Are you aware of the important differences between a custom home builder and a volume builder and how choosing either one will impact the design of your new home?
Don’t be fooled by the illusion of choice and flexibility promised by volume builders, only to find yourself disappointed by the lack of communication and poor selection of cookie-cutter home designs.
As the build progresses, you will spend more time making unanswered calls trying to get a progress update from an over-stretched building supervisor whilst blowing your budget on variations.
What if you worked with a custom builder who understood exactly what you wanted, and guaranteed a fixed price for building your home, whilst ensuring you were always kept informed along the way?
The whole building process will feel more organised and less stressful, and, most importantly, you will get the home that you want, delivered to the highest standard.
Making you the proud owner of a brand-new home that has been designed to suit your style of living and comfort.
Quality Over Quantity: Custom Builders vs. Volume Builders
According to Mozo, the average cost of repairing defects in newly built homes is almost $6,000! When searching for a builder for your new home, you want to be sure they pay close attention to the quality of the construction and also be easy to reach should a problem arise.
When customers are treated as just a number, the level of customer care and communication provided by volume builders is kept to a minimum, to on phoneturn the build over quickly.
It’s easy to see how people get frustrated.
The same applies to their approach to constructing your new home, with minimal care and attention paid to constructing your home to the standard you would expect.
In contrast, a custom builder will work more closely with you and therefore develop a more detailed insight into what it is you’re looking for in your new home.
Once they’ve designed your new home, they will provide a 3D virtual reality walkthrough, allowing you to experience your new home and ensure every detail is exactly as you imagined it.
With this level of attention to detail, you can guarantee they will be just as attentive to the construction of your new home, taking pride in the build, rather than rushing to get the job done, whatever the cost.
The Downside Of Volume Builders: Supervision and Quality Concerns
A supervisor for a volume builder will frequently find themselves chasing their tail as they are made to work across too many sites at once.
This excessive workload forces them to rush from one build to the next, only giving them the sparse opportunity to inspect your build, essentially resorting to a tick-and-flick exercise.
A custom builder will have fewer builds running at any one given time, so can pay close attention to every detail of your build.
They will also have more time to assess the workmanship of the trades on helping to construct your new home, allowing them time to correct any defects or include any of your last-minute variation requests.
How To Choose The Right Builder For Your Dream Home
Whilst volume builders may tell you that it costs more to build with a custom builder, the truth is that volume builders work on far higher margins.
Meaning that you will pay the same or even more for a substandard home if you believe this myth.
To help you guarantee you will get the high-standard home you’re looking for, here are some questions you can ask your builder before you sign any contract…
One of the first questions to ask any builder is just how many homes will the supervisor managing your build be looking after at any one given time?
It’s common for a volume builder to load up their supervisors with ‘20 plus’ builds at any time.
This can lead to defects going unnoticed, or poor workmanship being hidden behind the paint and plaster.
Unfortunately, this means it’s often the homeowner who discovers these issues once they move in and the builder has moved on.
On the other hand, a custom builder will only have their supervisors working across a few homes at once, allowing them to devote more attention and input into every aspect of your build.
Secondly, it’s important to get into the details before you sign the contract.
You should therefore pay close attention to their standard inclusions list.
Some builders will list unbranded products such as cheap imported plumbing fixtures and fittings, or state 30 power points, without disclosing that these will actually be single sockets as opposed to double sockets.
A professional builder will itemize every single detail including the brand and product code, so you can see exactly what products will be used. When your home is constructed using only reputable trusted products, you can be confident that it is built to last and easier to replace in the future, should you need to.
Last but not least, you need to ask who will be your direct contact during the build. Some builders provide only their admin team’s details, who are there to act as a buffer between you and what’s going on, on site.
The side-effect of this arrangement is a slowdown in communication, preventing you from getting the information you need on the progress of your home because you can’t speak to the right people.
A custom builder will give you direct contact for the construction manager along with guaranteed response times. This helps you stay informed whilst also enabling the builder to provide you with a higher level of customer service.
Starting With Your Ideas: Tailoring Your Home Design with Custom Builders
One of the major benefits of a custom builder is their ability to custom design a home that is specifically tailored to you and your lifestyle.
Whilst some clients have a clear detailed view of what they want their new home to look like and feature, others simply have a wishlist of requirements for their home. Ready to discover the potential of your custom home build? Reach out to Makin Homes today and embark on your journey.
