An economical way to build a home that is becoming very popular is hiring a semi-custom builder. A semi-custom builder, such as Pepper Viner and A.F. Sterling; build from an existing plan with modifications; a custom home starts in the minds of the homeowner and architect and on a blank sheet of paper. A few of the semi-custom builders have opened divisions to manage and supervise a client who loves one of their models but wants to build it on their own lot. The advantages are:
- Building a home you love and can visualize but on a larger lot, smaller community, etc.
- Because you are choosing a home that has already been approved by governmental jurisdictions, you save on architectural/design/governmental fees
- A semi-custom builder streamlines your choice of amenities by ‘bundling’ various grades of tile, carpet, facets, cabinets, etc. They also offer ‘green’ materials. And because they buy in quantity the cost is less than usually going to Home Depot
- Since the semi-custom builder has previously built the home, they know exactly how much it costs, which takes out the guess work and relieves the fear of going over budget
- The semi-custom builder can grade your lot one day and have you living in it six months later, whereas it takes over a year when starting from scratch with an architect/designer, hiring a builder, submitting plans for County approval, etc.
Flat lots are the most prime sites for the semi-custom builder because their house plans are almost always designed and built on level ground. The more sloped a lot is, the more you move away from benefitting from the semi-custom mold.
For semi-custom builder referrals, please ask me and I will be glad to put you in touch with the person in charge of this particular division; not an on-site sales agent.
