About Build Better Live Happier
Custom homes, additions, and full renovations — design-build delivery from preliminary examination to final walk-through.
Founder
Yakup
The story behind Build Better Live Happier — in his own words.
Meet the founder
Yakup came to the United States as an immigrant, learned the language, and earned two bachelor's degrees at two different schools: architecture at NYU and international business. He grew up in a family with a deep construction background, so building is not just his profession. It is how he was raised.
Today he is an American citizen and the founder of Build Better Live Happier, a luxury custom home builder and general contractor in Englewood Cliffs, NJ. He leads a multi-trade team through custom homes, additions, and full kitchen, bathroom, basement, and whole-home renovations across Bergen County's premier markets, and he personally walks every site.
Open communication, transparent processes, and respectful collaboration — every project, every time. When you build with BBLH, you build with the owner.
By the numbers
The work, in figures.
5.0★
Google Rating
$20M+
In Completed Projects
27
Towns Served
12+
Trades In-House
We respect your home and your time. Every project is run like it's our own house — clean job sites, weekly updates, and a finish that holds up for decades.
Yakup · Founder
The details that set us apart
Built-in luxury.
The features that turn a house into the home you never want to leave — designed and delivered in-house.
Heated Gunite Pools
Resurfaced and new-build pools with integrated patios and landscape.
Luxury Bathrooms
Book-matched marble, floating vanities, and spa-grade primary baths.
Custom Kitchens
Bespoke cabinetry, waterfall islands, and chef-grade appliance packages.
Statement Staircases
Sculptural spiral and floating stairs in steel, glass, and hardwood.
Sunroom Theaters
Glass-wrapped rooms built for movie nights with a view.
Saunas & Steam Rooms
Cedar saunas and full-tile steam showers, built as private wellness suites.
Our process
Our proven process moves you from first conversation to finished home — without surprises.
Preliminary Examination
We meet at your home, walk through the space, and listen. No high-pressure sales — just a careful read of what you want and what's possible.
Offer
Detailed scope and transparent pricing. You see exactly what's included, what materials we recommend, and where the dollars go.
Plan and Project
Architectural drawings, permits, and trade scheduling — all coordinated by us. You get a clear timeline and milestones before construction starts.
Implement
We build. Daily oversight, clean job sites, weekly progress updates, and a final walk-through that hands you a finished home you're proud of.
What we stand for
Quality Craftsmanship
Premium materials and finish work that holds up for decades. The detail you'd ask of your own home.
Customer First
Your vision drives the project. Open communication, transparent pricing, and respect for your home.
On-Time Delivery
Tight project management. Milestone-based timelines. We respect your schedule.
Single Point of Contact
Yakup runs every project — no chains of subcontractors, no lost messages.
Where we work
Serving Bergen County, NJ
Bergen County, NJ — Englewood Cliffs, Alpine, Saddle River, Tenafly, Ridgewood, Franklin Lakes, Wyckoff, Woodcliff Lake and more than 25 towns across the county's luxury markets.
- Englewood Cliffs, NJ
- Alpine, NJ
- Tenafly, NJ
- Cresskill, NJ
- Fort Lee, NJ
- Demarest, NJ
- Closter, NJ
- Haworth, NJ
- Norwood, NJ
- Old Tappan, NJ
- Saddle River, NJ
- Woodcliff Lake, NJ
- Franklin Lakes, NJ
- Wyckoff, NJ
- Upper Saddle River, NJ
- Glen Rock, NJ
- Englewood, NJ
- Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ
- Ridgewood, NJ
- Allendale, NJ
- Ramsey, NJ
- Mahwah, NJ
- Montvale, NJ
- Park Ridge, NJ
- River Vale, NJ
- Hillsdale, NJ
- Oradell, NJ
Build with us
Build better. Live happier.
Book a project consultation. Yakup walks the project with you, scopes the work, and answers every question — no pressure, no rushed pitch.