Choosing plans, specs, and your builder
What do the words “custom made” bring to mind? The notion of quality and craftsmanship? Or does it conjure up images of a unique product that stands alone?
Production homebuilders (those who build a number of homes with an already specified and city-approved set of floor plans and exteriors with standardized homebuyer options) must be careful in their use of the word “custom” or even “semi-custom”, using instead, phrases like “custom feel” or “personalized homes.” Why? Because they know that when they use the word “custom” by itself, they must be held to a different standard, willing to do what the homebuyer is ordering them to do.
Enter the true custom homebuilder. He is the guy who builds 1 to 8 homes a year and puts his name on every single one of them. He is the guy you call with your dreams and hopes and plans for the home that has been in your mind forever–one that reflects you and only you –even if you’ve blended and “borrowed” ideas from several other prototypes.
Building a custom home doesn’t necessarily mean getting everything you want, however. Every price range has its limitations and trade-offs of space versus features and amenities. People who are on the journey to a custom home purchase have a lot of legwork to accomplish before putting pen to paper and placing deposits. Get started by educating yourself about available homes and products. You should review as many completed homes as possible to get a feel for the home you want. Tour “spec” homes and models, go to home shows, go on builder-sponsored home tours, and look at home product vendor showrooms. Start a notebook and keep records of what you liked and didn’t like and why. Save floor plans and pictures from magazines and take advantage of the internet.
Choosing your plans
The most popular way of finding plans is through the internet. There are thousands of plans to review which you can have a builder give you an idea of a price range if you have some choices selected. If you do decide to design from scratch, choose a qualified design/builder first then work closely with the design/builder to be sure the home fits your needs and desires, and can be built within the budget that you have established.
Designing a home will be much easier if you prepare a wish list of the items that you would like in your home. Make your wish list in order from “must have items” to “like to have” for pricing purposes. By showing the designer/builder floor plans of homes that you like he can then combine elements of the plans, elevations and items from your wish list for you.
Specification Selections
Organizing your needs and putting together your specification wish list are a big start. Make decisions about products you’ll want to use. Start with the big picture in each category and don’t get lost in the details. Similar to the plan wish list make your specification wish list in order of priority of wants for pricing purposes.
You will need to start listing your specification list before meeting with your builder to assist in pricing out your home. Once you meet with a builder, the builder should have a specification sheet detailing the items to be included. Concise plans and specifications eliminate gray areas and everyone knows what is expected and what the end result will be. Without this communication, errors are bound to happen. CAUTION: The specifications should be at least 20 pages long. Anything less than that does not adequately specify what will be included in the home and offers opportunities for problems.
Success is truly in the details. Detailed plans and specifications lay the groundwork for a good relationship. It is vital to the entire process that you and your builder have a common understanding about what you are going to build together before you start. More problems arise from a failure to spell things out and understand what has been spelled out than by any other source.
Selecting a Builder
How does one choose a custom homebuilder? Before discussing costs to build a home you need to consider the reputation of the builder, the builder’s experience and the service provided by builder. The following list needs to be addressed first before getting a price from a builder. These items seem to have no affect on the owner until the home is being built. Once construction starts it is too late in the process to find out you have selected the wrong builder.Builder access during construction. Can you get a hold of the builder while the home is being built? How often will you meet the builder during construction?
*Time spent on the job (all jobs must have supervision). There are thousands of details when building a home. If the builder is not on the job how are the details monitored?
*Attention to subcontractors. Subcontractors need things done by other subcontractors, supplies delivered, and answers from the builder to do their job right. No matter how good a subcontractor is at his job, he is unaware of the desires and decisions of the owner. All these items must be communicated by the builder.
*Time to build. Building a home too fast is a sign of items overlooked or short cuts being taken. Taking too long is a sign of a lack of supervision and/or schedule neglect.
*Flexibility during construction. Changes and problems come up every day in life and it is no different building a home. Make sure the builder is willing to work with you, not against you when difficulties arise.
*Service after the home is complete and you have moved in. Check your references!
*Your builder should be licensed by the Commonwealth of Virginia and insured. Do not contract with any Builder who is not licensed or insured. Any recourse is with the license holder. Ask to see the license for the company and be absolutely sure that the principal is the license holder and not an employee. Do not take this for granted!
*You should feel comfortable with your builder. Does he appear organized? It is best when building a true custom home that you use a full-time Custom Home Builder. Building custom homes is a specialty that does not translate over very well to anyone unfamiliar with building custom homes.
*Make sure your expectations can be met by your builder. The builder should have experience in the size and price range of the home you are considering. Drive-by some of the builder’s homes to get a feel for the homes he builds. Look closely at the builder’s completed and homes under construction if possible (not just the model, but other homes as well). Do they represent the workmanship you desire? Each builder employs contractors to create your home. If a builder builds lower-priced homes he will use lower-priced (i.e. cheaper) subcontractors for your home. This is very important since the quality of your home will be only as good as those who helped create it.
*Request the names of prior customers. Call the customers and ask for their recommendations. Before you select your builder don’t shy away from calling references and previous clients.
When comparing pricing it is essential you compare apples to apples. It is easy to lower the price by using lesser quality material, cheaper subcontractors, installation shortcuts and much more. You should carefully compare, item by item, what is being proposed. If there is a large variance between two builder’s prices for a similar home the difference will almost always be the quality!
Not all builders are created equal. You need to research potential builders before comparing prices. Once you get prices from builders it is easy to be seduced by the lowest bid. Surely every builder is going to build your home exactly the same, including the lowest bidder, right?