The cost of building a 2-bedroom custom home in the United States ranges anywhere from $100,000 to $480,000. And these prices vary widely depending on what state you live in.
For example, building a custom home in Alabama should land in the $200,000 to $380,000 price range due to lower construction costs. Meanwhile, expect to spend $250,000 to $600,000 in Massachusetts because of the demand for materials and labor.
With these prices, you may not think building a home from scratch is worth your time. Instead, a prefab or model home might fit your situation better. These homes are a good fit for certain people, but will leave others with buyer’s remorse.
In the following article, we’ll examine custom home benefits while also looking at the potential positives of purchasing a modular home.
What is a Custom Home?
A custom home is a dwelling where you have selected the style and design of the house to your specifications. Either you have purchased the land or the lot the home is to sit on, or you plan to demolition the existing home on your land for a complete rebuild.
You can also discover the option to build custom homes in planned developments, although usually modern developments use model-based construction.
What is a Production Home?
Production homes are most often offered when buying a parcel in a planned development. You will be provided a limited number of floor plans (usually based on your bedroom requirements), and then you’ll get the option to upgrade or include certain features.
For example, you may get to choose the tile or appliance configuration. Maybe you want a sitting room with a fireplace, but another person does not. These are the types of limited options available in production homes.
These homes are different from modular homes. Modular homes are made by a manufacturer off-site and are assembled on your property by a certified installer.
A production home in a planned development is perfect for people not concerned with having a wide variety of houses in their neighborhood. As time goes by, these homes tend to look more individualized anyway. Also, many people who flock to these developments are more concerned with location than planning every detail of their homes.
Benefits of a Custom Home
On the other hand, a custom home allows you to plan your dream home to your tastes. In many cases, people are surprised that they can purchase floor plans for popular styles of homes straight from their builder or home store without having to have an architect draw them up.
Search “home builders near me” to find builders who specialize in working with custom homes.
A custom is best for people who already own a parcel of land. In many cases, a prefab home won’t fit the space to the owner’s liking and will need to be modified anyway.
Also, custom homes reflect the style and taste of the owner. Want a contemporary bathroom but a modern living area? That’s entirely up to you. Want skylights in the bathroom and a walk-out dining room? Again, that is up to you and your builder.
Ask an Expert
To determine if a custom home is right for you, consult friends and family first on your priorities. If you are more concerned with location than with custom features, then a model community might fit your needs and finances better.
However, if you are looking to build in a unique location or want a custom layout to suit the property, you should contact a trusted area builder for their advice as soon as possible.