A luxury home builder specialises in building unique, custom and high-end homes.
A custom luxury home is a one-of-a-kind house designed specifically for you. These homes are built by builders who specialize in innovative projects and know how to meet your exact requirements and built by a registered builder.
What is a project builder?
Project builders are builders that offer a series of standard pre-designed new home designs that you can choose from. They build many homes per year. Their standard designs are built many times. When you build with a project builder it tends to be on their terms.
There are pros and cons to using each type of builder. Let's compare them.
Design and layout of your new home
A project builder has standardised plans and designs, that can only change a little bit before it can become expensive. This is a good idea if you don't want to design your home and don't want to change anything - you can pick a home layout and design that is suited to your block, and you can build your home using the standard designs. Minor amendments may have to be made to fit the house to the site. The builders own their designs, they do not belong to you.
Project builders make the building of homes relatively cost-effective because the design and costings of the house are already done, and they replicate the home many times. This is the economy of scale at work.
A custom builder will build a one-of-a-kind home for you that is completed customised to what you want. A custom builder can design the home to your design requirements. But an even better option is to get your home designed by a designer or Architect, so that you can keep the copyright of your design. A custom builder will build your design. Owning the copyright to your design gives you many advantages - keep reading!
What does your new home cost?
Project builders can have a set price for standard designs, which will have a builder’s range specification, it will not go into much detail. What you need is a careful understanding of the set margin on a standard plan, as you make changes the builders normally increase the margin in variations / changes made.
Project builders also have a limited specification range of fixtures and finishes; however, they do buy in bulk as it is cost-effective.
Custom builders quote each project individually based on what you want or based on your budget.
Custom builders tailor everything to suit their client - you. You can pick exactly what fixtures and fittings you want, which is what you want when building the home of your dreams. You will benefit from knowing exactly what is included or excluded, and what it costs. Sometimes the cost can look higher, but you need to understand the real specification difference, as the custom home builder normally have lower margin but a much higher specification.
When comparing prices from builders you need to compare like for like, or apples with apples. This is easily done when you own your own design, and can compare quotes from various custom builders, based on your actual design. NHBB will help you do this, so that you get the best quality and best price you can.
Can you build a house on a difficult block?
Project builders generally don't build homes on difficult lots because they would have to design the house for the block. They can modify their existing standard designs, but at some point, this becomes a bit too expensive, and you would be better off designing a custom home for the lot. Some project builders will refuse to build on a difficult block. Project Builders generally limit accepting any complex constructions and are volume builders of standard houses.
Sloping blocks (with undercroft designs - click here to read our blog on this type of this design) battleaxe blocks, narrow blocks will usually need a custom design and a builder who can build them. A custom builder would be the best solution for these types of lots.
Building timeframes and the quality of your home
Project builders build more homes at the same time than custom home builders do. This can lead to a project home build timeframe being longer than that of a custom home.
The quality of the home is generally better for a custom builder because it’s built by a registered builder and, trades rates are normally better, so the quality is with it. And they build less homes per year so the time on site is faster.
The communication and full access to speak with the builder on site is not even close.
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