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Neighbourhood · Kelowna

Custom Home Builder in Upper Mission, Kelowna.

Kelowna's flagship luxury district on the south hillside above Okanagan Lake. Kettle Valley, Southridge, The Ponds, Crawford Estates.

Sub-Communities

Kettle Valley · Southridge · The Ponds

Amenities

Mission Rec Park + H2O

Kelowna Airport

25 min · 20 km

Direct

(604) 897-9390

Overview

Custom home builder in Upper Mission, Kelowna.

Palermo Homes builds custom homes across Upper Mission, Kelowna's flagship luxury district on the south hillside above Okanagan Lake. We navigate the sub-community design reviews that Kettle Valley, Southridge, The Ponds, and Crawford Estates each enforce differently, and we cut hillside lots for the lake-view corridor. In-house cabinetry, custom finish carpentry, and envelope details are the standard our Cabernet Way and Lakestone builds set.

We build for Upper Mission's hillside terrain: retaining, drainage, view-first orientation, and the specific design review each sub-community runs. We know City of Kelowna permits and the local geotech. Non-waterfront homes here carry a 20 percent premium over Lower Mission, driven by finish standard as much as location.

Upper Mission is a collection of master-planned sub-communities on Kelowna's south hillside: Kettle Valley (mid-1990s, neo-traditional plan with a dozen parks), Southridge (mid-2000s), The Ponds (newest, still building out), plus Crawford Estates and Westpointe. Mission Recreation Park (44 hectares, 13 sports fields) anchors the north edge, with H2O Adventure Centre (Canada's largest municipal waterpark) next door. Mission Creek Greenway (16 km) and Kettle Valley Rail Trail (42.5 km of 53 km planned) run through the district. Southeast Kelowna's wine trail: CedarCreek, Tantalus, St. Hubertus, Summerhill Pyramid, all within 10 minutes. Downtown 15 min, YLW 25.

Modern hillside custom home facade with stone entry, Palermo Homes portfolio

Community amenities

What Lakestone residents get access to.

Recreation

Mission Recreation Park

Kelowna's largest recreation park at 44 hectares with 13 sports fields

Aquatics

H2O Adventure Centre

Canada's largest municipal waterpark with FlowRider and 12,000 sq ft gym

Nature

Mission Creek Greenway

16 km of continuous trail through riparian forest and Scenic Canyon

Cycling

Kettle Valley Rail Trail

42.5 km rail-corridor path connecting Upper Mission to the wider valley

Featured build

Modern lakeview custom home on Cabernet Way, West Kelowna by Palermo Homes
West Kelowna, BC

Modern Lakeview Home on Cabernet Way

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Portfolio match for Upper Mission.

Our Modern Lakeview Home on Cabernet Way in West Kelowna is the closest portfolio match for what an Upper Mission custom build should be. Full lake-view orientation, a hillside cut, custom finish carpentry throughout, and the material palette that fits Kelowna's premium hillside districts. Terrain and view considerations map directly to Kettle Valley, Southridge, and Crawford lots.

Credentials

Recognized, licensed, and warrantied.

Award-Winning

CHBA Fraser Valley

Awards of Excellence Winner

Experience

15+ Years

Custom homes across BC

Warranty

2-5-10 Home Warranty

Full BC-registered coverage

Licensed

Licensed & Insured

BC Licensed Residential Builder

Upper Mission, Kelowna

Custom Upper Mission home interior by Palermo Homes

Why Palermo

Why Upper Mission clients hire Palermo.

  • 01Sub-community fluencyKettle Valley, Southridge, The Ponds, and Crawford Estates each have their own design review process and material expectations. We know how each one runs and design inside those guidelines from the start.
  • 02Hillside and view-corridor experienceUpper Mission lots are cut into the south hillside above Okanagan Lake. Retaining walls, drainage plans, and view-first orientation carry real weight here. We've been doing hillside custom work for years across the West Kelowna wine district and Lakestone.
  • 03City of Kelowna permit fluencyUpper Mission builds run through City of Kelowna permits and inspection. We know the timelines, the inspectors, and the servicing coordination that hillside lots require.
  • 04Same finish standard as our wine-district workIn-house cabinetry, custom finish carpentry, envelope details that hold up. Upper Mission homes hold their value because the neighbours set a high bar and we match it.
  • 05Design that respects the viewThe view corridor drives every early decision. Kitchen, primary bedroom, living room placement, glazing ratios, and roofline all get planned around where the lake and mountains sit from each room.

What we build in Upper Mission

Custom homes, renovations, and general contracting.

Custom Homes

Custom home builds in Upper Mission and across Kelowna. Every project designed around the lot, the view corridor, and how you actually live.

Custom Homes →

Home Renovations

Whole-home renovations, kitchens, bathrooms, and additions in Upper Mission. Built to the same finish standard as our custom homes.

