Unparalleled Benefits of Building a Custom Home

The most obvious reason for building over buying is that you, the homeowner, have the opportunity to make every single decision about the home’s lot location, design, features, fixtures, finishes, and so on. However, the benefits also go much deeper than that. Today, we’re highlighting three of the most compelling reasons why building custom is better than buying old.

1. First Time Costs Beat the Lifetime Costs

First-time vs. lifetime costs factor into any major decision homeowners make about their homes. That includes the decision to build rather than buy.

According to homeadvisor.com the average cost to build a home is $315,552; according to neighborhoodscout.com, the average cost to buy a home in the DeLand area is around $260,500. At first glance, frugal homeowners may decide buying is the most affordable route for them, but they aren’t taking bigger-picture, lifetime costs into consideration.

When you compare the total costs associated with building a home – property, soil testing/amending, construction permit fees, design, and building costs, materials, etc. – it may add up to more than the initial sticker price on a local home for sale. And, both of these total costs are considered first-time costs because you pay them one time and then never again.

Lifetime costs require projection into the future in terms of how much you will pay out of pocket for maintenance, updates, repairs, or systems and parts replacement over the lifetime of your home. When you view the first-time and lifetime costs between building a home versus buying an older home, the brand new home wins almost every single time. 

A newly constructed home is built with the most current and relevant industry information when it comes to materials quality, durability, longevity, and energy efficiency. As long as they adhere to the contractor’s and manufacturers’ maintenance recommendations, new construction homeowners can go decades without any major repair or replacement costs.

Compare that with the lifetime costs of purchasing an older home, where average replacement costs are as follows:

• New roof (that includes wind mitigation): $12,500
• HVAC replacement: $6650
• Replace attic and exterior wall insulation: $2100
• Whole-home mold/mildew mitigation: $2000

Those costs are for equipment and parts and do not include labor, which adds more to the total price tag.

Plus, there are the additional costs associated with updating the home, landscaping, irrigation system, outdoor living spaces, etc., most of which are inevitable when purchasing an older home that someone else designed and decorated. Again, Home Advisor’s statistics state the average cost for a multi-room renovation in our area is around $32,000 and the cost to build an addition starts at $26,000.

It’s quickly apparent that building a custom home is far more affordable, not to mention instantly “turnkey,” than buying an older home and renovating it to your tastes.

2. It’s Truly Turnkey

If you’ve ever remodeled a home, you know that a multi-room remodel can be incredibly disrupting to your day-to-day life. When you’ve just had to pack up and move into a new home, only to pack back up and relocate or live in just a room or two during a full remodel, it’s easy to see why turnkey homes are so desirable. The reality, however, is that turnkey homes are not all that common.

It’s incredibly rare that homeowners can purchase an older home that was designed, built, and decorated in exact alignment with their own needs, wants, and tastes. As a result, remodels or complete renovations almost always follow an older home purchase within the first few years.

In the rare case that you actually find a turnkey home that suits your needs, odds are you’ll pay far higher than the average price per square foot to get it. According to realtor.com, “…buyers can expect to pay about as much for an updated turnkey property as they would for new construction… pay 5% to 25% more for a true turnkey home than a similar home in the same neighborhood that “needs some TLC.”

Which takes you right back to the previous point that new home construction is almost always more affordable than buying an older home on the market from a lifetime costs perspective.

3. Ultimate Energy-Efficiency

Energy efficiency is always a priority, but that’s especially true for those of us who live in Florida. Your home’s energy system, which includes the roof, attic and insulation features, ventilation, and the HVAC system, must be in top condition to provide whole-home comfort, ideal humidity levels, and to maintain healthy indoor air quality. Unless you are exclusively shopping for homes that were built in the past five years, you simply won’t get the best value for the price when it comes to energy efficiency.

A new construction home is built to the current and most stringent energy efficiency guidelines. Additionally, as the client, your custom home can be built to even higher standards, with the best materials and equipment on the market, to ensure that your lifetime maintenance, repairs, and replacement costs are minimal.

The experts at myfloridaenergy.com state that each year, “…the average Florida household spends approximately $2,000 on home energy costs…and 90% of those are for electricity…Just over one-quarter (27%) of energy consumption is for air conditioning—more than four times the national average,”

Only a custom home can provide the energy efficiency required to save you thousands of dollars in wasted energy spending over the first 10-years of your home’s lifetime.

How to Get the Most From Your DeLand Custom Home

Choosing the right contractor is the key to reaping the benefits of a custom DeLand home build. Before finalizing your building plans, make sure you’ve found an experienced local contractor who:

• Is fully licensed, insured, and bonded (you can verify this with the local building department)
• Has a portfolio of homes that are similar to the type of home you’d want to build
• Can quickly provide plenty of recent and current referral clients whom you can speak with to learn more about the working relationship they have with your prospective contractor

Hiring a contractor who you trust and feel comfortable with is the best way to get the most out of your custom home building experience.

Fogle Constructors has more than a decade of custom home building experience throughout Volusia County. We’re proud of our reputation as an honest, on-time builder who cultivates lasting and loyal relationships with our clients. Contact us online or give us a call at (386) 734-6051. We’re ready to help you make your dream home become a reality from the ground up.