Redefining the custom home building experience with openness, precision, and a team-driven philosophy.
Story by Nathan Sparks | Photography by Nathan Sparks & Bruce McCamish
In 2005, after a high-flying career in aerospace engineering and corporate leadership, Ron Bills came home—not just to Tennessee, where he and his wife Diane had long planted roots—but to the work that had always called to him: designing and building homes. Not houses. Not transactions. Homes. Places where life unfolds, where families grow, and where dreams become something you can touch, walk through, and live inside. “I’ve run companies with thousands of employees,” Ron says. “So I know something about building a team. With Providence you don’t just get an individual—you get a team of top-quality professionals who are driven to deliver the highest of expectations. Our openness, transparency, and disciplined, process-oriented approach sets us apart. Together, we work hard to make our clients’ dreams come true. We have one rule with our clients: we have to have fun in the process!”
At the end of the day, building a home should be a fun experience. For Providence, nothing compares to the satisfaction of watching a client walk into the home they’ve dreamed about—sometimes for years—and realize that dreams do come true.
Today, Providence Builders is one of East Tennessee’s most respected names in fine custom homebuilding. Their specialty? Taking the concept of “design-build” and elevating it to an art form.
A Philosophy of Transparency
If you ask Ron and Diane what makes Providence different, they won’t list awards or square footage. They’ll talk about people. Process. Trust.
“From the first meeting,” Diane says, “we treat our clients like family. We’re transparent about costs, about timelines, about everything. If it’s your money, you should know where every penny is going, and we manage our clients’ money like it is our own.”
Providence doesn’t offer vague allowances or guesstimates. Instead, they deliver a 450-line-item budget, backed by a four-inch binder of quotes, takeoffs, and plans. It takes over 200 manhours to complete a budget.
Their in-house accounting team provides monthly draw reports and budget reconciliations, so clients always know exactly where things stand.
“We’re not just managing a construction project,” Ron adds. “We’re stewarding someone’s dream—and their investment. That’s a responsibility we take seriously.”
The Providence Experience
From the moment a client says “yes,” the Providence team springs into motion.
Site Evaluation: Ron personally visits each lot to understand topography, drainage, views, and how best to site the home.
Design Phase: Whether working on in-house designs or collaborating with an outside architect, the Providence design process blends client vision with expert insight, collaborative planning, and value engineering to create
a personalized, functional, and timeless living space.
Selections & Interior Design: This is where Diane Bills and Anne White shine. Together, they guide clients through finishes, materials, and color palettes—blending taste with function to ensure each home reflects the owner’s style without sacrificing quality or cohesion.
Construction & Communication: Providence uses BuilderTrend software to keep clients fully informed with daily photo updates, live schedules, and open two-way communication. Project managers are the best in the business—caring deeply about customers, passionate about their work, and disciplined in delivering engineering-level precision. At every step, Ron and Diane remain involved—reviewing plans, walking job sites, answering questions, and making sure the home reflects not just what was drawn, but what was dreamed.
A Culture of Craftsmanship
Providence doesn’t just work with subcontractors. They work with long-time partners—many of whom have collaborated with them for decades. Tile installers. Framers. Electricians. Craftsmen who understand the Providence quality standards and aim higher because they know their work matters. “There are over a thousand people who touch a home by the time it’s finished,” Ron explains. “We make sure every one of them knows how important their role is.”
That mindset carries into every detail—from insulation choices to cabinet hardware, to a waterfall feature once designed to conceal a garage door on a 20,000-square-foot Aspen estate. Yes, Providence has built homes like that. But they bring the same passion, engineering, and care to every square foot—whether it’s
a lakefront estate or a family’s forever home in a quiet neighborhood..
A Lasting Connection
Perhaps what stands out most is what happens after the keys are handed over. Many clients come back to build again. And again. “We have clients we’ve built multiple homes for,” Diane says. “That’s the highest compliment we could get.” She smiles as she talks about delivering gift baskets to neighbors before a build begins—and again when it ends. “It’s not only the fine details but the little things. That’s what people remember. That’s what makes them feel like part of something bigger.”
The Takeaway
Providence Builders may be the most involved, the most meticulous, and the most personally committed custom home builder in East Tennessee. “People don’t choose
a builder based on numbers alone,” Ron Bills says. “Numbers are important, but they choose based on trust. Based on transparency. Based on emotional connection. Based on the team and process. Once they decide you’re the right builder, the numbers just reinforce that choice. We treat every client the same way we would want to be treated if it was us building a home.”
In the end, building a home is an emotional journey—and Providence is there for every step: bringing the plans to life, keeping the process grounded, and delivering homes that aren’t just built… but crafted.
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