In their own words
“Whether we’re preparing a piece of land or building a home from the ground up, we put our name and our faith behind the work we do.”
Black Sheep Builders is a family-owned construction company serving Middle Tennessee. What started with a passion for building and working with our hands has grown into a business we’re proud to build together.
The company started with a simple mindset: “do good work, treat people right, and build things that last.” That shows up as clear communication, dependable work, attention to detail, and pride in every project we take on.
“Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:31
About Black Sheep BuildersWhat we do
From the ground up.
We start at the dirt, so the pad, the septic system, the utilities and the house are planned as one job. Read it like the ground: groundwork at the bottom, everything else built on top.
Finishing the land
The last pieces that make a property feel done.
Building
The house that goes on the ground we prepared.
- BarndominiumsCustom barndominiums built for modern country living.
- Custom homesCustom homes designed around your family, lifestyle and vision.
- Outdoor living & shopsPorches, patios, shops and outdoor spaces for gathering and everyday living.
- Renovation & remodelingOne room or a whole house, done with quality work and attention to detail.
Ground work
Where every build starts: the land, the dirt and what goes under it.
- Dirt work & site prepClearing, excavation, grading and building pads for homes, barndos and shops.
- Septic system installationNew septic systems installed to the TDEC permit for new homes and barndos.
- Water & electric utilitiesTrenching for water and electric service lines from the road to the house.
- ConcreteFoundations, slabs, driveways and patios built for durability.
Raw land to move-in
The order matters.
Grade a lot before the septic evaluation and you can lose the best septic ground on it. Here’s the sequence we follow on most new homes in the country.
(615) 809-7393- 01
Walk the land
Where the house goes, where the drive comes in, where water runs, where the rock is. We look before anything gets cleared.
- 02
Soil evaluation & septic permit
TDEC evaluates the soil for the septic system before the ground is cut or filled. The approved area shapes the rest of the site plan.
- 03
Clear, grade & build the pad
Clearing, cut and fill, a compacted pad that sheds water, and a gravel drive for the trucks.
- 04
Septic & utilities
The septic system goes in to the permit; water and electric lines are trenched after 811 locates.
- 05
Slab & foundation
Forms, base, and concrete poured on the pad we built.
- 06
Build
The barndo or custom home goes up: framing, roof, porches and the finish work inside.
- 07
Final grade, drive & fence
Final grading around the house, driveway and fencing, and the yard is ready to grow.
Their work
Pads, slabs, frames & finished homes.
Every photo here is a Black Sheep Builders job.
Local ground
Red clay, limestone & karst.
Murfreesboro sits in the middle of Tennessee’s Central Basin. Under the pasture is red clay weathered from limestone, often only a few feet thick, and under that is rock that water has been dissolving for ages into sinkholes, caves and springs.
- Clay drains slowly. Septic fields have to be sized for it and kept off-limits to trucks.
- Rock moves around. Limestone can be deep on one side of a lot and shallow on the other.
- Sinkholes need room. Septic setbacks apply, and grading should never send runoff into one.
Where we work
Murfreesboro and Middle Tennessee.
Based in Rutherford County, building across the Central Basin.
- MurfreesboroRutherford County
- ChristianaRutherford County
- RockvaleRutherford County
- LascassasRutherford County
- SmyrnaRutherford County
- ShelbyvilleBedford County
Straight answers
Land & septic questions.
Should I clear and grade the lot before the soil evaluation?
No. Mow or bush-hog, but don’t cut, fill or push dirt around before the septic evaluation. TDEC’s own guidance says soil disturbance, cutting and filling should not take place as part of the evaluation process.
How does the TDEC septic permit process work?
You apply online, a TDEC Environmental Scientist visits the land to evaluate the soil, and if the site works TDEC issues a permit that says what kind of system can go where. A permitted installer builds it, and TDEC inspects it before it’s covered.
What site prep does a barndominium need?
A barndo needs the same ground work as any house: an approved septic permit if there’s no sewer, clearing, a level and compacted building pad that drains away from the building, a drive that can carry concrete and material trucks, utility trenches, and a slab sized to the plan.
What is karst, and why does it matter around Murfreesboro?
Karst is limestone that has been dissolved by water over a very long time, leaving sinkholes, caves, springs and cracks in the rock. Rutherford County sits on that kind of limestone in Tennessee’s Central Basin.
How long does it take to go from raw land to move-in?
It depends on the permit, the site, the weather and the house, so there isn’t one honest number. The septic permit alone can take up to 45 days after a complete application, and site work has to wait on dry enough ground.