Renovations →

General Contracting

Project management with in-house crews on the trades that matter. One team, one contract, one point of contact.

General Contracting →

FAQ

Custom homes in Upper Mission, answered.

How much does a custom home cost in Upper Mission?
Most Upper Mission custom builds run $2M and up for the home alone, which pencils out around $600 to $900 per square foot depending on finish level. Lot prices range from around $500K for smaller Southridge or Ponds lots to $2M plus for premium Kettle Valley or Crawford Estates view lots. Total finished cost swings with slope, retaining, geotech, and finish level. A flatter lot vs. a steep hillside cut can differ by six figures on site work alone. Add sub-community design review costs (material palette, roof profile, colour approvals) into the budget from the start. We provide line-item pricing up front, break out soft costs (design, permits, geotech) from hard costs, and lock in fixed-price contracts where possible so nothing sneaks up on you mid-build.
Do Upper Mission homes have to follow design guidelines?
It depends which sub-community you're building in. Kettle Valley has its own architectural guidelines and colour palette rooted in its neo-traditional village plan. Southridge and The Ponds each have their own submission process. Crawford Estates enforces a material palette and roofline standard. Westpointe has its own review. City of Kelowna sits above all of this with the standard building code and hillside development permits. We design inside the specific sub-community's guidelines from the first sketch and manage the review package on your behalf. That means fewer bounces, less design cost, and no surprises at permit time.
How long does an Upper Mission custom home take to build?
Plan on 14 to 20 months from first design meeting to move-in. Roughly 3 to 5 months for design development and sub-community design review, 2 to 3 months for City of Kelowna building permits and geotechnical assessment (longer on steep cuts and complex retaining), and 9 to 12 months of construction. Steep Kettle Valley and Crawford Estates lots often add another 4 to 8 weeks for retaining walls, drainage, and foundation stepping compared to flatter Ponds or Southridge lots. Weather matters too. Excavation, foundations, and framing move fastest through Kelowna summers. Interior finish work carries through winter without weather risk, so we schedule critical exterior phases to hit the right months.
Which Upper Mission sub-community should I build in?
Kettle Valley suits buyers who want a village-scale neighbourhood feel with 12 parks, walking distance to schools, and a mature streetscape. Southridge is a good fit for larger contemporary homes on view lots with more privacy. The Ponds is Upper Mission's newest zone, with modern architecture, a coming middle school, and lots still releasing. Crawford Estates and Westpointe suit buyers who want established prestige with mature landscaping. We build across all of them and can walk any lot with you to compare geotech, servicing, and view corridors before you commit.
What amenities do Upper Mission residents get access to?
Mission Recreation Park is the big one: 44 hectares, 13 sports fields, off-leash dog area, community garden, and playgrounds. H2O Adventure and Fitness Centre is right next door, with a wave pool, lazy river, waterslides, FlowRider surf simulator, and a 12,000 sq ft fitness floor. Kettle Valley alone has a dozen parks woven into its village plan. Mission Creek Greenway runs 16 km continuously along the creek, and the Kettle Valley Rail Trail carries another 42.5 km of the planned 53 km rail-corridor path for cycling. New for summer 2026, an indoor-outdoor tennis facility is being built at Mission Rec Park, and 2027 brings a new indoor multi-age activity centre.
What schools are near Upper Mission?
Upper Mission is in Central Okanagan Public Schools (SD23). Chute Lake Elementary at 5240 Lark Street sits inside the district and connects directly to Chute Lake Park. Anne McClymont Elementary at 4489 Lakeshore Road serves the broader Mission area. Canyon Falls Middle School handles grades 6 to 8. Kelowna Secondary is the current high school assignment. The Ponds is slated to receive Kelowna's newest middle school as the sub-community builds out. For independent schools, Aberdeen Hall Preparatory (K to 12) in Glenmore is about 25 minutes north, and Immaculata Regional High School is a similar drive. UBC Okanagan and Okanagan College are 30 minutes north.
How far is Upper Mission from downtown Kelowna and the airport?
Downtown Kelowna is roughly 15 minutes north on Lakeshore Road, past Rotary Beach and Lower Mission. Kelowna International Airport (YLW) is about 25 minutes north via Highway 97, with direct flights to Vancouver, Calgary, Seattle, and seasonal service to Toronto. UBC Okanagan, Okanagan College, and Kelowna General Hospital are all 25 to 30 minutes away. Big White Ski Resort is about 45 minutes southeast for weekend skiing. The Southeast Kelowna wine trail (CedarCreek, Tantalus, St. Hubertus, Summerhill Pyramid) is 10 minutes east, and West Kelowna's Mission Hill winery is 25 minutes across the bridge.

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Custom home builder across the Okanagan and Lower Mainland.

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Updated September 2026

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