Spec Home vs Custom Home vs Modular Home

Building Spec Home vs Custom home vs Modular Home

Last Updated: 2021-08-12By

Intro for Spec Home vs Custom Home vs Modular Homes

We all live somewhere with large family or alone. Some people prefer to be in high rise condos in the middle of the city and some want to live in their own home with part of land.

There are tons of options to purchase houses that were built in any city and in any area, but today we are talking about options to build new home on purchased piece of land.

This can be done on empty lot or on land that has older home that needs to be demolished. In this article On Point Remodeling discusses three types of homes that you can build. These types will be Custom Homes, Spec Homes and Modular homes.

Building New Custom Homes

Custom home construction costs and timelines

New home constructed near mountains in Seattle.

First we would like to explain what new custom home actually means. Let’s say you have land on which you can build from scratch or demolish old existing place with idea to construct something new and awesome.

At this point you would contact local architect or new construction builder to come up with a plan and design something that you would really like. The idea is to go nuts and make something that no other person has. There is no showroom or limit to what type of materials you can chose from. You literally can order tiles from Europe with the most unique pattern, toilets from japan and hardwood from Belarus.

Before construction starts designer and architect work with client to get all details right. There can be up to 50 finishing details to finalize and set your approval on. Examples of these are: flooring, paint, exterior stone, stairs and many-many more.

Pros

  • Complete freedom of choices – There is no spot to custom selections for your new home when its build. Home owners or clients can get items in local stores, online sellers or even ship them from different countries.
  • Home will be unique – For those who like to be unique and have one of a kind, this option will definitely satisfy their needs. Both exterior and interior designs are made from scratch during custom home construction.
  • Return on investment – Resale value is much higher when it is new build home with custom builder and designer. After living in this place for years it will still be appreciated on real estate market.
  • Extended warranties – Paying big bucks will get you different warranties. Unlike other types of homes, all the work is done to perfection and every trade and stage of work will be warranted for more years.

Cons

  • Tons to choose from – Unless you are working with experienced designer, who will decide for you on many options there is a lot of work for clients to do. There is endless list of selections to make for home.
  • Costs are high – Premium work and materials come at high price. This type of home construction is obviously most expensive and hard to afford for everyone. The sky is the limit for amount you can pay.
  • Long time to design and build – Because everything is custom and clients can change their mind before project even starts. Every trade needs to learn the project from start and adjust schedule as it goes.
  • Finding right builder – Everyone seems to be the best builder ever, but there are tons of horror stories. Difficulty finding the right match starts during estimate and consultation stage. Ask us for suggested builders.
  • Additional expenses – When building custom homes the idea is to construct bigger, higher and something that doesn’t fall within city bylaws or regulations. Custom constructions have additional city fees, committee of adjustments and many other expenses.

Summary for Custom Home Construction

For home owners with deeper pockets and time availability for construction we definitely suggest exploring new custom home option.

You can fulfill all your desires and needs for new home to have with top quality materials that you can personally select literally from any supplier in the world. New home will be original and stand out from all other homes in the area.

Budget from $250 per square foot for new custom home and sky is the limit with luxury items and finishes for interior and exterior of new home

Spec Homes Constructed on Your Property

Builders and construction companies can be contacted for new spec home on the property that you own. You obviously need to have piece of land with adequate elevations for the house to be built in.

They would already have examples of homes to choose from with options on extensions and different materials to be used for finishes. If company is large enough, they can have a show room where you can see how the house would look inside with their supplied materials.

Once the concept has been selected and everything signed, spec home construction can start. They would not look back and change details that you agreed upon like custom home construction company would.

The process is faster than custom home, because trades know the concept by heart and don’t need to stop for questions or inspector approvals.

Pros

  • Fixed prices – The costs are agreed upon with everyone who is interested. There is no debate or bargaining as construction companies for spec homes have set prices and they do not change.
  • Easer financing from banks and landers – Because companies are normally large and have history in construction of homes, banks are willing to work with better conditions. Tactics of spec home vs custom home, speed of construction and detailed premade contract is almost preapproved by landers.
  • No worries about mechanicals – Designs have thought out inner details of the home and you do not need to “invent the train” with bulkheads and other tricks. Structural, plumbing and HVAC runs have perfect positions.

Cons

  • Same as all other spec homes – What they build is what they get and you cannot adjust floor plans or exterior look. There are normally few options for tiles, counters and kitchens but overall it will look same as others.
  • Lower quality materials – Target market for spec home builders is for people who don’t want to spend that much money, therefore materials are purchased in bulk from lower quality suppliers.
  • Subdivision or near construction areas – Because spec homes vs custom homes are normally built in large quantities, there is a huge chance you will live next to construction site for several more years.

Summary for Spec Homes Construction

For those who don’t mind living in community of same new homes and have average finishes On Point Remodeling suggest spec home construction with local trusted builders.

This is still new home typically with good sizes for interior and exterior space. Neighbors should be within similar income bracket as most of the homes are the same. You can without a problem get mortgage for spec home and completely new place for fraction of custom home.

