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So, you’ve decided to build your dream home. That is a big step! But now it’s time to choose your builder…
Choosing your builder is arguably the most important decision you’ll make when building a home, because they are responsible for creating the place you and your family will call home.
So which way do you go? Custom home builder or volume home builder? Many people are confused by the difference, but it is important to know how each type of builder operates and the services they offer.
Volume home builders or project home builders as they are sometimes called, are often large companies that build hundreds of homes per year based on a catalogue of cookie cutter designs.
Whereas custom home builders design each home based on the client’s individual lifestyle, needs and budget. A common myth is that volume home builders offer significant savings compared to custom home builders because they are able to order their supplies in bulk and maximise savings…
However, that’s not entirely true because like anything in life you generally get what you pay for in terms of service and quality.
It Can Be Hard To Know The Difference
Also, if what you are truly after is a home that is designed to suit your lifestyle, then you may be disappointed to discover that volume home builders provide very little flexibility in terms of customisation, and alterations to a standard plan will come with a hefty premium attached.
Sometimes it can be hard to know the difference between a volume builder and a custom home builder because the big companies are so good at marketing themselves.
Often volume home builders’ market themselves as custom home builders, but then usher you into a display home.
If they’ve got a display home, they are not a custom home builder. These builders might tell you they can design anything you want, but what they are really doing is making alterations to an existing design.
This will not allow you to maximise the fall and aspect of your block or your lifestyle. It’s a bit like extending an existing home, you’ll always be compromised by the original design.
Beware Of Deception…
Volume home builders are also known to showcase highly specced display homes that do not reflect the actual size of the home they are selling and the level inclusions that are being offered on a standard build.
They will also attempt to make the display home appear more spacious by featuring custom made furniture at disproportionate sizes to skew the perceived size of the home. For example, the beds are smaller than an average person would need, as are the tables.
In this situation, the consumer ends up bitterly disappointed with the end result because their expectations have not been met.
Salespeople Vs. Professional Builders
One of the biggest differences between volume home builders and custom home builders is the use of salespeople.
Volume home builders employ sales staff to consult people on the contract, sale and build of their home, whereas custom home builders themselves take their customer along the journey from inception to build.
I recently had a client come to me after going to visit a display home...
Once inside he was greeted by a salesperson who he recognised as being the same person that had sold him a second hand car just 6 months earlier!
This didn’t fill him with confidence and it soon became clear that the sales person was under intense pressure to hit their targets but didn't have the knowledge to answer any of his questions.
It doesn’t matter if you are building your first home or if you have built many times before…
Designing a new home can be very overwhelming and when you hear new things for the first time, it's not easy to remember everything. So that’s why we’ve put together a quick guide for The 7 Things You Must Know Before Designing A New Home.
It’s completely free, and it will help you to keep your design on budget and avoid any nasty surprises that can sneak up on you when building a custom home.
Click on the link below to download 7 Things You Must Know BEFORE Designing A New Home.
