Planning your new home can be a tricky process, one that can prove tough to navigate at times. But certainly one of the first questions to consider is whether working with a true custom-home builder or a higher-volume home builder (i.e.: a production or tract builder) is the best choice for you.

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While both types present excellent options for new home building, much of the decision will ultimately rest in how many choices you wish to enact, as well as how much design input you want to have during your home’s construction.

A production builder builds multiple homes concurrently utilizing a series of home templates, with customizations generally coming into play via choices in appliances, cabinets, countertops, and flooring. The custom builder creates one-of-a-kind homes often built on single lots that offer a greater range of design choices.

Going with a custom builder means the house will be “less scripted,” because of the lack of pre-defined menus. Here are some of the pluses of custom building:

  • The home can be built on land you own or land you acquire.
  • Supply a floorplan or commission a set of home plans to be drawn from scratch.
  • Work separately with an architect and builder
  • Be more involved in the home-building process and consequently involve yourself more in decision making.
  • Select from nearly any product in a category (within budget) rather than choosing from a defined menu of choices.

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Since most custom builders create homes in a variety of architectural styles and price ranges, a great place to start when selecting a custom builder is to ask to see photos of previous homes they’ve built. Going custom-made, your choices are nearly unlimited; the main restrictions being budget, and building code and zoning constraints. If you find the freedom to create a home from a blank sheet of paper challenging and exciting, then building a custom home is likely for you.

For you as the boss, be prepared to select custom woodwork and nearly any type of appliance, flooring, and cabinet, as well as most of the house’s detailing. Work closely with your architect and builder to best site your home, and to design a floorplan that works around existing trees on your land and that best places your windows for optimal views.

The key to working with a custom builder, according to NewHomeSource.com, is simple: establish a realistic budget and to stick to it!

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Custom-built homes are just part of the building science, technology, and operations available to builders like R.E.A. Homes—the only “100% ENERGY STAR committed” custom builder in St. Louis that’s building green to maximize both economic and environmental performance.

R.E.A. Homes—creating luxury homes with superior energy efficiency.