What makes custom home builders different than spec and tract builders?
We get our fair share of questions about pricing and our home building process. Both are great questions whether you’ve built a home before or not. If you aren’t familiar with the difference between custom home builders, trac builders, and spec builders, there are a few key differentiators that set custom builders apart.
One of the other top questions we get asked is whether we have stock house plans. We don’t have stock house plans. We work with clients to build a home unique to them and that process usually starts with pairing our clients with one of our partner architects or starting with a house plan online and making changes where needed so that it fits the client’s wants and needs. The plan revisions can be done with the original architect or a local architect. No matter which route you go, the home will be considered a custom home.
Tract Home Builders
Most tract home builders will have clients choose from options they’ve supplied including house plan and selections. This process can work well for some people. They usually buy a large piece of land and subdivide it to create a development with multiple houses. The houses typically have a similar look and finishes. The process of working with a tract home builder can be a better fit budget-wise and/or timing-wise. You typically make your selections in a show room they have set up in their office. If you have a distinct vision of what you want in mind, you may have trouble achieving that vision with a tract builder because many won’t let you make custom selections. They have distributor and brands they prefer to order materials from. Sometimes tract builders have model homes and sometimes they don’t. They may require up front costs like earnest money and deposits.
Custom Home Builders
With custom home builders, no two homes are the same. The owners dictate the style, size, and finishes. Judd Builders, as the general contractor, along with our trusted vendors and subcontractors, work with our clients to make sure they get exactly what they want and stay within budget. We can work with clients to make sure their home is original and everything they imagined (and more!). Custom homes can take longer to build because it’s the first time the home is being built exactly that way. Many custom home builders work with materials that can take longer to install also. We are known for quality construction and we only build a select number of homes at a time to ensure that we don’t veer from our quality standards. Judd Builders has a framing and trim crew comprised of some of the most skilled craftsmen in our area, so we have control over quality that many builders don’t have. Our crew works on our homes and only our homes.
Spec Home Builders
A spec home builder buys land and starts building a home without a buyer. They can build homes similar to tract home quality or custom home quality. Spec builders generally buy one lot and start a home and then move on to another one. The finishes can be very simple and neutral in order to attract a wide pool of buyers. There are also spec builders that build with a specific buyer in mind so they may choose high-end finishes and/or stick with a particular style. Spec builders usually don’t have model homes. It’s more likely that they’ll be more flexible on price than a tract home builder.
“As a custom home builder, we like to establish a relationship built on trust and transparency. Many of our clients are repeat clients and refer friends and family to us. We become like family with our clients and we take the responsibility of building and remodeling their homes very seriously. We’ve been building quality homes in Asheville since 2007 and our reputation speaks for itself.”
Judd Builders has been building fine homes in Asheville since 2007. If you’re interested in building a custom home in Western North Carolina, contact us today. We can build on your land or help you find land. We build all sizes and styles of homes with an emphasis on quality construction and superb client service.
