tips for choosing | Hosanna Construction & Realty

A custom house is everything a production house isn’t. It has a personality; it boasts of genuine materials and fixtures and there are infinite customization options. No wonder prospective homeowners have lots of questions about it.

Below are the top 10 custom home FAQs that can point you in the right direction. Although by no means comprehensive, these are some of the most important ones:

1. What are custom built homes?

These are unique houses built around the specific layout and materials suggested by the client. A custom-built home reflects the architectural and functional preferences of the homeowner. For instance, if you need an extra cabinet built into the wall, you have the freedom to get it built. As opposed to pre-designed home, a made-to-order home lets you tweak the floor plan, external and interior design and many other aspects of homebuilding. These homes fully meet the needs of your family.

2. Are custom homes more expensive?

Typically, a customized residence tends to cost more than an average, pre-designed house because they bring in high degree of luxury and exclusivity in the design. But they also let you pay only for things you want. You can splurge on spas, oversized bedrooms, and eclectic accent lights or scale down into a double-storied rustic accommodation that is highly energy-efficient. Cutting down on extraneous elements, a personalized home helps you save money in the long run. You can select the perfect kitchen or a rooftop pool and fit everything into the budget. Professional custom home builders provide free estimates so you understand how the money will be spent.

3. Why build a custom home?

There is no way of knowing the exact condition of an existing home. You are never sure what supplies were used. Plus, you are stuck with the architecture. With a custom home, however, you can make it as structurally sound as you want. You can handpick construction materials and among other things, choose the best insulation. You can change the space planning as you please and leave room for future renovations because, as your family grows, your needs change. If you live in a house custom-fitted to your lifestyle, not only would you settle down faster but also potentially save a lot of money you’d have otherwise spent on repairs. Production houses can hardly be the home you dream of.

4. How much do custom homes cost?

The price depends on a lot of factors like location, design flexibility and so on. While it is true that with each addition to the plan the price leaps a little, it is equally true that you can find a home for $100,000. They become less expensive with time, removing the need for costly repairs later. Many homeowners agree that the upfront price of a custom house varies with the floor area. It can hover around $300,000 for a 1500 square feet house and rise to about $400,000 for 2000 square feet. A 2-bedroom house will be cheaper than a 4-bedroom home. House price also differs by state. Such a house in Texas might be available for $200,000 on an average. It is not difficult to find affordable houses in Texas if you can connect with the right builder.

5. Are custom homes worth it?

Custom homes are worth every penny. They are the closest thing to your dream home. True, you have to engage the services of a surveyor, a planner and a contractor. But this is money well spent. You are not only investing in the house you want to grow old in but also not wasting money on the upkeep of rentals or existing homes. All custom homes are not flashy. They are just what you need them to be.

6. Is it better to buy or build custom?

Buying an existing house is easier. You can hire an agent and visit houses till you find one. It is cheaper too.

Building custom has its own benefits. You are aware of every small step in the process and can aim for complete home automation in the future. Such possibilities of upgrade are few and far in between with older homes. New homes come with a warranty on structures, finishes or doors and windows – something that is lacking in an existing home. Plus there’s this overwhelming attachment that owners feel with the freshness of a brand-new residence.

7. How long should you wait before taking possession of the house?

Construction times vary and may get stalled for many reasons. Expect anything between a year and 18 months as a standard. But the benefit of working with reputed custom builders is they would share a timeline or a building schedule with you. This helps keep track of their operations and plan your other activities around it. That way you won’t have to repeatedly postpone or move around your other engagements.

There are many professionals engaged; there are many steps involved. This is not to say that custom homes are not delivered on time. Contractors usually include a date of delivery in the final contract and issue a warranty on it. Local builders should be able to tell you about the most favorable time to start building.

8. How to choose a custom home builder?

One of the most useful ways of choosing a builder is to ask for references from friends and family. If existing clients are satisfied with the homes they have received, you can assume the builder is reliable. Check local contractors and visit their houses to gauge if they are a fit. A reputed builder will bring trust and quality to the table.

Find out more about their network of subcontractors and highly-placed sources. Better to find out any unpleasant events before signing the home purchase contract.

9. Does a custom home builder help with the financing?

These builders work with a successful team of planners, architects, suppliers and financiers. The entire process is streamlined with in-house mortgage experts checking your eligibility. Not only can they help you get approved for loans faster, but also get you special loan rates and repayment windows. Once this hurdle is out of the way, you can confidently move forward with the construction.

You can also get help about down payment options, often saving thousands of dollars on loans.

10. Is site selection part of house building?

Not all who dream of building their own house possess a piece of land. If you are one of them, consult with your builder to find a plot at once. Decide on the location and what amenities you need nearby. Once that is settled, look for a suitable lot. Here a local builder’s knowledge shines through as they can give you valuable inputs on the weather, the condition of roads and traffic, overall connectivity, safety and its distance from facilities likes schools, hospitals and the like.

