Once you’ve made the decision to build a home instead of buying an existing one, you’re going to come across a distinction between two different types of home builders – production home builders and custom home builders.
Though each individual home builder is unique, there is a difference between these two options, and the choice you’ll make depends on what you’re looking for in your home and in the process of building a home. Let’s break it down.
What’s the Difference?
A production home builder offers homes based on one of a few existing floor plans. These builders give clients a handful of options, the client chooses which of the standard offerings they want and then the production home builder gets to work. There’s minimal involvement from the client regarding design, layout or any other aspect of the home.
A custom home builder approaches each home according to the preferences of the client. The client can be much more involved in the process, which is more of a collaboration between the builder and the client. The benefit of working with a custom home builder is the amount of control you have over every aspect of your home.
Which Option is Right for You?
As you research potential builders, you’ll see that builders themselves embrace the terms “custom” and “production” when presenting their services to clients, and these labels can be helpful when narrowing your search. If you’re looking for something that requires minimal involvement, working with a production home builder might be your preference. If you have specific things you want your home to include, a custom home builder is generally the better choice.
But there’s a big caveat to all of this. The general rule is that production homes are faster, cheaper and simpler, while custom homes cost more and take longer. This isn’t necessarily always the case. The speed and cost of your home build depend more on the builder you choose to work with and less on whether they consider themselves a production or custom home builder.
Focus on the Builder, and Less on the Label
When choosing a builder, go with someone you can trust. An experienced and skilled custom home builder knows how to meet a project’s objectives on time and on budget. The trade-off between home quality and client involvement vs. affordability and the length of a project might be less of a factor than you think.
Ken Thieneman is a custom home builder that collaborates with his clients to deliver the home they want, while still being timely and affordable. Many future home owners believe that they can’t afford a custom home. It’s what they want, but they’ve been led to believe that they should settle for something less.
It happens all the time in our business. A client comes to us just to see what the cost would be for a Ken Thieneman home. They know his reputation for building some of the best homes in the Louisville area, but they think they probably won’t be able to afford it. These clients are almost always pleasantly surprised to find out that the costs are completely within their budget.
It’s our great pleasure to be able to deliver custom homes to our clients. Building a home should be a fun and engaging experience. By working with a reputable builder, you’ll be able to see your vision come to life, and you won’t need to settle for a home that doesn’t meet your needs.
If you’re considering a custom home in Louisville, we encourage you to give us a call. Let us tell you more about what Ken Thieneman offers his clients.