Local Custom

A man's home may be his castle. But while some castles are uncommon in appearance and individual in style, many others appear strikingly similar.

Why the disparity? Some lords of the manor choose custom builders while others opt for semi-custom or production construction. Understanding the differences can help you make a better decision in hiring a builder-and ultimately creating a home that's just right for you.

Production builders generally build on land they own, build from stock plans while allowing some choices and upgrades, build in large volume and build in all housing styles, both single-family and multifamily.

"Production homes aren't automatically low-end. There are production homes that are absolutely gorgeous and cost $750,000, $800,000 or more," says Joseph Narkiewicz, executive director of the Tampa Bay Builders Association.

Custom builders, on the other hand, build only 25 or fewer high-end, single-family homes per year from a unique set of plans, typically on your lot.

And there's an increasingly popular middle ground. With a semi-custom builder, the buyer picks a stock plan, but is free to make substantial changes.

Those alterations may be as simple as bumping out a window in the kitchen or as complex as moving a master bedroom downstairs, enlarging a bathroom or adding a bonus room atop a garage.

Cheryl Ferris, sales manager for Hannah Bartoletta Homes in Tampa" target="_blank">Hillsborough County, says that semi-custom homes suit buyers who have a pretty good idea what kinds of interior materials and finishes they want but are less committed to a specific floor plan or architectural style.

"The semi-custom home works for these buyers because they can walk into different completed models and can actually see what the finished product looks like," Ferris explains. "Once they find a floor plan that works for them, they can sit down with the builder and tweak here and modify there. The semi-custom approach gives buyers a beginning point."

The number of changes and degree of flexibility allowed depend upon the individual builder. And occasionally, extensive alterations will swiftly turn a semi-custom project into a full-blown custom home.

"You ask the builder for enough changes and upgrades and in no time you've created a one-of-a-kind custom home," says Narkiewicz. "When this happens, the financial picture changes because a custom home is typically more expensive to build."

The difference in up-front costs among production, semi-custom and custom homes depends upon several factors, including location, square footage and quality of materials.

A custom home is usually more costly because it's an original design, requiring the services of an architect or draftsman. Materials and finishes are ordered for that specific project, not dozens of others just like it, so economies of scale aren't a factor.

In fact, most Tampa-area custom builders complete only about eight homes per year, so each project is truly unique.

"A true custom home is going to be more expensive," says John Sample of Sample Properties in South Tampa. "But sometimes more expensive equates to better value."

For example, top-of-the-line appliances and energy-efficient heating and cooling systems cost less to operate. And building materials that exceed code requirements may cost more initially, but will be more durable and require less maintenance and fewer repairs.

Adds Sample, "If we use pre-cast materials rather than wood for your porch columns, you'll pay more initially but the columns will never rot. Interlocking pavers are more expensive than poured concrete for driveways and entry paths, but they'll allow some shifting and movement as tree roots grow over time and won't buckle or break apart."

Generally, Sample starts the building process at the site. In many cases, he explains, the lot will dictate choices such as home size and configuration.

"We look at existing trees, northern or southern exposure, other architectural styles in the neighborhood, setback requirements and power lines," Sample says. "Once a style and size of home is determined, we can move forward and come up with a floor plan."

The number of bedrooms and bathrooms is established, along with placement of the living room, kitchen, dining area and family room. Room sizes are tweaked, along with ceiling heights and stair placement.

Material selections come next. And unlike the fairy tale trio who worked with straw, twigs and bricks, today's builders have a staggering amount of options.

Flooring must be selected, along with roofing materials, fireplaces, porch railings, interior and exterior doors. Next are appliances, faucets, fixtures and finishes. Tile, granite, wood, carpet and even paint colors can take weeks to research.

All along the way, the custom builder must ride herd on the budget, alerting the owner when selections threaten to send the original estimate soaring.

And the timeline? Andrea Campagna, marketing director of Campagna Homes, which builds 12 to 14 custom homes each year, advises owners to plan six to eight months for the design, including permitting. Building time is anywhere from 14 months up, depending upon the size, details and finishes.

But the result is well worth the wait. "A custom home is generally one of a kind," Campagna says. "And it's the product of an unlimited amount of personal attention to detail."

When it comes to the bottom line, there are really two ways to price a custom home. Some builders quote a figure per square foot, but with allowances for unanticipated changes or more costly materials and finishes. Others, including Hannah Bartoletta, require that all major decisions be made up-front so that changes after the project is under way are minimized.

"Our system allows a customer to be as involved as they choose to be. Decisions made prior to starting the project reduce the time it takes to build the home," Ferris explains.

Hannah Bartoletta offers clients tremendous support at the front end.

Five furnished model centers display several different floor plans where homebuyers can touch and feel a wide array of finishes. Vendors and vendor showrooms are accessible to clients seeking assistance in product selection, and Hannah Bartoletta will link clients with individual vendors for information and discussion.

"If a client still doesn't know what he or she wants, we place them with an architect or an engineer or both to keep answering the what if's," says Ferris. "There's no rush. We'll help our clients find exactly what they are looking for."

Some buyers who already have their plans seek bids from competing custom builders, thinking that playing one builder against another will result in a better deal.

In fact, some builders won't spend the long hours required to properly prepare a bid for one-of-a-kind home. Besides, the top builders, those who do quality work and have stellar reputations, are unlikely to be low bidders anyway.

A negotiated contract with a builder you trust is the way to go. That way, you'll be making your decision based less on price and more on such factors as experience with similar projects, reputation and references.

In the long run, those are the issues that matter most.