So, although the service is provided by some builders, the cost of buying the plot is not borne by them. Your budget must have room for a new piece of land.

Building a custom house is at once intimidating and thrilling. There are many builders in the Rio Grande Valley that can fulfill your desire of a unique home. Ask them for free estimates and request visits to their recent construction sites. A genuine builder would never refuse. Hence a custom home is the permanent answer to all your housing concerns in the Valley.

If you are looking to buy a home in Pharr, Mission, Edinburg, or anywhere in the Rio Grande Valley, contact us to talk about your property and get the best deal available.

Home builder showing house plans to happy looking couple

Building your dream home may involve a couple more steps than purchasing an existing home. With an already constructed home, you may not have the chance to pick the builder, materials to use, and the design. But when you build a custom home, you have complete freedom in choosing every element that goes into the construction.

Before you sign on the dotted line, one of the essential considerations you must make during this process is choosing a custom home builder. Not any builder will do.

Here, we give you some useful tips to pick the right builder.

1. License and Certification

Many aspiring homeowners discover halfway through the construction process that their builder is unlicensed. It could have grave consequences if the project does not go the right way. And given the amount you are investing in the building, it is prudent that you check their license and registration.

One excellent method to pick a competent custom home builder is to get some references from your friends and family. You can also start your research at the local home builders association.

If you can gather information from your local real estate agent, that would help a great deal, too. Also, go on sites like Yelp or Google reviews and Facebook or other social media to find what people are saying about them.

2. Construction property

Customs homes are generally built on the property, belonging to the buyer. If your builder is showing you some half-built model home on their site, it is not a custom home. It may just be an off-the-shelf production home with a little room for customization. So, if you plan to build a 100% custom home, start it from scratch.

Besides, you can check out the builder’s spec home by visiting an ongoing construction. They may include many standard features in the base pricing, while some don’t. So, make sure that the amenities you see in the model home come with the finished product. Be clear about the pricing and safety measures at the site.

3. Warranty and Inspection

Read the fine print properly, especially when it comes to the warranties. Some sketchy builders provide a third-party warranty for considerable value and time. But when it is time to claim, you will be surprised to know the structural warranty has tens of exclusions.

Likewise, some builders may push for getting the construction inspected by someone of their choosing. But when the builder is the one engaging the inspector, how fair can their report be? You need to get clear communication about all these matters before the project starts.

4. Subcontractors and Suppliers

Find out if the builder is hiring skilled craftsmen for the job. Or, are they just picking random laborers working on daily wages, from a local gathering place? Compared to production builders, the custom builder has a qualified team of designers, architects, and subcontractors. They may be regularly using their services for several construction projects.

Speak to the builder’s local supply houses, subcontractors, and crew to learn more about their relationships. Without a good rapport, they may not stick with them for long. Or, the dissatisfied crew may create issues for you. Does the builder pay them on time? If not, it may be difficult to get timely supplies, and the project gets delayed.

5. Building Codes

When the builder agrees to add all the features you like at a low price, you may suspect that something is wrong. They may be cutting corners to meet your budget. Meaning, they may use quasi-knowledgeable tradesmen or hire the lowest bidders for work.

The outcome will be just as bad. They may not stick to the local building codes, partly because they may not be aware. Or, they mold the local regulations to their requirements, in a process known as selective code enforcement. The city inspectors enforce the adopted codes to some extent but turn a blind eye to some portions.

6. Recognitions

While accreditations and getting listed on the Better Business Bureau may be legit, do not go with face value for the so-called “Builder of the Year” awards. Most of these titles are bogus or are awarded by local magazines. Your builder may have paid them an advertising fee to appear on their “Top 10” list.

And then there are subsidiary companies or unrecognized builder organizations, which have no real value. They exist only to promote their members. If you believe such phony awards and titles, you may be looking at a botched ended product.

7. Building Sites

When you wish to see your dream come true, you would want to add all the possible amenities in the home. You may wish for a large garage, open floor plan, luxurious master suite, and a spacious kitchen. Most home buying public take pride in their outdoor facilities, too, namely, a swimming pool, outdoor kitchen, lounge area, etc. So, you choose a massive site to build your home.

But when the builder promises the moon within your budget, it is a problem. The reality and homebuilding sectors have witnessed a significant collapse recently. Besides, high spikes in the costs of construction materials and their shortage put a damper on building projects. So, they may be offering you land that is unsuitable for urban construction, in addition to using substandard construction techniques.

Conclusion

If in any of the above steps during your research, you feel like the builder is not being honest with you, look elsewhere. In the end, your project can go smoothly only when you can establish honest communication lines.

Tag: tips for choosing

10 Custom Home FAQs for First-Time Home Buyers