About us

Story | Difference | Team

Family Owned and Oriented Since 1996

Building Distinction at Lake Keowee & Beyond

At Golden Corner Construction, every home we build is a reflection of craftsmanship, creativity, and care. For almost three decades, we’ve specialized in creating luxury custom homes across Lake Keowee and Upstate South Carolina, combining architectural excellence with a deep respect for the natural beauty of the region.

Our Story
What Makes Us Different
Meet The Team

Our story

Golden Corner Construction was founded in 1996 by Ron Tolley, who began by developing three Lake Keowee properties into custom homes for newcomers drawn to the area’s beauty. What started as a passion for crafting quality homes quickly grew into a trusted name in Upstate South Carolina luxury homebuilding.

Since then, Ron and the Golden Corner team have built over 200 custom homes in The Reserve at Lake Keowee alone, each one tailored to reflect the lifestyle, vision, and needs of its owner. Our philosophy has remained the same for nearly three decades: listen closely, design thoughtfully, and deliver with uncompromising craftsmanship.

Whether you envision a sleek modern retreat, a timeless traditional residence, or something uniquely your own, our priority is ensuring you achieve exactly what you want in your dream home.

Ready to start your journey? Schedule a Consultation

Our Mission

At Golden Corner Construction, our mission is to build timeless, beautifully crafted homes that reflect the lifestyle our clients have always dreamed of—without compromise.

Tailored to You and the Land

From cozy lakeside retreats to modern sanctuaries and traditional family homes, we design and build with precision—using location-specific tools, techniques, and materials that enhance structural stability and longevity. As a leading Lake Keowee custom home builder, we invite you to explore the possibilities and begin the journey toward a home that’s truly yours, inside and out.

A Special Thanks

Since constructing in 1996, we want to offer a special thanks to our clients, our interested customers, and to you, viewing this site. Golden Corner Construction has developed over 200 homes dedicated to excellence, craftsmanship and customary design without sacrificing beauty. We look forward to many more years in making your dream home a reality.

The Golden Corner Difference:

Clarity, Confidence, and Savings from Day One

Traditional homebuilding often leaves the budget conversation until the end of the design phase — creating costly revisions, delays, and uncertainty.

VS

At Golden Corner Construction, our design-build approach ensures your budget is set from the very beginning. This alignment of design and cost saves time, reduces stress, and provides complete confidence throughout the process.

Comparison of construction delivery methods, traditional vs golden corner construction method

Key Benefits

  • Transparent Costs

    Know your budget from the start.

  • Streamlined Process

    Design and construction teams working together.

  • Time & Savings

    Fewer delays and costly redesigns.

  • Up to 20% Savings

    More efficient use of materials and resources.

View Our Process

Meet the Team

Ron Tolley
Founder

Build Your Dream With The Right Team

Choosing a builder is about trust. At Golden Corner Construction, we combine decades of luxury homebuilding experience with a commitment to building lasting relationships.

Let's Start the Conversation

  • The Keowee Reserve

    cliffs-at-keowee-falls-golf-course

  • The Cliffs at Keowee Falls

  • The cliffs at keowee springs

The Reserve, Keowee Springs, and Keowee Falls holds over 1,ooo custom homes. Golden Corner has built in the Reserve since the gates opened. By taking on a select number of projects each year, we dedicate our full attention to crafting homes that reflect each client’s unique lifestyle. But don’t just take our word for it — hear from the homeowners who trusted us to bring their vision to life.

  • Kay King - Client

    ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

    We decided to work with Ron at Golden Corner the first time we met him. Other builders made us feel like we'd be just another paying customer. With Ron, we knew we had a partner -- a great guy who would be personally invested in delivering exactly what we wanted. We took on this project from our first home in Ohio, more than 500 miles away. Ron communicated with us frequently, sometimes daily, and sent photos and videos every step of the way. When problems arose, he was honest in describing them. When we needed prodding to make a decision to keep things on track, he was persistent. When we needed advice, he provided it. In managing costs, he treated our money like it was his own. After nearly a year of work, the finished product was exactly what we wanted. We have enthusiastically recommended Golden Corner to several of our new neighbors and will continue to do so.

  • Reserve Client

    ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

    Golden Corner built a beautiful home for us. Their communication, open to ideas and follow up helped make this year long process go smoothly.

  • John & Carol Boes - Client

    ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

    We had an outstanding building experience with Ron and his team. From planning to closing, Ron and his team worked closely with us on each step. The quality was excellent, the attention to detail was great, and we're thrilled with the final product! We were equally pleased with service after the sale. We had a complex design that required a lot of follow up and Golden Corners remained very engaged and responsive after we moved in. We liked the fact that we had direct Access to Ron, but could also work with his team and his subcontractors to work through the construction process. We would definitely build again with Ron and recommend Golden Corners to anyone thinking about building a home.

  • Kinley Cabinets - Vendor

    ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

    Character, quality, and the best are just a few words I use to describe Ron Tolley and Golden Corner Construction. With over a decade of a working relationship with Ron he has my highest recommendation. If you are looking for a contractor to build your new home, you would be doing yourself a disservice if you don’t contact Ron Tolley of Golden Corner Construction. Their detail, quality, and customer service is superb in every aspect.

  • Barbara Menne - Client

    ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

    After interviewing multiple builders, we decided on Golden Corner Construction. They were very professional and accurate on all aspects of the job. They were on the job every day and completed our home in the time frame they said they would, without cutting corners or compromising on quality. Ron Tolley was at the site every day and was accessible throughout the whole process. We have been in our home now over three years and have never had any issues. We would highly recommend Golden Corner Construction and Ron Tolley.

  • Steve Whitby - Realtor

    ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

    As a 25 year veteran in real estate appraising and having been in over 6,000+ homes, I can honestly say that Golden Corner Construction is a first class builder all the way. I've even been fortunate to have appraised a few of his houses and the quality and workmanship can and does compete with the best of the best! If you or someone you know is looking for a first class builder that cares just as much about the homeowner as well as the home he is building....call Ron!

  • Georgia Elley - Client

    ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

    We would recommend Golden Corner Construction (GCC) to anyone that is shopping for a builder. Ron Tolley is a highly ethical builder who builds a top quality home that he stands behind. GCC has proven the worth of his craftsmanship in our community as there are numerous GCC cutom homes here. I would use GCC again if we ever built in this area again.

  • Tab Lancaster - Client

    ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

    We’ve been in our new home for just over 6 months and at times we have to pinch ourselves to believe that it has really happened. We have Ron Tolley and everyone at Golden Corner to thank for building our dream home. Working with Ron and his team was a pleasure from our first visit to the lot in 2009 through occupancy this past April. When we started construction last year we were still living in Houston. Each week we looked forward, with great expectations, for the latest pictures that Ron would send showing the progress. Throughout the process the design of the house continued to evolve and Ron was a constant and steadying influence always available to answer any question that we had. He was open to providing us options where we could save some money which gave us the flexibility to upgrade in other areas. The proactive communication that Ron encouraged also led to eliminating issues before they became problems. Beyond the great communication that we had directly with Ron, Misti and Gary at Golden Corner, we also want to point out the quality of the workmanship from Ron’s extended team including the framers, electricians, painters, roofers, and others and then there’s Ron’s suggested list of suppliers. The entire team came together to produce a house beyond our wildest dreams. Overall, after going through our first experience of building a home, we highly recommend Golden Corner Construction with 100% confidence and trust in Ron Tolley.

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