#1 Custom Homes are more Expensive……..
This is a well debated topic amongst builders and clients alike. In short, they don’t have to be!
To explore this subject further we can break the cost sections down:
Certifications Costs
Custom home builders often allow for many elements that project home builders don’t include as standard therefore they can incur additional charges once the contract has been signed. You builder should include fixed price quantities for certification cost, engineering and ground works.
Construction Costs
As for actual construction costs these are very comparable across most builders, what you often get more of with custom design and construction is a cohesive experienced team of subcontractors, suppliers and builders that are working toward an end goal of building the best home for you.
Design Costs
Project builders will often include a design cost within their contract for a pre designed plan, this charge may be less than the cost of a custom home design. However, if you involve your builder in the design process you can utilise their experience and knowledge of the industry to work with the designer on feasibility and cost of plans therefore reducing the overall cost for a custom design home.
Sustainability
Custom designed homes have the added benefit of being able to consider sustainable design practices, materiality and future use for expanding and shrinking families and flexible use of space. If adopted correctly these can all reduce the costs over the life of your home.
Inclusions
It is important to ensure you are comparing apples with apples, the level of inclusions can vary significantly and any selections you make that are above the allowance will be charged accordingly.
Custom home builders often have a more generous allowance for their fixtures and fittings at the initial stage of quoting.
Fixed Price Quote
An accurate fixed price quote working on completed documentation such as plans and engineering can give you greater assurance of staying on budget.
Variations
It is important to remember that many inclusions such as plumbing, fixtures, tiles, lights, flooring etc are all treated as a variation to the contract.
This means if you spend more than your contract allowance you will be charged the extra cost. If you spend less than the contract allowance that is dollars back in your pocket, many custom builders give generous allowances.
