So you waited. And you've finally purchased that gorgeous home site, but now you've got to decide on the home you'll build there. You've got a pretty good idea that you want it to be a certain size and whether you would build a single story or two story. So, you drive through as many of the new home communities you can and tour their model home complexes for ideas. Trouble is, there are so many production-built model homes you have seen that may work for you. If you could just put that home on my lot, you think, it would solve all my house-plan hunting problems! Do builders such as these build homes anywhere but their own subdivision areas? You may be surprised to find out that many now do.

The phenomenon of a production home or semi-custom version of it being offered by a recognized "tract" home builder on your own lot is a fairly new phenomenon, and the decision to do this is one being embraced by more buyers these days. And, because you are placing a home on a lot where the neighborhood is not already full of homes just like it, it is definitely a more custom purchase than not. The builders I am familiar with who have programs like this will offer not only the production plans being sold in their current communities (where you may be able to stroll through the model homes), but also a plethora of other plans you may consider. Some are even willing to re-configure the plans to change out a front loading garage to a side or back-loading version on your larger lot.

I can see a wealth of advantages to this type of new home building decision. For one, production home builders offer floor plans their construction crews have repeatedly built, giving them the experience to produce a high quality home and leaving less of a margin for error. Their design centers offer "one stop shopping", and will, in some cases, try to find a particular custom item for you should they not normally stock it for their production homes, taking all the legwork and guesswork out of decorating your new home. Production builders buy in bulk, acquiring trusses, roofing, heating and air conditioning materials and equipment, and cabinetry, to name a few, at lower prices due to high volume.

There are many reputable and consistent custom home builders, and our economy thrives on the independent business person providing services such as these. Some custom builders, however, are in and out of the business, building a spot "spec" or custom home here and there, when time and investors permit. How easy is it to get an "occasional" builder such as this to come back for repairs when you have a warranty problem with your new home, however? Purchasing a home from a production builder can give you a higher degree of confidence that the builder will be "there" for you in the years to come, when warranty issues may arise.

Production builders who will build their plans on your lot will work with you to plot the home on the lot as close to your desired orientation as possible, staying within the guidelines and codes allowed by your city or county. They will pull permits, argue with the administrative personnel for the architectural subtleties you may want, and work with all the various inspectors to make sure all is in order. Some of the work that may not included in the pricing they quote, however, includes grading your lot if the need exists, supplying septic systems, front and backyard landscaping, and anything beyond the average length driveway and walk way. They have to come up with a "base" price for each of their floor plans and elevations, and will offer you a detailed list of what is included in that base price. They usually include the customary building permit fees, trenching, utilities hook-ups, etc. within that base price, making a purchase of this kind as stress-free as possible on you as the buyer. If you have lots of special requests, make sure you get all of them priced out in detail before you get too far along in the process. The community or area in which your home site is located may have various and sundry requirements for architectural guidelines, minimum and maximum square footage limits, special C.C.& R's, setbacks to property lines, etc., and parameters which you will need to abide by. (Gated communities tend to be the most restrictive).

Of course, one of the biggest advantages you have with this purchase is being able to see and, in some cases, walk through, the home you may decide on, unlike starting from scratch, with architects, architectural review committees, hiring a general contractor, or winging it with your own contracted entities. And, although pictures are worth a thousand words, real houses are even better. You have lots of "givens", which may offer more peace of mind when making a decision to make one of the biggest investments most consumers will ever make.

It is probably unwise to believe that a purchase of this type may be any less expensive than buying a production home in a subdivision. In fact, it may be significantly more on a cost per square foot basis, depending on how customized and upgrade-crazy you get. It probably will, however, be less than a true custom purchase. It may be a good idea to do a little comparison shopping in both arenas, using the same "model" home for each, with the same features and trappings. To find out which builders have "Build on Your Lot" type of programs, call the local Building Industry Association (they have different names in different areas), or click on Homebuilder.com, the new National Association of Home Builder's Site on the Internet.

Published: January 22, 1999

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