Construction Options

Most residential construction is done by builders who purchase large tracts of land and build a number of new homes to form developments.  Other builders specialize in building custom homes for individual buyers, usually on land the buyer already owns.

Both options give you all the benefits of owning a newly built home, but there are important differences in the construction timeframe, level of customization, and the time and effort you need to commit.

Building around your schedule
If moving into you new home quickly is a priority, you will probably want to buy a home in a development.  Each home usually takes less time to build since the floor plan is already prepared and the materials purchased.  Depending on how long the development has been under construction, you may be able to choose from homes that are at different stages of construction.  So if you’re on a tight schedule, you may want to buy a home that’s nearly finished, or one that’s already fully built.

Building a custom home will probably take much longer — at least six to 12 months. With many more things to consider — designing the architecture, choosing the materials, and buying appliances, to name a few — you should be ready for an involved process.

Customizing your home
If you buy a home in a development, you will probably have a few floor plans to choose from, each with it’s own set of standard and optional amenities.  That, plus whatever upgrades the builder offers for materials and appliances, is basically the extent of your customization options. 

If you build from scratch, however, your ability to customize every aspect of the home is limited only by your imagination — and perhaps by your budget.  The appeal of custom homes is that they give you an opportunity to live in a place that is built around you.

Staying involved
Because floor plans and features are more standardized for homes in a development, you don’t have to be any more involved in the construction process than you want to be. That’s a benefit if you’re buying a newly-built home more for its newness than for its uniqueness.

Building a custom home, on the other hand, is a much more complex and time consuming project. That’s why people who build custom homes tend to be those who plan to stay there for the long term — if you’re building your dream home, it’s worth spending the time and effort to get it right.