Buying a new home is exciting! There are many things to consider when choosing the right house, such as the home’s floor plan and appearance, location, and budget. Should you buy or build? If you decide to build, do you want to purchase a spec house or a home that can be customised on a large scale?
What’s the Difference Between Spec Houses and Customised Homes?
Builders sometimes purchase property and begin building a house before a buyer is involved. If they do this often, the builder probably has several sets of blueprints to use. For instance, if a subdivision is being built, there will most likely be several almost identical homes because the same floor plan will be used repeatedly. These are called spec homes. The builder chooses the building materials, standard appliances, and colour scheme.
Buying a spec home does have some advantages. They are less expensive to purchase and can sometimes take a shorter time to build. However, if you want to have lots of input into constructing your future home, this option may not be suitable for you.
A customised home allows you to be involved in the entire process. You can choose a set of pre-existing blueprints or hire an architect to design your home entirely to your specifications. Most new home builders have standard inclusions such as higher quality building materials, fixtures, and finishes than would be found in spec homes.
With customisable homes you will likely be more pleased with the results if you have specific requirements for your house. Some custom homes can also be built on your land, rather than purchasing the tract and home together.
What Are Common Standard Inclusions?
While you will be able to participate in design decisions, several upgraded house inclusions are already built into the cost of your home. While these may vary by builder, typical standard inclusions are:
- High-quality building materials- can include the type of wood used for trim, stone countertops rather than laminate, roofing, and high-end windows and doors.
- Exterior extras – All weather access/sediment control barrier, roof rail protection systems, concrete pump for piers and slabs, termite protection to the perimeter of the slab and penetration.
- Interior aesthetics – may be tile or hardwood flooring, using trim such as crown moulding, and high-quality paint.
- Hardware and appliances– the quality of these items will be better than average.
- Heating and cooling zones – bedrooms and living areas can have separate climate control systems that run independently, allowing a different temperature to be set for each zone.
These are some of the desired options which make custom houses move in ready.
Can You Afford a Customisable Home?
You may be concerned about the initial cost of a custom home, but:
- The chances are that if you buy a standard house, you will want to make upgrades soon, such as nicer appliances,, or installing better flooring. Those items are probably already in place in the house inclusions; the improvements wouldn’t be a separate expense.
- First-time homebuyersmay qualify for national or state government grants and schemes to make purchasing and financing a homes that can be uniquely customised.
- You will want to be very satisfied with your purchase if this will be your forever home. Because you are involved in designing , you can make sure it meets all your requirements, so can you afford not to build a home that can be customised?
Have You Decided to Build a Uniquely Customised Home?
Building a custom home is a long-term, in-depth process. If you haven’t been involved in home construction, here are some things to consider:
- You should take the time to find the right builder. You will be working closely throughout the building period, so you need to have a comfortable relationship. Also, you will want to be confident that the builder is reputable, you are satisfied with the price, and that the builder’s finished houses are guaranteed.
- If you have decided to build a home that can be customised, you will want to know how longit may take. A standard build may take six to eight months, but a customisable home can take more .
- ; There are variables involved such as how elaborate the house will be, if it is one or two storeys, and inclement weather. Building in a rural area can take longer than in a city.
- Research what financial incentives you may qualify for, then choose your lender.
- Builders may have model homes for you to tour to see the types of features you can expect.
Your new house is a significant investment and should be precisely what you want. Customisable homes offer features that aren’t available in standard houses and may be your better option.