This neighborhood of 1- and 2-acre home sites is located on gently rolling land with mature hardwoods and open fields. The first two phases comprise 27 lots and there is potential for a third phase, according to builder Jay Dunn, president of Horizon Custom Builders.

Horizon is building two-story and ranch-style homes based on an original plan by nationally known house designer Frank Betz (www.frankbetz.com). Founded in 1976, Frank Betz Associates has received Builder Magazine’s top selling designer award numerous times. Dunn’s rendition at 90 Field Stone Lane received a Bronze award in the $435,000 - $495,000 category in the 2012 Parade of Homes sponsored by the Home Builders Association of Durham Orange and Chatham Counties.

This 3,191-square-foot home set on 2.1 acres is typical of FieldStone two-story homes. The four-bedroom, four-bath home plan — The Rosemore — has two bedrooms, including the large master suite, on the main floor. The second story has two more bedrooms with private baths, loft storage and a large rec room. A two-story foyer greets visitors who can see through to the expansive family room with views of the back yard and screened porch. The home’s brick and shake front with large multi-pane windows sets the traditional tone to this neighborhood. A variation of the bronze winner is the house at Lot 3 on Linda Lee Circle in Fieldstone (www.nchousehunter.com and click on Fieldstone under the Neighborhoods listing). Offered by Kelley Hunter and Tommy Watts of Coldwell Banker Howard Perry and Walston, this $414,500 home features four bedrooms and three-and-a-half baths, a bonus room on the second floor and unfinished space for extra storage or could be finished for additional living space.

Dunn is also building ranch designs at FieldStone that he calls “jewel boxes,” due to their 2,500- to 2,600-square foot size. Like their larger counterparts, these one-level homes will have two-car garages, three bedrooms and at least two bathrooms.

“These are perfect for empty-nesters or young families,” Dunn said.

He is building the first ranch for Matt and Stephanie Stout who are moving from a townhouse at Governors Village in Chatham County. The couple, who met while in college in the Triangle, grew up in country settings outside Greensboro.

After graduate school at UNC-Chapel Hill, they found jobs in the area and decided to stay. He’s a toxicologist for National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences in Research Triangle Park, and she’s a pharmacist at UNC Memorial Hospital.

“This is the first neighborhood that we felt at home in when we were there,” Stephanie said. “We wanted a good amount of land, and here we’ll have a little over an acre. Most of the lots in Chapel Hill have less than a quarter of an acre.

“We stand on our lot and listen to the birds and feel the wind blow,” Stephanie said.

The Stouts say they like the mature hardwoods and the comfort of having the traditional neighborhood feel of their youth. FieldStone has the serenity of a country setting, but is close to amenities of the city and a quick commute to work down 64 or up 15-501.

Dunn broke ground on the Stout ranch in late autumn after having worked with the Stouts since July nailing down building materials choices and home plan modifications. The Stouts’ four-bedroom ranch will be 2,700 square feet with a two-car garage when completed in April 2013.

“Jay is very amenable to meeting us after work, and he has been meeting us at our convenient time,” Stephanie said. “We found a ranch plan we liked online and realized we needed about 20 percent changes made. We worked through Jay and his engineer to create the plan we really always dreamed of having. “

“One of the main satisfactions is being able to build custom homes that are not cookie cutter,” Dunn said. “I like working with individual families and building a house to suit their needs.” Horizon’s home plans can be customized for each buyer’s needs or buyers can bring their own home plans, Dunn said. There are several lots that will allow basements.

When asked what he enjoys most about building at FieldStone, Dunn replied that he liked the rolling topography and heavily wooded land.

“The land has lots of stone and we’ve used some to build stone walls at some of the sites,” Dunn said, “so the home sites look like they’ve been there for years with mature oaks and other hardwoods around them.”

Dunn, the first builder in his family, worked summers as a high school student for a builder in his Raleigh neighborhood. Dunn attended N. C. State University; starting in the College of Design but switching to Industrial Design to nourish his desire to work with his hands on a daily basis.

Horizon uses green building techniques and products that include low-VOC interior paints, sealants and water-based finishes; high-efficiency light fixtures, and Energy Star appliance packages.

The homes at FieldStone have Energy Star approved windows and sealed crawl spaces and duct work, Tech Shield radiant barrier roof sheathing, tankless Rinnai hot water heaters and Energy Star approved HVAC systems (first-floor gas; second-floor heat pump).

Water savings include weather-based irrigation control, dual-flush toilets, low-flow showerheads and faucet aerators, and drought-tolerant landscaping.

All of the houses in FieldStone are serviced by individual septic tanks; AT&T U-verse for internet; have access to Public Service natural gas and Chatham County water. Children living in FieldStone would attend Chatham County Public Schools: Perry Harrison Elementary School, Margaret Pollard Middle School, Northwood High School or Woods Charter School.