Built For The Southwest.
Built To Last.
Cruz Development transforms client aspirations into breathtaking luxury homes across the Phoenix metro — crafted with precision, designed for lasting beauty and functionality, and seamlessly managed under one roof.
No middleman. No mess. Just luxury, built better.
14 months
- AZ ROC · Active#344914 · KB-1 Dual Builder
- Established2018 · Full-time since 2021
- Client Rating★ [4.9] / 5 · [##] reviews
- Projects Delivered[##] Homes + Remodels
- Service AreaPhoenix Metro · Arizona
Five disciplines,
one team accountable for all of it.
Custom Home Building
Ground-up luxury homes designed around how you actually live — and engineered for how the Southwest actually behaves. Design, build, finish, follow-through: one team, one contract.
- Design-build under one roof
- Hillside + view-lot expertise
- From 3,500 to 10,000+ sqft
Remodeling & Renovation
Kitchen, bath, and whole-home renovations that elevate the home you already love — without the pain of starting over or the chaos of a dozen separate trades.
- Kitchen + primary bath specialists
- Structural additions + reconfigurations
- Live-in remodels handled with care
Spec Homes
Investment-grade builds we design and deliver in the Valley's strongest neighborhoods — turnkey, finish-forward, built to list or hold.
- Neighborhood-matched design
- Move-in-ready finish packages
- Built for resale velocity
Roofing
Repairs and full re-roofs for homes and spec builds across the Valley. Tile, shingle, flat, and underlayment work done in-house — not subbed out and forgotten.
- Repairs + full re-roofs
- Tile · shingle · flat systems
- Storm and leak diagnostics
Extended Craft
The details most GCs hand off — painting, outdoor living, landscape, yard renovations, custom millwork and cabinetry. Same team. Same standard.
- High-end interior + exterior painting
- Outdoor living + landscape
- Custom millwork + cabinetry
Transforming client aspirations into breathtaking luxury homes — crafted with precision, designed for lasting beauty and functionality.
That sentence lives on every page because it's the job. It's why the team stayed small, why the services are under one roof, and why Matthew is still the one you'll meet on-site.
- 01 · In-House
No subcontractor chain.
Design, build, finish, follow-through — every discipline is on the Cruz team. One phone call gets an answer, not a handoff.
- 02 · Precision
Quality and efficiency, together.
Small, deliberate crews on every project means tighter tolerances and faster completion — without trading craft for calendar.
- 03 · Transparent
Fair and transparent pricing.
Clear, competitive numbers written before the first wall goes up. No line-item surprises, no "change-order theater" halfway through.
The builder whose
name is on the contract
is the one on your jobsite.
Cruz Development was founded by Matthew Gallego in 2018 — inspired by his father's contracting work and a family tradition of building things the right way. He went full-time leading the company in 2021, and today runs a small, deliberate in-house team across the Phoenix metro.
The model is simple: no subcontractor chain, no "we'll ask the GC and get back to you." Design, construction, finish, follow-through — all under one roof, one name on the contract, and it's on the jobsite. No middleman. No mess. Just luxury, built better.
"The house you're paying for is the house I'm walking through every week. That's the whole model."
Building
Lead Contractors
The people who
lived through the build.
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The questions buyers ask first.
Straight answers — costs, timelines, licensure, what "in-house" actually means on your jobsite. If your question isn't here, call Matthew directly.
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How much does it cost to build a custom home in Arizona?
Luxury custom homes in the Phoenix metro typically run $300 to $550+ per square foot in 2026, depending on finish level, lot conditions, and structural complexity. A 4,500 to 6,000 sqft custom build in Chandler, Gilbert, or Paradise Valley generally lands between $1.5M and $3.5M all-in, before land. Cruz Development (AZ ROC #344914) builds under a single contract with an in-house team, so the quoted figure is the figure — no stacked subcontractor markups.
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How long does it take to build a custom home in Arizona?
A luxury custom home in the Phoenix metro typically takes 16 to 20 months from permit to certificate of occupancy, with an additional 4 to 6 months for design and permitting on the front end. Paradise Valley runs longer than Chandler or Gilbert because plans require Town Council review. Cruz Development's in-house crews hold a tighter schedule than sub-chain builders because there's no trade-partner queue waiting to start the next phase.
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What is a KB-1 contractor license in Arizona?
A KB-1 Dual Building Contractor license, issued by the Arizona Registrar of Contractors (ROC), authorizes a single contractor to perform both residential and commercial general building work under one license. Most Arizona builders hold a B-1 (commercial) or KB-2 (residential) only. Cruz Development holds KB-1 (ROC #344914) — which is why we self-perform custom homes, spec builds, and light-commercial projects without partnering to a second general contractor.
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What's the difference between a custom home and a spec home?
A custom home is designed for a specific owner on a specific lot, with the client choosing layout, finishes, and systems before ground breaks. A spec home is built by the contractor on speculation, finished to market standards, and sold move-in ready — faster to occupy but less design control. Cruz Development builds both across Chandler, Gilbert, and Scottsdale: custom for buyers who want control, spec for buyers who want luxury without the design cycle.
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Does Cruz Development use subcontractors?
No. Cruz Development runs an in-house team for framing, finish carpentry, millwork, cabinetry, paint, roofing, and outdoor living — the crew on your site is on our payroll rather than a trade partner's. Specialized licensed work (mechanical, electrical, plumbing) is performed by a fixed roster of partner trades we've worked with for years. One team, one contract, one point of accountability: Matthew Gallego.
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What areas does Cruz Development serve?
Cruz Development serves the Phoenix metro luxury market, including Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, Paradise Valley, Scottsdale, Phoenix, and Glendale, Arizona. Most active projects sit in the East Valley corridor (Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa) and the North Phoenix luxury corridor (Paradise Valley, Scottsdale). Owner Matthew Gallego lives in the service area and visits every active jobsite. AZ ROC license #344914 authorizes work statewide.
AZ ROC #344914 · KB-1 Dual Building Contractor · Licensed, bonded, and insured in Arizona.
The build, unfiltered.
Follow along as it goes up.
- Custom home exterior at dusk — Paradise ValleyView
- Kitchen remodel in progress — ChandlerView
- Outdoor living and pool terrace — MesaView
- Custom millwork detail — ScottsdaleView
- Primary bath reveal — GilbertView
- Spec home exterior framing — GlendaleView
Photo placeholders — replace these with real jobsite photography from @cruzdevaz. Static images (not the Instagram embed) keep the page fast and crawlable by search and AI models.
Start with a conversation,
not a contract.
A 30-minute call with Matthew to talk through what you're thinking, what it takes to build it in Arizona, and whether we're the right team for the work. No sales pitch, no obligation.