The first step towards building a new house involves deciding between a production and a custom home builder. Truth is, choices don’t always come in black and white. To make matters worse, the last few decades have seen the definition of “custom” get a bit muddled. Apart from custom home cost being higher than production houses, what are the other differences between the two? Read on!

Production Homes

The genesis of production homes goes way back to after World War II where the US government offered mortgages to returning soldiers. This serves as a great definition of production – up to 30 adjacent houses were constructed on a daily basis! Tracts of acreage got subdivided into lots and this explains why people nicknamed them “tract” homes. Production homes still carry the “tract” tag, or cookie-cutter if you like, in reference to how builders use similar home designs and limited number of floor plans.

You will be glad to know that production homes nowadays have additional options such as inside cabinets and exterior colors. Preferring production homes essentially means that you’re limiting yourself in terms of home designs. It is also important to understand your house will be erected on land belonging to the builder.

All this is not to say that production homes offer inferior quality, but the reality is that the builder is primarily driven by the need to complete houses both inexpensively and fast. Cutting custom home cost is tricky, but not for production houses where builders enjoy economies of scale thanks to how they buy building materials in bulk. A price tag lower than a custom home cost doesn’t mean you’ve got the best deal in town – inexpensive fixtures might be wallet friendly, but you might need to pay for repairs every so often down the line.

Custom Homes

If you need a house that meets all your desired standards, a custom home is your best bet. Custom home builders operate on a smaller scale in a given region or locality. You are likely to come across custom homes in individual properties and planned developments.

Enjoying the customized home experience starts with identifying an appropriate home design – rather than simply modifying current designs by tweaking washroom fixtures or adding a mudroom! You’ll be glad to know that professional custom builders have designers on board whose mission is to make the process not only enjoyable, but also easy.

custom kitchen with black finishes white walls with minimalist shelving and custom light fixtures over island

After you have pinpointed a floor plan you like, you will still have the chance to tailor the house as you would want. What’s more, custom homes have a high degree of uniqueness even when erected on a lot owned by the builder.

What Next?

The process of building a house can seem intimidating, especially for greenhorns. However, you’re a step ahead now that you already know how to wrap your fingers around this. Considering all the above discussed will go a long way in helping you pinpoint the best building option before embarking on your home ownership journey!