Question: I’m in the market to purchase a new home, and I’m trying to decide between a custom home and a production home. Can you tell me what the difference is?
This is a question Alair Homes West Vancouver gets a lot. So, what’s the deal? Is a custom home superior to a production home, or are there reasons why purchasing a production home is the better option? Let’s take a look at both choices to help you decide:
Custom Homes
In the strictest sense of the term, a custom home is a home that’s designed and built from scratch. This process involves an architect who’ll create a unique floor plan based on your unique vision. The custom home builder will then work with the architect to put that plan into action. The client, custom home builder and architect often work closely together throughout this process. This gives you a lot of control over what your home will look like, how rooms flow and those finishing touches that truly make a home unique.
Production Homes
Unlike a custom built home, a production home is built based on a floor plan that already exists. Often, that floor plan has been proven, and the builder has particular experience with it. The customer is not without choice, however there are usually limited options when it comes to floor plans and finishing features. For instance, you might be able to choose a loft or an extra bedroom. There are also usually choices in the type of flooring, countertop finishes and lighting fixtures.
Custom vs. Production: Choice
At this point, you may be wondering, which is the better choice?
The great advantage of a custom built home is choice. If you want it and your budget can support it, then you can have it. There are no restrictions beyond practical ones. With a production home, you may have several ceiling types from which to choose, for instance, and your choices are restricted to just those three.
Custom vs. Production Home Cost
A custom home often does come at a higher price tag, but when you factor in getting exactly what you want and avoiding the need for home renovations down the road, it often makes sense to build your home exactly the way you want to. In some cases, the advantage of restricted choice is that the production home builder is able to secure deals with suppliers. Suppliers can stock more of those materials with confidence, and this sometimes means savings are passed along to consumers. It is possible to enjoy substantial savings with a custom home builder too, however. The trick is to work with a company like Alair Homes which has significant buying power thanks to a strong industry reputation and locations across North America.
Custom vs. Production Home Time Frame
A custom home will sometimes take longer to build than a production home. Time estimates are less accurate, and there can sometimes be surprises along the way that can lead to additional choices, building delays, increased costs and so on and so forth. A way to overcome this challenge is by keeping the lines of communication open throughout the building process. Many delays can be avoided simply by remaining in close contact with the project manager.
A Compromise Between Custom and Production
A custom home builder doesn’t necessarily have to build a custom built home in the strictest sense. A hybrid approach to building homes might include using a pre-designed floorplan or making compromises on certain fixtures to help offset costs. This approach lets clients have freedom of choice where it is most important but take advantage of the cost-savings of production building elsewhere throughout the project.
At Alair Homes West Vancouver, our goal is to help you build the home you want at a price you can afford. We’ll work with you to develop and execute a successful plan that helps your family to live better every day. Sound appealing? Give us a call, and let’s get together for a complimentary, no obligation consultation.