Spec home vs custom home is more popular in suburbs and should cost from $100 to $200 per square foot and it largely depends on area and Development Company.

Buying and Installing Modular Homes

Modular home construction costs and timelines

Set up of rear wall for modular home.

With technology expending exponentially we are now able to build entire homes or large parts of home in warehouses and bring on site for installation and setup.

Just like in our discussion about spec home, modular construction starts with selection of choices. Some companies stick to several layouts and options for the finishes, while others specify their limits on height and size, but the rest can be complete custom design.

If your choice falls on modular home to be constructed on your lot, you can save even more time than you would in spec home vs custom home construction. It saves not only overall project time, but also time of actual work on site, which can be crucial in some circumstances.

Pros

  • Prebuild already – The time spent on site for construction is decreased to absolute minimum. Your home or parts of house are made elsewhere and transported to site just for set up and installation.
  • Costs are less – Home owners will be saving a lot of money by getting modular home instead of any other option for home construction on their lot. For those on tight budget but still with a dream new home this option is ideal.
  • Proven concept – Companies that sell modular homes have worked on concept and layout for years with professional developers and engineers. Their suggested homes will have close to ideal layout for average person giving within range of size.

Cons

  • Transporting to far places – Transportation can be a negative factor if your lot is hard to reach or very distant from place of manufacturing. Manufacturer has to agree to transport modular home before you sign a deal.
  • Limits on sizes, selections – There won’t be unlimited options on what you can make out of modular construction. Usually company has a selection to choose from with size limits on manufacturing and transportation.
  • May not have inside finishes – The problem people who select modular homes may run into is that manufacturer provides construction without final finish details such as tiling, flooring, kitchen cabinets and many more.

Summary for Modular Home Construction

If you don’t mind limitations on home new home design and struggle with completion dates for this project than Modular home is worth pursuing. You can live or have renters at this property and without wasting a year for development the house can be delivered and installed in few weeks.

It works perfectly for cottage homes and rental properties as investment. The finishes inside can be not the best, but in no time you can start making money back.

Modular new homes are the cheapest category you can select and range from $65 to $100 per square foot.

Conclusion

Market of new home construction has been growing for centuries and now almost every property owner can find suitable option for his needs and within the budget in mind. Now you can compare spec home vs custom home and vs modular home with details and costs.

Every city has company or contractor with experience and knowledge on some type of home construction that is popular within your specific area.

On Point Remodeling works with many home builders and manufacturers that can be suggested for your specific project. Email us with ideas for new home construction with details and approximate budget and we can refer professional team.

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Each building has some sort of driveway or at least should have. The main reason is for vehicles to come closer without need to walk all the way. Some homes are residential with small driveway for their car to come in and park before garage or front entrance, and others can be large commercial buildings with loading docks, delivery entrances and casual parking entrances. On Point Remodeling was asked for suggestions on residential driveway for new home construction, and we decided to write detailed article for all our readers. Using this guide you can select the material for your driveway and see what works for your budget. Here are the materials for driveway we will be discussing in our guide:
  • Asphalt
  • Concrete
  • Paver Stone
  • Crushed stone
  • Brick
  • Seashell
  • Gravel
To find good contractor for your driveway, you can either ask our team by email or try to find someone local that worked with neighbors or nearby buildings.

Installation process of any material surface on your driveway

a) Demolition and Excavation – Before anything is done, your contractor will get heavy machinery and scratch off old layer of driveway. They need to go down at least 5-6 inches to insure proper layering before your final layer of material is installed. b) Material Purchase and Delivery – At this point your contract is signed and you already know how the surface will look. Contracting company purchases necessary materials and delivers them to site. Double check if material is correct and not damaged. c) Preparation of Sublevel – Whatever you place as final material, it cannot just be installed directly on top soil. Gravel is the first choice of material that goes down at this stage. Other preferred material is screen sand that can go on top of gravel and works better with stone and bricks. d) Compaction of Ground – To prevent your driveway from moving and changing shapes, all the layers from bottom up have to be properly compacted. Do not leave any spot untouched while doing this or you can get small holes and cracks in driveway after installation. E) Final Installation – This is when all the magic happens. After all preparations and dirty work the final installation is made literally within hours and you can enjoy new driveway. Stone and brick is set up by hand, while other materials require some sort of machinery with manual labor to even out surface.

1. Asphalt

Probably the most used material for road top surfaces as well as driveways is asphalt. This is a mix of gravel and sand that is mixed in and combined by asphalt cement with crude oil. Pros of Asphalt Driveway
  • Very popular and easy to find materials/contractor
  • Completed in 1 day and you can drive on it after
  • Patches and small holes can be fixed fast
Cons of Asphalt Driveway
  • Easy to damage and cracks appear in few years
  • Almost everyone else has same surface
  • Oily surface and chemicals used in mix
Prepared for asphalt driveway will cost you around $5 per square foot to finish. The contractors that take care of entire process from taking out old driveway surface, install subsurface and compact the ground with new asphalt on top, will charge on average $5500 per regular size driveway at single home property.

