Is a Production or Custom Home Builder Right for You?

You may think from the get-go you know the answer that’s right for you, but there are many things to take into consideration that you may not have thought of. Both custom home builders and larger production builders or tract builders have positive and negative aspects of their processes, pricing, customer service, and timing.

Think first about what level of customization you want. Both custom home builders and production builders will give you choices and ask for design input, but the amount of control you want may be the deciding factor.

Let’s talk about the differences between these two types of builders for a minute.

A production builder typically has you choose one of their home plans and allows you to customize certain aspects of the home such as flooring, cabinetry, paint and countertops from a library of options they offer through their vendors. These new home construction companies usually are building multiple homes simultaneously in the same neighborhood or area.

Positives about production home builders:

• Most offer home and land as a package
• Many of the homes are in planned communities which may have amenities
• Pricing of homes reflects the efficiencies builder experiences building multiple homes simultaneously
• You’re able to select your style and include it in exterior and interior design of home

Possible negatives about production home builders:

• Many new home construction companies build quality homes but there are also tract home builders with a reputation for quick, low quality builds
• Houses in planned communities can look cookie-cutter in style
• The same types of materials used to build your house and your neighbors’ new homes are the same. Materials are often bought in bulk
• There can be little room for negotiation
• Upgrades to their base plan can be costly

Custom home builders give you the freedom to make more design choices than a tract builder. A custom home is unique to the client and the builder who builds it. You work as a team collaborating on all details to create a one-of-a-kind home. After you choose a custom builder the process usually starts with finding land and an architect to create plans.

Positives about custom home builders:

• You decide where to build
• You supply your plans or hire an architect
• You’re more involved in the building process
• You choose the products and finishes
• You create the home of your dreams (within your budget!)

Possible negatives about custom home builders:

• Custom builders typically build higher-end properties so it may not be a good fit depending on your wants and needs
• Custom builders’ reputations are built on the quality and uniqueness of the new construction they build so it may be hard to find one that will cut corners and work with a lower end budget
• Due to the customization and details involved with a new custom home, it may take longer depending on the builder’s schedule and processes
• Your full trust is with the builder so do your homework by getting numerous references, contacting the Better Business Bureau, touring homes they’ve built, etc.

As you can see from above there are many things to consider before choosing if a production or custom home builder is right for you. As with any major investment, research as much as you can and get to know who you will be working with. You could be talking to them daily so be sure they are straight-forward and a good communicator.

Asheville, NC custom home builders, Judd Builders, work closely with clients to determine their exactly what they want in a new home. Building a custom home is the investment of a lifetime and should be a labor of love if you choose the right builder to match your needs. Good communication and trust should be established from the beginning of your relationship with a home builder. If you get any inclination that the builder may not be able to meet your needs, keep looking. There are many trustworthy custom home builders who’ve established a reputation and will allow you to contact their past clients to get a better idea of the process and what working with them is like. Take advantage of this opportunity and talk to as many of their clients as possible.

View our custom homes gallery.