Experience with Builders (Austin, Taylor, Howe: new home, buy, live)

[LI2Texas]

Thanks everyone for your replies. The homes are soooo beautiful and it's hard to make a decision. I want all of them!

[llkltk]

Originally Posted by FalconheadWest

Yes they are. They just have a few more bells and whistles as standard features that other builders would call upgrades.

Sorry to burst your bubble, but track and semi-custom are two very different things. KB Homes, Lennar, that's track. Better quality equals semi-custom.

[TexasHorseLady]

Agreed. Tract homes can have upgrades, but not structural changes. Semi-custom homes can have some structural changes. Custom homes are, well, custom.

[centralaustinite]

Originally Posted by llkltk

Sorry to burst your bubble, but track and semi-custom are two very different things. KB Homes, Lennar, that's track. Better quality equals semi-custom.

Nope!

Semi-custom involves an architect, and a builder that are working with you. (It maybe semi-custom instead of fully custom because the builder may own the lot). And you the buyer are taking out a construction loan and paying for the construction. Mass builders (track) operate at a very different level, managing raw land, having a big plan book, and they finance their own construction, they may "sell" it to you first, but you only close after completion and you only have your ernest money at stake.

Fully custom involves a person buying a lot, then hiring an architect, then hiring a builder and financing the whole thing.

The quality of the material is not at issue.

Some one has done a sales job if you think Drees or any track builder is actually "semi-custom."

[TexasHorseLady]

Hey, guys? This is a little thing, but it's like fingernails on a blackboard for me. (Sorry, I'm an editor in another life.) It's "tract", not "track".

[llkltk]

Originally Posted by centralaustinite

Nope!

Semi-custom involves an architect, and a builder that are working with you. (It maybe semi-custom instead of fully custom because the builder may own the lot). And you the buyer are taking out a construction loan and paying for the construction. Mass builders (track) operate at a very different level, managing raw land, having a big plan book, and they finance their own construction, they may "sell" it to you first, but you only close after completion and you only have your ernest money at stake.

Fully custom involves a person buying a lot, then hiring an architect, then hiring a builder and financing the whole thing.

The quality of the material is not at issue.

Some one has done a sales job if you think Drees or any track builder is actually "semi-custom."

Nope, wrong again. I think the south has this problem. I'm from Seattle and Chicago and there is a difference between tract and semi custom. Unless you have lived in these places, you wouldn't know that. For example, Newmark is different than it's more semi custom unit Federick Harris.

[TexasHorseLady]

Originally Posted by llkltk

Nope, wrong again. I think the south has this problem. I'm from Seattle and Chicago and there is a difference between tract and semi custom. Unless you have lived in these places, you wouldn't know that. For example, Newmark is different than it's more semi custom unit Federick Harris.

Now, there's an assumption!

It's possible that the terms are used differently in the places you came from and where you are now (many are), but it doesn't mean that the south (or Texas, not the same thing) has a "problem".

[llkltk]

I've worked in the construction industry and I know the difference.

[artifice]

Originally Posted by llkltk

I've worked in the construction industry and I know the difference.

Yeah I used to build multimillion dollar homes back east...until I realized I don't like people!

Any custom builder in Texas would be insulted to have you compare a tract builder like Drees, Newmark, Meritage, Toll and others to them.

If you can't make a major structural change to your home than it is a tract or production home. You can move most (but not all) windows, doors, non-load bearing walls and so on...but you can't change from Delta to Kohler...why because they have no contract with Kohler....you can't move a load bearing wall...why because an architect will have to be involved and resubmitting the plans to the city. This is the difference in production vs. custom. Production/Tract builders use lower end materials than a custom builder and buy them in bulk for a lower price. They tend to use lower skilled workers as well and this is the reason you will find some dissatisfaction from home owners.

Custom builders rely on their reputation and word of mouth and therefore use skilled labor and high end materials....how high end depends on your budget.

[woodinvilleguy]

Well, I have Drees and well moved walls, and changed the floor plan to our liking. I don''t really care the difference because they did what I want.