Building a House Forever Home vs Inventory Home
For clients who are in a stage in their lives where they are ready to purchase a new home it can be difficult to decide which path to take. Apart from buying a home that has been previously owned, there are two choices: building a custom home or buying a spec home.
What Is the Difference Between a inventory Home & A Custom Home?
A inventory home is designed and built by a builder. A inventory home is a Move In ready home that has the basic design details and trends of current homes. A custom home is a home that is designed for each individual client. The client finalizes the design, finishes, appliances and more. With custom homes you can build on a Lot that you own, if it is buildable land or some custom builders can also help you find and purchase buildable land.
Inventory Home Pros
Quick Construction: Builders are usually close to being done with the house by the time they are listed.
Affordable: The cost of a inventory home is typically lower than custom homes. A lot of this has to do with quality of materials and a larger purchase power for inventory builders.
Inventory Home Cons
Limited Design: With inventory homes the owner of the home has little to no control over the design. Inventory homes are like all the other homes in the community, so there is not room for a unique exterior. The finishes that are there the client has already paid for so you can’t really make changes.
Custom Home Details
HVAC System: The highest energy efficient air conditioner can go up to a 26 SEER rating offered by high tier brands such as Lennox. This is a great quality of custom homes, knowing what systems are being installed in your home.
Air Purification Systems from Lennox can use three types of technology to battle all three types of indoor air pollution. They trap small particles like pet dander, pollen, dust mites and dirt. Also remove bacteria and germs like airborne mold, fungi, and viruses. With our current times you want to make sure that you invest in your home, also that your forever home has good quality and healthy air.
Custom Home Pros
Customizable Design: The greatest advantage of a custom home is the full access the client has to the design & construction. A custom home is your dream home because you are involved in the process from materials to lighting. Custom builders want to make your dream home a reality.
Here is one of our Custom Home Projects in Meggett, South Carolina with great examples of customizable design.
Custom Home Cons
Time: Construction of a new build takes some time. It usually takes a while before the client can move in but if this is your dream home it is worth the wait.
Expensive: With so much customization, custom homes are likely more expensive than inventory homes. There is so much gray area with this con because yes, it is more expensive, but you are also getting better quality. The client is picking all the flooring, cabinetry, countertops, and fixtures. It is a longer process, but quality and a longer lasting home is a huge factor to consider.
Windows
If you want to prepare your Florida Home for severe weather conditions, we highly recommend impact windows.
Design Pressure Rating is an important detail to consider when trying to find the right set of windows for your home. Design Pressure Rating tells you the level of high wind a window can withstand. The higher the DP rating, the stronger the window is.
DP Rating Calculation
To calculate DP Rating, the window is attached to a wooden frame. The air pressure on the inside of the window is reduced causing the pressure outside to increase until the window breaks. The test pressure needs to reach 1.5 times the design pressure for 10 seconds without the window being permanently damaged.
Florida Recommendations
- Impact Windows Basic DP60 Rating
- DP100 for Max Protection
We hope that we have provided you with knowledge about the benefits of Custom Home Building. We hope to work with you on your next Custom Home Project!