Homebuilding is the debut album by 31 year-old Oakland-based songwriter and producer Graham Hil (Roman Ruins). Hill is an architect and landscape designer, with a thirst for methodical and process-oriented craft. Since 2008, Hill has played drums on tour with Beach House and Papercuts, and contributed to the recording of the former's critically lauded album, Teen Dream. Hill began constructing these songs while on tour in Europe in early 2010, daydreaming in the van about his pregnant wife at home. Following the birth of their son that summer, it became clear that Hill was ushering in a family of songs about the process of growing a home, both architecturally and spiritually.

The vinyl edition is cut as continuous sides with no breaks between tracks, which reinforces the connected nature of the music.