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We just moved from a Parade Home that, while very nice, was still a tract home built by a builder for no one in particular. Now, being a Parade Home, it was full of nice touches - some hardwood floors, lots of nice trim and crown molding, nice wooden doors, fixtures that were a notch above "spec home" quality, etc.
But we just bought a custom built home and here is where we can really tell the differences, even though the "new" home is 16 years old:
GORGEOUS trim throughout the house
Superior wood work throughout
Better quality cabinetry
Top of the line appliances
The list is endless. Having just built a high quality home, but small square footage, some of the things which we focused on include:
2x6 framing.
30 Year Architectural shingles
Plywood sheathing....1/2, 5/8 and 3/4 in various applications.
Solid Stone versus stone veneer
High End windows from Andersen
Solid Core doors
Hardwood floors
Concrete Basement Walls
Hardy Plank siding
Oversize gutters and downspouts.
Concrete Driveway
Synthetic Decking and Railings
Triple Latch door hardware
Solid Brass Hinges and Latches
R-19 up to R-49 Insulation
Sherwin Williams Paints in and out
Additional external hose outlets, and electrical outlets
LED Lighting throughout
Basically, nothing that you would "see" as being any different than a crappy spec house. And if we were forced to sell, we would never get our money out.
BUT.....it matters to us. Our utility bills are low, we have virtually zero maintenance (there is no exposed wood (like pressure treated decking or trim, for example), the house is tight and well insulated, the roof will last for decades, as will the siding and stone work, there are no squeaky floors or doors that don't close properly, and there are no "issues" that we are waiting, and waiting, for the contractor to return to fix.
a custom, well-built home versus a cheaply built "tract" house? I'm not talking about size, square footage, because you can build a huge cheap box and it'll be big but that's about it.
What I mean is....what characteristics or building materials or little touches make the difference and separate the homes that look & feel built to stand the test of time, versus ones that were cranked out as fast & cheaply as possible?
Interesting to see what people think...
I'm a contractor this is what in my experience sets better built apart from cheaply built. A better roof with 40+ year warranteed architectural shingles vs the cheap 3 tab shingles. Or a quality metal roof.
Framing with 2x6s so you can get thicker insulation for higher r value r19 vs r13 with 2x4 framing. R38 insulation in the attic. Sheathing done in plywood no OSB. Poured foundation over block. Higher quality windows over the cheap builders grade. Plumbing done in copper no pex.
And since I'm mainly an electrician Eaton/Cutler Hammer CH brand panels that have all copper internals with built in whole house surge protection.
Tract homes are when you build many identical homes in order to save money. The obvious difference would be if you hire an architect and build a custom home it is a special one of a kind home just for you. You can do anything you want with it. Custom homes designed by architects account for 5% of the homes in the United States.
I have to disagree with everything that was said in this post. Just because a house is custom built does not mean it can't be built cheaply. And just because is a house is not custom built does not mean it is not built well. There are people who make crap custom homes. Plastic moldings and doors hitting toilets can happen in a custom architect designed house too. Depends on the client, the architect, and the contractor.
By the way I am an architect and doors don't hit toilets in my houses.
Last edited by Ultrarunner; 07-23-2014 at 12:42 PM..
[quote=Jorge Fontan;35772049]Tract homes are when you build many identical homes in order to save money. The obvious difference would be if you hire an architect and build a custom home it is a special one of a kind home just for you. You can do anything you want with it. Custom homes designed by architects account for 5% of the homes in the United States.
I have to disagree with everything that was said in this post. Just because a house is custom built does not mean it can't be built cheaply. And just because is a house is not custom built does not mean it is not built well. There are people who make crap custom homes. Plastic moldings and doors hitting toilets can happen in a custom architect designed house too. Depends on the client, the architect, and the contractor.
By the way I am an architect and doors don't hit toilets in my houses.
I can agree with what you are saying. A custom home doesn't have to mean super-expensive, but in reality, it usually does. Maybe not "super-expensive" but more expensive than average.
