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We strive to be a valued and ongoing resource for our clients and all those considering building a custom home. You’ll find our blogs to be educational, informational and extremely helpful to you as you consider building a custom home.
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What Drives a Home’s Price?
Builders need a lot of information to arrive at an accurate number
Every now and then a homeowner will call to ask how much our new homes cost per square foot. The answer, of course, depends on a range of variables. Some of these are obvious, and others less so.
The differences everyone grasps have to do with the house itself. In a custom home, the architectural design and the quality of finishes (siding, trim, fixtures, and so on) are driven by homeowner choices and will be unique to each project. But those aren’t the only variables.
The Resilient Home
Using current knowledge about building science helps to weather storms
One benefit of a high-quality new custom home is that it will better handle severe weather events and power outages. These are a fact of life in all parts of the country. From Atlantic hurricanes which routinely leave millions without electricity across the southeastern United States to severe outages on the west coast caused by atmospheric rivers.
Who You Gonna Trust?
This is an important question for everyone, including your builder
Common knowledge says to be skeptical when searching for a builder. That’s good advice: skepticism is wise at the beginning of your search, just like when looking for a surgeon, car dealer or other service provider. But the ultimate goal is to find someone you can trust and collaborate with.
Pretty Good Isn’t Excellent
Companies built for production work aren’t built for perfect work
On the surface, it’s easy to describe the difference between production and custom builders. The production builder follows the same basic home plans over and over, while the custom builder creates a unique home for each client.
Solving the Price Puzzle
Custom home pricing is a complex subject. Here is a way to think about it.
How much do cars cost? The obvious answer is that it depends. You’ll pay way more for a Tesla Model S than for a Toyota Camry. That’s no surprise to anyone.
Controlling Allowances
Strict allowance policies benefit homeowners as much as builders.
Why do builders prefer that homeowners choose every item that will go into the house before they break ground? It’s not just for the builder’s convenience. Any later choice may end up being made when the homeowners are feeling a lot of construction stress. Decisions made under stress raise the chance of buyer remorse.
So Many Regulations
Builders need to navigate a maze of government regulations, but homeowners can help
A successful building process is a predictable one, with no unpleasant surprises. Predictability comes from good planning, as well-planned projects tend to stay on budget and on schedule. Good planning includes making sure the home will meet all code and zoning requirements.