Family-run Dunning Custom Homes celebrates 25 years, blending luxury design with its seamless, client-focused process
With 2026 marking its quarter century in business, Dunning Custom Homes (DCH) is a North Carolina luxury building company that started in 2001. Founder and President, John M. Dunning, brings 34 years’ experience in the residential and commercial construction industry to the company, and its niche is the design build process, collaborating with architects and clients to create unique homes.
“Most of our builds typically range from 4500 square feet to 12,000 square feet on large estate lots ranging from three acres to our largest 40-acre family compound,” John shares. “We also take on smaller new custom home builds or tear-down opportunities in older communities. Our newest endeavor is working with partners on developing a small luxury enclave.
“Over the years, we have mostly built timeless, classic styles of architecture, which always make a lasting statement,” he continues. “That said, as Chatham County and Pittsboro evolve, we want to be sure we do the same. Our Director of Construction, John Lucas Dunning, and our Lead Designer, Marner Dunning, promoted the contemporary style for 2025. This style allows for less constraints when it comes to optimizing view lines and incorporating expansive panoramic glass segments. Open areas can house specific living spaces, but this can be accomplished through variations in ceiling planes and floor contrasts versus conventional partition walls that block natural light.”
Family dynamic
In the early days, John covered most scopes of work in the business although the volume wasn’t what it is now. His wife, Susan Dunning, has been Finance Manager since leaving her career as a head pharmacist. “We have worked alongside each other for 12 of the last 25 years,” John elaborates. “John, my son, joined the team in 2020 after working in corporate supply chain management. He was restless working remotely out of state during the pandemic and returned to deliver a passion that propelled the business to what it is today.
“Marner, my sister, has a design background from earlier years but worked as an account vice president in corporate America for several decades. In 2021, it was decided we would bring on an in-house designer, so she also made the leap to chase her passion for design. We are thankful for that since this helped elevate the DCH product to what it is today. Finally, Lexy, my daughter-in-law, joined as our Operations Manager. She handles the difficult task of collaborating with the numerous county and municipal departments to complete all permitting. She is also a licensed agent and notary with both skills adding to the many re-sources we have all brought in. The most noticeable impact from the family dynamic has been the direct way it has translated to our success. Each of us is motivated by the fear of letting the others down. It brings direct accountability and self-motivation. In a standard setting, employees sometimes look for a scapegoat in a colleague or are less protective of a company’s time and resources. Each of us has a vested interest in the success of the others, as well as the business.
“Within our creative family team, we have the expertise to offer a fully integrated experience. Combining Marner’s design services with our DCH building team gives us a unique opportunity to offer a seamless process from architectural planning to the final interior design touches that make a house a home.”
Building a custom home involves thousands of decisions that can feel overwhelming. The team at DCH wants to create a workspace that provides an intimate showroom feel; a comfortable place to plan, dream and experience all phases of designing a custom home.
Selective approach
Outside of its family members, DCH’s hiring strategy is based on bringing in qualified people who also find their position gratifying. “We successfully added Justin King, another capable manager to our warranty department in 2025, and just hired Julianne Hughes, a talented design assistant,” John adds. “For our goals in expanding the business, I want to be sure we are focused on all staff working strictly within our systems. Building unique luxury estate homes is not nearly as efficient as building identical production homes in a subdivision setting. This makes it imperative that we strictly adhere to the systems in place to help streamline the process.
“Also, I have become noticeably more selective in the projects we contract to ensure a reasonable growth pace. I prefer to find the best client fit and build larger, more spectacular homes. It has not and never will be my goal to transition DCH into a large local or regional building company,” John explains.
Continuous improvement
DCH’s first contemporary home, the gold-award-winning Bueller, attracted considerable attention heading into the 2025 selling season and currently has strong prospects. “We are hopeful it may be sold by the end of April 2026,” John continues, “but it will remain viewable until then. We’re excited about being part of a new luxury home community which will commence early 2027 in Pittsboro, and we also have several remaining large acreage estate lots ten minutes from downtown Pittsboro.”
With 25 years in business, John believes this longevity is due to several factors. “In the early years, I strategically took contracts where the client already owned their property and financed their projects. After two-to-three years of that formula, I was able to secure financing but always stayed in this framework. Out of the four homes I averaged annually, I only built one spec home a year which was always a Parade of Homes entry. The awards won helped me secure the following year’s build. That kept me from being leveraged with loans and provided a good stream of a more specific Chatham County buyer in those years. As the location back then wasn’t quite as desirable as Wake County, it was crucial to load the home with up-grades and be sure it stood out since the buyer was more driven by the home style and setting. I realized the value of building with this process and spent the first 13 years in quiet Chatham County communities under the radar until business began to expand,” John elaborates.
Looking to the future, John’s focus is on continually improving both the homes DCH builds and the process behind them. “When I eventually step away,” he says, “the system we’ve developed will reflect years of problem-solving, refinement, and high standards.
“Looking ahead three to five years, I see the business evolving significantly. I expect John to be leading as president, guiding the company into its next phase. Our vision is to move beyond building individual homes and begin acquiring land to develop our own exclusive estate communities. As for my role,” he concludes, “I see myself transitioning into more of an advisory and quality control position, ensuring that the standards and principles we’ve established continue to be upheld as the company grows.”