Custom built home (Post: custom home, buying, live in)

[Taterhead]

Is buying 1-2 acres and building a custom home on it a nightmare? we have only had new homes built in subdivisons by whoever the existing builder was that was there already.

Does anyone know of a good builder?

[Trainwreck20]

In general, building a custom home takes a lot of oversight from the owner. My dad always had custom homes built (3 built over the years) and was always happy with them. Part of the trick is getting a good architect (sometimes the same as the builder, usually not) and working with your builder. There are LOTS of tiny details that the big builders have worked out long ago and you don't want to be re-inventing the wheel, so to speak.

Also, you seem to have the main issues already....a GOOD builder. Posters can't post their recommendations on the board (due to advertising restrictions), but they can PM you.

[Taterhead]

People make it sounds so easy, just buy a lot and have a house built. I have heard of nightmare stories but then I've also heard it wasn't that bad.

Pm me with a good builders names please

[Zzyzx]

For me building a spec home was a nightmare. So the way I look at it, if I'm going to have a nightmare I might as well make it to my liking, so I would go with a custom

[love roses]

That's gonna be something we do in the hopefully not too distant future as well.. I'll probably be asking these same questions sometime soon.

[johnrex62]

Your experience will vary depending upon what you consider custom. My father was a builder for 40 years and some customs were simply variations of an existing plan and others were ground up unique. The more unique the plan is, the more chances for unexpected outcomes. Also the more constrained on money and the larger your dreams, the more chances for problems.

I built my own house with my dad as my advisor and I still found some things I would have done differently in retrospect, but they were the result of layout changes, feature changes and sometimes lack of communication between myself and my father. I gave instructions but his priorities were not always identical to mine and when compromised had to be made to make something work, he sometime made a choice I wish had been done a little differently.

I am very pleased with the overall outcome, so my regrets are extremely minor. Along the lines of "why didn't I put that switch on the other wall" or "I should have spent the extra money and put in another exterior door in this room too".

I am sorry I cannot suggest a good customer builder. I would stongly suggest investing the time to talk with some of the builders other folks recommend and look at some of their work. My dad often was able to make arrangements for people to visit homes he had built, even after the new owners had moved it sometimes. Look at the workmanship and the details that are important to you. If the builder has taken the time to put those details in his other jobs, then those are also important to him. If not, you need to fully discuss not only what details you want, but why you want them. The more the builder is in your head, the closer he will come to building your dream home to your dream specs. Just realize reality often intrudes on the best of dreams.

[coolruningz]

Originally Posted by johnrex62

Your experience will vary depending upon what you consider custom. My father was a builder for 40 years and some customs were simply variations of an existing plan and others were ground up unique. The more unique the plan is, the more chances for unexpected outcomes. Also the more constrained on money and the larger your dreams, the more chances for problems.

I built my own house with my dad as my advisor and I still found some things I would have done differently in retrospect, but they were the result of layout changes, feature changes and sometimes lack of communication between myself and my father. I gave instructions but his priorities were not always identical to mine and when compromised had to be made to make something work, he sometime made a choice I wish had been done a little differently.

I am very pleased with the overall outcome, so my regrets are extremely minor. Along the lines of "why didn't I put that switch on the other wall" or "I should have spent the extra money and put in another exterior door in this room too".

I am sorry I cannot suggest a good customer builder. I would stongly suggest investing the time to talk with some of the builders other folks recommend and look at some of their work. My dad often was able to make arrangements for people to visit homes he had built, even after the new owners had moved it sometimes. Look at the workmanship and the details that are important to you. If the builder has taken the time to put those details in his other jobs, then those are also important to him. If not, you need to fully discuss not only what details you want, but why you want them. The more the builder is in your head, the closer he will come to building your dream home to your dream specs. Just realize reality often intrudes on the best of dreams.

Where are her deep water aquifers that I could reasonably reach for a well and can I still find land there to build a house. Also, is there any sense to building a double-wall insulated home for energy efficiency?

[tashina]

I believe Drees advertises that they will build on your lot. They are an excellent builder with a lot of floor plans (we live in one). I don't know if they'd leave the interior unfinished, but you could ask.

[coolruningz]

Thank you I will look into that!

[austin-steve]

Is buying 1-2 acres and building a custom home on it a nightmare?

It very well can be. But it's like asking if being married is a nightmare. There are so many variables, not the least of which is your personality, that nobody can say exactly how it will be for you.

I'm breaking ground tomorrow on a custom home. I looked a long time before picking my builder, and I'm building a plan he's built before that I was able to walk through. To me, that's the best way to go, if you can find a plan you like.