And yes, I've been in so-called custom homes that were absolutely horrid. They might have used nice materials & trim, etc. but the details were awful. Air return vents in conspicuous places; doors that wouldn't open all the way, and my favorite....one of those pop-up charging stations with USB, iphone, etc. ports for charging. It's a great idea, and this particular home had a huge kitchen with tons of counter, but guess where they installed the pop-up charging outlet? On the island.....next to the sink!!!!! WTH?? BTW....this home was priced $599,900 in an area where the average home sales price is about $185k.
Last edited by Ultrarunner; 07-23-2014 at 12:42 PM..
I think what sets apart a "keeper" from a "waiting for the bulldozer" home is:
- the quality of the materials and the workmanship
- well-planned spaces
- windows that take advantage of views
- proper siting on the lot
- a house that looks like it belongs in its environment
Funny thing is, it's not expensive to achieve this; it just takes a little more thought and planning, and less consideration to simple square footage.
I like minimal trim so I can't comment much on the crown moulding etc.
For me, one of the things is a well-sealed house and insulation above code minimum. Code-minimum insulation is pretty poor in a lot of climates here in the US. Additionally, ductwork that is mostly galvanized with just flexduct runout to diffusers and ideally ductwork not located in an attic.
In terms of looks, actual nice light fixtures that were not the builder special or on clearance at lowes.
Good quality windows that are both energy efficient and that took into account coordinating their color both on the outside and inside.
Good use of multiple materials - not just a mass of carpet and drywall.
Built-ins that make sense throughout the house to improve storage while limiting the space impact.
An architect who took the time to review the orientation of the house and locate windows and roofing etc. accordingly for energy efficiency and minimized glare while maximizing daylighting.
Good plumbing fixtures.
30+ year shingles or alternate materials like a standing seam metal roof with properly sized gutters and water shedding systems.
plywood sheathing
External rigid foam insulation (minimum 1"). This is much better than cramming extra insulation even into a 2x6 stud cavity. In other words, I'd go for R19 in a 2x4 wall with 1"+ rigid foam outside before going to 2x6 and more insulation in the stud.
Attention to how the house actually is placed and interacts with the property.
High ceilings.
I'm sure I'll think of plenty more but those are several off the top of my head.
Tract homes are when you build many identical homes in order to save money. The obvious difference would be if you hire an architect and build a custom home it is a special one of a kind home just for you. You can do anything you want with it. Custom homes designed by architects account for 5% of the homes in the United States.
I have to disagree with everything that was said in this post. Just because a house is custom built does not mean it can't be built cheaply. And just because is a house is not custom built does not mean it is not built well. There are people who make crap custom homes. Plastic moldings and doors hitting toilets can happen in a custom architect designed house too. Depends on the client, the architect, and the contractor.
By the way I am an architect and doors don't hit toilets in my houses.
What you say is technically accurate but realistically custom built homes are homes which generally exceed minimum code and tract homes are those which only meet it. This can make an enormous difference in efficiency and longevity of the home. In general, custom homes normally employ better building practices than the ones seen in tract homes. So while this thread may have some generalizations, I would not say it is incorrect because it more accurately represents the reality of custom versus tract home building of today. In short, very few tract homes are built with the same quality of materials and/or design as a custom home. All of the posts on here seem to point to that, in one way or another.
Start with less where you can upgrade yourself or without major construction - flooring, lighting, appliances, countertops, wall covering, hardware, trim, extra 220 outlets, gas access, gas/auto start fireplaces, ... . Please do not skip closets when you do floors!
Splurge with items which are basics but can get pricey if upgraded later - walls, custom ceilings, insulation, wiring and pre-wiring, venting, garage space, covered patio, extra room, spigots, attic/basement access, trim, ...
Work the budget - what of bucket "want" can be done immediately, what should wait? What can you pay for without paying the bank or putting yourself in a bind?
It took us 30 minutes to buy a builder's show home and three years to remodel it:>)
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WTH?? BTW....this home was priced $599,900 in an area where the average home sales price is about $185k.