2. Concrete

What we call concrete is a mixture of Portland cement, aggregate as well as sand with gravel. Suggested thickness of concrete for driveway is 6 inches. The mixture needs to cure without being touched or driven on top for several days. Pros of Concrete Driveway
  • Durable material for large weights
  • Long lifespan if installed properly
  • Winter and summer friendly
Cons of Concrete Driveway
  • Has marks and stains over time
  • Hard to repair without replacement
  • Super hard to DIY
To hire contractors for concrete driveway it will cost around $7-$9 per square foot. This will include site preparation with gravel spread and new concrete installation. They will order full truck of concrete (or several for larger driveways) to pour inside forming. Smoothening and curing is required after installation.

3. Paver Stone

The most luxurious material that you can use to create driveway path with is paver stone. It is made out of natural stone with uneven rough shapes that have different line patterns. Paver stones are very heavy and are perfect for weights on top of them. Almost every city in Europe has roads and walks made out of stone that were installed centuries ago. Pros of Paver Stone Driveway
  • Creative designs can be done
  • Personal looks, can match the house
  • Can replace single stone in minutes
Cons of Paver Stone Driveway
  • Weeds growing through
  • Stone can move over time
  • Most expensive material
There is wide selection of stone that can be purchased for your driveway. On average we recommend settling with $17-$20 per square foot for stone with installation included. Working with this material is very intense labor and we recommend hiring professionals that do this type of work every day.

4. Crushed Stone

Our readers sometimes mistake crushed stone with gravel, but this is not the same material. Crushed stone material is achieved when machine is mechanically crushing larger pieces of unused stone for this specific purpose. It is larger than gravel and can have smooth finish. Crushed stone can also have a mix of colors, which is much pleasant to eyes than gravel. Pros of Crushed Stone Driveway
  • Low maintenance required
  • Fits rural area style
  • Can be reused for other purposes
Cons of Crushed Stone Driveway
  • Gets very hot during summer
  • Can be messy after many drives
  • Hard to remove snow and ice
Buying crushed stone and installing it on your driveway is as easy as it gets. Similar to other rough materials discussed in this post, only small tools like shovels, dolly and buckets are required to spread it on the road. The cost of crushed stone driveway is between $4 and $6 per square foot from professional local contractors that can finish the job in several days.

5. Brick

The same brick we see being used in wall construction can be installed as top driveway surface. Brick is manufactured by compressing clay with plastic mass. It is heated to extreme temperature and dried up to become as solid as you know it. Pros of Brick Driveway
  • Variety of selections in shapes and shades
  • Bricks are recyclable
  • Slip resistant with rough top part
Cons of Brick Driveway
  • Needs regular maintenance
  • Change color over time
  • Old fashion looking
Installing brick on driveway costs $10 per square foot, which is not too far from masonry brick laying as part of the wall. To save money you can use or purchase old brick, that was part of a wall before. Do not mix these two jobs and contact landscaping professionals instead of masonry contractors that work with bricks.

6. Seashell

This material is popular on the coast line where shells can be found near the water. Construction companies use seashells to add in other materials as well as spread them on driveway in rough condition, without adding anything else. It usually comes in white or pearl color and darkens within year because of mixing with sand and dirt. Pros of Seashell Driveway
  • Environmentally friendly
  • Has natural drainage
  • Creates worm vibe of beach house
Cons of Seashell Driveway
  • Break and crack under light weight
  • Sharp and very hard to walk on
  • Gets stuck in shoes and tires
To deliver and spread seashells on driveways costs below $4, which is only slightly more expensive than rough gravel. As you go further from coast line, cost of material increases due to delivery. This material is elegant and very soft. We recommend adding edge lines with darker color landscape material to create visual path.

7. Gravel

This material is used in other construction mixes and underlayment systems. It’s literally fragments and small crushed stones that are put on top of soil. It is easily spread out by hands and anyone can do it. Pros of Gravel Driveway
  • Cheapest of them all
  • Easy DIY Job
  • Can install another material on top
Cons of Gravel Driveway
  • Needs to be graded very often
  • Will mix with dirt and leaves
  • Washes up with heavy rains
It is rough material and can be purchased in bulk (by metric tons or cubic meters). The cost of driveway with gravel should not exceed $3 per square foot, but you can save tons of money by purchasing materials and doings installation by yourself. You do not require specific tools or heavy equipment for the job and delivery of gravel can be arranged directly to your project.

Conclusion

To properly finish any and all of these driveways requires skills and experience. There is no way you can complete any of these projects without heavy equipment and tools that regular home owner’s just store in their garages. Most of those who will read this post will prefer to install asphalt driveway, because of its popularity and low costs. We want to encourage home owners to go for personal preference and what matches your house, rather than getting the most affordable and popular items. Driveway jobs have to be completed fast; otherwise you will need to park elsewhere while the project is running. To not overpay, ask us for quotation sample on material you prefer in specific region where the work need to be done and our team can provide some numbers.

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