Custom home builders? Luxury? Advice needed please (Dallas, Plano: apartment, appliances)

[Abba5]

For a friend of mine, not me. Mind you, I know NOTHING of this area apart from what my friend tells me on the phone.

My best friend is very VERY particular when it comes to homes. He owned a home in Plano - gorgeous home off Hedgecoxe, built in 97 and he ended up selling for various reasons. He and his partner are living in an apartment and were in the process of getting a home built, but just killed the deal because the home builder has made too many modifications, the home isn't what they agreed upon and the builder's customer service is well below standard.

He has mentioned loving Tucker Hill(?), he absolutely LOVES the community feel there, but hasn't found a house or home plan he loves. He loves homes with very private backyards. That is very important to him. Also high ceilings, crown mouldings, and very high end (luxury) finishes in the bathrooms and kitchens, along with professional appliances (like Viking, Sub Zero, etc). They don't like "base" anything.

They both absolutely hate alleys. BUT... they also hate a house that is "all garage" (where you look at the front of the home and all you see is a white bland garage). They don't want to live in a townhome or anywhere connected to someone.

They don't need a huge home - it' just the two of them and dogs. But 2500 is about the "smallest" they'd go, and honestly the 4,000 sq. ft. home they lived in was way too much. They do not want to live in any "middle" section of the neighborhood. My friend says there is the "poor people section" homes (the smallest, entry level homes, smallest lot), the "mid section homes" which are slightly bigger lots but most back up to one another, then the "richer" people homes which is what he and his partner want to be in.

They have a budget of like 550k. Their focus is on QUALITY though, not quantity. But they can't seem to find any happy mediums. Either a builder has a 5,000 sq. ft. home on a great lot but they can't afford all the luxury finishes, etc.... or they would need to settle with a "smaller" 2500 sq. foot home but be in the mid or 'poor' section with small lots and have the richest home on the block because of all their finishes/upgrades, etc.

Soooo... I think their best bet is to find a custom builder, find a lot somewhere, and go from there. He mentioned awhile ago that "it's impossible" to do that in Plano/Frisco/McKinney/Garland(?) because everywhere is a master planned community. I find that hard to believe, but again, I'm in FL... and I've never been to TX so I really have no idea. And just for reference, I don't know TX very well, but my friend told me Dallas is enormous. Whatever part of the Dallas area Plano/Frisco/McKinney, etc is in - is where they need to stay. So please no suggestions to areas that could be liek an hour from there, lol.

So if that could even be an option (finding a nice lot/small piece of land, a custom builder and having a regular sized home built but with a lot of luxury, in that general area)... please let me know!!

Thanks in advance and sorry so long. I ramble lol

[CheerBeer]

They need to embrace the reality or to wait until their budget and wants align.

[Rakin]

$550k does not get you a true custom home just a very nice home and yes it's almost impossible to find a lot in town to build.
For this price I'd consider a Huntington or Darling Home.

Two custom builders I recommend is Terry Holmes and Jim Street. You might Google for more information

[frenzyrider]

Ummmm... $550k is not a custom home budget, I think. But good luck..

[SouthernBelleInUtah]

Any areas still building in those towns will be in master-planned communities with HOAs.

[BCB]

I'm sorry, but $500k won't even touch "true luxury."

The word "luxury" has been so incredibly overused by developers who claim that their product is "luxury" or "high-end" when in fact it's just beige paint, nickel/oil-rubbed bronze (yuck!) hardware, trowelled walls, and a stone skirt on the facade.

For true luxury y'all need a minimum of about $2M for entry-level luxury.

Would you mind helping us out with y'all's idea of luxury?

[HockDad]

Originally Posted by BCB

I'm sorry, but $500k won't even touch "true luxury."

The word "luxury" has been so incredibly overused by developers who claim that their product is "luxury" or "high-end" when in fact it's just beige paint, nickel/oil-rubbed bronze (yuck!) hardware, trowelled walls, and a stone skirt on the facade.

For true luxury y'all need a minimum of about $2M for entry-level luxury.

Would you mind helping us out with y'all's idea of luxury?

Now this is just in the eye of the beholder. I can walk through plenty of homes in Preston Hollow between 1.5-1.99 that have to die for kitchens, handscraped floors, outdoor kitchens, beautiful baths, etc.

[bencronin04]

Originally Posted by HockDad

Now this is just in the eye of the beholder. I can walk through plenty of homes in Preston Hollow between 1.5-1.99 that have to die for kitchens, handscraped floors, outdoor kitchens, beautiful baths, etc.

Agreed and the neighborhood the home is built in. A 1.5 million dollar home in Celina is going to be pretty luxurious compared to one in University Park.

[TheOverdog]

I would just find the 2500 sq ft base home I wanted for around $250k-300k in the neighborhood they want, and spend the other $250k to make it their own. You could remodel into a very fancy custom home for that much. In general, the land in Plano isn't worth much so the homes are huge.

Also most new build neighborhoods are master planned communities, but there are tons of older neighborhoods (many very fancy) that aren't master planned.

[New_to_DFW]

I would second the recommendation for Holmes Custom Builders (Terry Holmes). We're in the early stages of discussing with them our custom home. Very high quality, custom construction. They can build luxury patio homes (smaller lot and sq ft), but I think $600 or $650 would be the minimum they could work with, and you'd probably be looking at McKinney to keep the lot cost minimal.

Holmes Builders :: Welcome