Has anyone here had a home built on your land....? (New Home: sales, construction loan)

[maestro9]

I am looking to build a home in a piece of land that we are about to close on and I am looking to find a good, trusted home builder.
The type of house we want to build is brick and/or frame, 3 bdrms, 2 bth 2 car garage for the least amount of money. Meaning, the least expensive.
We have contacted a builder and their lowest home price is around
$106,000. Does that seem like a good price? Anyone know of others, maybe less expensive?
As always, I appreciate opinions and reccomendations.
Thanks to all in advance.

[austin-steve]

Originally Posted by maestro9

I am looking to build a home in a piece of land that we are about to close on and I am looking to find a good, trusted home builder.
The type of house we want to build is brick and/or frame, 3 bdrms, 2 bth 2 car garage for the least amount of money. Meaning, the least expensive.
We have contacted a builder and their lowest home price is around
$106,000. Does that seem like a good price? Anyone know of others, maybe less expensive?
As always, I appreciate opinions and reccomendations.
Thanks to all in advance.

I'd do this:

1) Pick a floorplan. Google search for "affordable home plans", etc., and find a basic salt box style house. There are websites that sell floorplans and have special sections for low budget homes.

2) Once you've picked the floorplan, get apples-to-apples bids for a few different builders.

A budget home might be able to be built for as low as $65 per sqft, but I think $80 per sqft would get you something reasonable decent. You want to make sure you don't build it too cheap, or it won't age well and you'll suffer more loss in resale value down the road than you save by building too cheap.

Steve

Make sure the bids are turnkey and include all the utility connections, permits, etc.

[cm4]

I know David Weekly does. Check out their website for a lot of info about the process. New Home Finder | Floor Plan Selector | David Weekley Homes - David Weekley Homes

I don't know anyone that used them, but I have seen them advertising "build on your lot" for years.

I have a friend that is building on his land in Hays County now. I can't recall the builder, but it is one of the commercial builders I had heard of and not a small private builder. If I can find out, I will post again.

If you are planning a construction loan, you might ask your lender for a recommended builder.

I agree on the turnkey comment. Keep in mind that plans from books or the internet have to get converted into build documents (blueprints, wiring, framing, plumbing drawings) so make sure that gets factored into your costs if you are going to pick a plan other than from the builder.

[JayBrown80]

Originally Posted by cm4

I know David Weekly does. Check out their website for a lot of info about the process. New Home Finder | Floor Plan Selector | David Weekley Homes - David Weekley Homes

I don't know anyone that used them, but I have seen them advertising "build on your lot" for years.

I have a friend that is building on his land in Hays County now. I can't recall the builder, but it is one of the commercial builders I had heard of and not a small private builder. If I can find out, I will post again.

If you are planning a construction loan, you might ask your lender for a recommended builder.

I agree on the turnkey comment. Keep in mind that plans from books or the internet have to get converted into build documents (blueprints, wiring, framing, plumbing drawings) so make sure that gets factored into your costs if you are going to pick a plan other than from the builder.

David Weekly makes a good product, but they are not on the low end of hte cost spectrum. They are pretty expensive.

Any home builder is willing to build on your lot. That's all custom builders. It's best to find a floor plan, like Steve said, and get bids. When choosing a home plan, try to get a square or rectangle shaped house, not one with multiple angles and corners. Also find one with the simplest roof line possible. After that, you control how much you spend by the materials and upgrades you choose from, as that can REALLY run up the budget.

Good luck.

[HappyTexan]

Tilson Homes is another builder with floorplans you can modify and they are a local Texas builder, "build on your lot" type.

Had Tilson build my home in 1999. Picked out one of their floorplans and modified.
No complaints and would use them again.

[hoffdano]

Two family members built with David Weekly. Overall they are both very happy with their homes. Works best if you use/adapt one of their floor plans. Not bargain, but also not "premium."

[JayBrown80]

Originally Posted by hoffdano

Two family members built with David Weekly. Overall they are both very happy with their homes. Works best if you use/adapt one of their floor plans. Not bargain, but also not "premium."

I have talked to sales people at both David Weekly and at Tilson, and they have both echoed the statements above. They WILL build one of your house plans, but the cost will be so great that you might as well just find someone else to build it. They prefer you to use their homeplans. They really don't consider using someone elses unless you REALLY insist, and then you will pay thru the nose for it.

Luckily both of them have websites that have all their homeplans on them. So you can look at them from home and go in prepared and not be worried about high pressure sales tactics

[HappyTexan]

Well if the OP is looking for least expensive then going with a homebuilder and their plans is the more viable way to go vs obtaining your own plans and finding a builder to build it. That usually runs into much bigger $$$$.

[cm4]

A friend is using Tilson now and is very happy.

[maestro9]

Thanks to all for comments and suggestions.
I think I will, eventually let them use their own floor plans.
That way I know they know what they are doing, in theory.
I will also get maybe 3 different company prices and choose what I think is the best, pricewise and qualitywise.
Thanks again to all.