One of the biggest questions in home building is: should you build a custom home or buy a house plan? As a fully custom design-build firm, it’s important that every client is 100% committed to the custom build process before breaking ground. Here are a few ways to know if building a custom home is the best option for you or if buying a house plan is the better alternative.

Why You Should Build a Custom Home

Custom home building is often an all-or-nothing deal. Building a fully custom means just that: custom from top to bottom. Here are a few reasons you might want to consider building a custom home:

  • You own a lot that is a unique shape or size.
  • You have unique needs that are not met in already-made house plans. Think about the floor plan, size, shape, elevation, etc.
  • You have specific ideas in mind that you want to bring to life.

 

Reasons to Buy a House Plan

In some cases, buying an already-made house plan is the better way to go. This might be the case if:

  • You own an open lot without many restrictions. Many house plans are designed for specific lot sizes that are a typical shape.
  • You’ve found a floor plan that fits your needs and desires without any or many modifications.
  • You don’t have any unique needs or ideas to implement.

 

Most often, we see people make this common mistake: buying an already-made house plan with intentions of modifying it to meet their needs. More often than not, this can quickly become a disaster. Already-made house plans were not made to be modified, which can lead to headaches (such as unexpected expenses and time delays) down the road.

 

Consider these factors when deciding whether to build a custom home or buy an already-made house plan!