Building in Bastrop County
The Lost Pines are a stand of loblolly pines growing on sandy soils far west of the East Texas piney woods. Sand drains quickly and does not swell like the clay around Austin, so foundations and drainage are designed differently. The same forest is habitat for the endangered Houston toad, and the county's habitat conservation plan can affect clearing on some properties.
The 2011 Bastrop County Complex fire destroyed more than 1,600 homes, and many were rebuilt. For homes on wooded lots, fire resistant roofing and siding, ember resistant vents and cleared space around the house are worth building in.
Outside the cities of Bastrop, Elgin and Smithville, Bastrop County handles septic and floodplain permits, and the Colorado River floodplain affects lots near the river.
Cities we serve in Bastrop County
Bastrop
Bastrop has a historic district along the Colorado River, wooded lots in the Lost Pines, and many homes rebuilt after the 2011 Bastrop County Complex fire. ZIP codes: 78602.
Elgin
Elgin, named the Sausage Capital of Texas by the Legislature, has a historic downtown, older homes nearby and new subdivisions as Austin grows east. ZIP codes: 78621.
Cedar Creek
Cedar Creek is an unincorporated area of western Bastrop County along SH 71, near the Hyatt Regency Lost Pines resort and McKinney Roughs Nature Park, with homes on wooded acreage and newer subdivisions.. ZIP codes: 78612.
Smithville
Smithville grew as a railroad town on the Colorado River and keeps a historic downtown with older homes, near Buescher State Park.. ZIP codes: 78957.
Red Rock
Red Rock is a small rural community in southern Bastrop County, with homes on acreage, farmhouses and ranch properties.. ZIP codes: 78662.
Paige
Paige is a small community on US 290 east of Bastrop, near the Lee County line, surrounded by rural acreage and pasture. ZIP codes: 78659.
McDade
McDade is a small historic community on US 290 between Elgin and Paige, known for the McDade pottery once made here, with older homes and rural acreage. ZIP codes: 78650.
Rosanky
Rosanky is a rural community in the southern tip of Bastrop County, with farmhouses, ranch properties and homes on acreage.. ZIP codes: 78953.
Services in Bastrop County
- Kitchen Remodeling
- Bathroom Remodeling
- Whole Home Renovation
- Room Additions & ADUs
- Custom Home Building
- Garage Conversions
- Garage Construction
- Decks & Patio Covers
- Pool Construction & Remodeling
- Investor & Rental Renovations
Permits in Bastrop County
Inside city limits, each city issues its own building permits and runs its own inspections. In unincorporated areas, Texas counties generally do not issue building permits, but Bastrop County handles floodplain and on site septic permits, and HOAs and deed restrictions still apply. We check the rules for your exact address during the free consultation.
Read our Bastrop County permit guide for the development, floodplain and septic rules outside city limits.