20 Oct Custom Homes: The Difference
While production builders build communities by restricting design to a group of pre-selected home types, lots they have picked and purchased themselves, custom builders tend to build on land owned by the customer and start fresh with each design. Custom builders create custom homes designed for each owner individually. Custom builders also spend more time on each project and often work on fewer than 10 homes a year.
Custom homes are each one-of-a-kind and are often upscale with luxury upgrades and unique architectural design. These homes can be more stylized than many production homes—a buyer can contract a custom builder like Robare Custom Homes to build anything from a luxury log cabin in the Texas Hill Country to a Italian-style custom home in Terramont.
Features and Trends in Custom Homes
Green Building
Concern for the environment is growing among U.S. households—and so is the increase in energy costs. Because of this, many custom home builders, like Robare Custom Homes, are certified in green building techniques. Features like solar panels, water-saving appliances, insulation to improve heating efficiency and the use of renewable or recycled building materials are all popular techniques to improve a home’s efficiency. Custom builders allow buyers to include a wide range of green products and give them the opportunity to weigh each cost and benefit to create a home that is stylish, comfortable, but also eco-friendly.
New Amenities
Specialized amenities really set custom homes apart. Today home owners like to see features that will improve their lifestyle through health, entertainment or comfort. Yoga studios, resistance pools and fitness rooms can be added to encourage healthy living; game rooms, theaters and even a bowling alley can be added for fun; and for comfort, breezy, screened-in porches or warm hearths can make your home feel cozy and welcoming.
Custom home amenities are also taking a turn to the world of tech. In a world where there’s an app for everything, buyers are beginning to expect a custom home to do more and be a “smart” home. Nowadays you can control many features in your home using a phone, controlling energy usage, security systems, lighting and even the music playing in each room.
Multigenerational Living
Whether it be the aging parents moving in with their adult children or young adults living back with Mom and Dad, multigenerational households have specific needs when it comes to a home.
Custom home builders are seeing an increasing need to tailor homes to this lifestyle. According to a recent study by the Pew Research Center, 39% of adults ages 18 to 34 have had to move in with their parents in recent years. In the same year, the U.S. Census reported that 4.3 out of 76 million households were made up of at least three generations.
Multigenerational families often build custom homes that include the traditional “mother-in-law suite” or even feature a locked-off living space within the home. These apartment-style spaces can have their own kitchenette, full bathroom and living areas to provide a sense of privacy and independence.
Universal Design
As the country grows older and many baby boomers look to retirement, Universal Design (UD) features are an ever-growing priority for many custom buyers and builders. UD is used to ensure that features like wider doors, lower countertops and fewer stairs are used to create a home that everyone can enjoy comfortably. An accessible home allows owners to age in place, prolonging their ability to stay in the house independently and can also increase value by opening the market to any future buyer, despite age, stature or ability.
For more information about building your custom home, click here to find out how to get a free copy of Mike Robare’s Book: “INHOUSE Building Your Dream Home Room by Room” and call to schedule a builder interview for a one-on-one discussion about what you want in your own custom home. 210-372-9880.