplain
Work near Lake Coeur d'Alene, Lake Pend Oreille and the rivers can trigger Idaho Department of Lands review, shoreline standards or floodplain requirements on top of the building permit.
Towns we build in
Coeur d'Alene, ID
Paulson Construction is a family-owned custom home builder in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. We take on hillside and lake-view homes, ADUs, remodels …
Post Falls, ID
From subdivision lots in town to acreage out toward the state line, Paulson Construction builds custom homes, ADUs, remodels and shops acros…
Hayden, ID
Hayden covers three very different building situations — established lakeside property, subdivision lots and open prairie parcels. Paulson C…
Rathdrum, ID
Rathdrum is acreage country, and it is where much of our shop and shop-plus-home work happens. Paulson Construction plans the driveway, powe…
Sandpoint, ID
Sandpoint sits higher and colder than the rest of our region, so snow load, roof design and a shorter build season shape every project. Paul…
Owner's guides
Guide
When to Start a Build in North Idaho
The best time to break ground in North Idaho is usually late spring through early autumn, when excavation, foundations and exterior work are least aff…
Guide
How to Choose a Builder in North Idaho
Before hiring a builder in Idaho, verify current registration with the Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing, confirm general liab…
Technical
Frost Depth and Foundations in North Idaho
Foundations in North Idaho must bear below the local frost line, which is set by the jurisdiction having authority rather than by a single statewide n…
Regulations
Building Permits in Bonner County and Sandpoint
In Bonner County, building permits for parcels in unincorporated areas are issued by Bonner County Planning and Building. Parcels inside Sandpoint, Po…
Cost Guide
What It Costs to Build a House in North Idaho
There is no single reliable square-foot price for building a house in North Idaho, because site conditions account for a large and highly variable sha…
Guide
Remodel or Rebuild? How to Decide
Remodeling is almost always cheaper when the foundation is sound, the structure is serviceable and the existing layout is workable. Rebuilding becomes…
Regulations
ADU Rules in North Idaho: What to Check Before You Build
ADU rules in North Idaho are set by each city and county, not by the state, so what is allowed in Coeur d'Alene may differ from Post Falls, Hayden, Ra…
Regulations
Building Permits in Kootenai County: How the Process Works
In Kootenai County, your building permit comes from either the county or the city, depending on whether your parcel sits inside incorporated city limi…
Technical
Snow Load and Roof Design in North Idaho
Ground snow load is the design value, set by your local jurisdiction, that determines how your roof and deck structure must be framed. In North Idaho …
Common questions
What areas of North Idaho do you build in?
We build across Kootenai County and Bonner County — Coeur d'Alene, Post Falls, Hayden, Rathdrum and Sandpoint among them — and into Spokane and North East Washington. Each jurisdiction has its own permitting authority and design criteria, and we work to the ones that apply to your parcel.
Is Paulson Construction a licensed Idaho contractor?
Yes. Idaho requires construction contractors to register with the Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing. Our registration number is 3361976 and it is publicly verifiable.
What makes building in North Idaho different?
Snow load design, frost depth, septic and well requirements on unsewered parcels, steep or forested access, shoreline review near the lakes, and the difference between building inside a city and in unincorporated county. All of them affect design decisions before a shovel moves.
How early should I contact a builder?
Six to twelve months before you want to break ground. Design, engineering, septic evaluation, selections and permit review all happen first, and that sequence is what determines whether a project catches the building season.