If you’re looking to move to a new place, then there are many reasons to consider Summer Lake in Virginia. However, you’re going to need to decide whether you want to build a completely custom home or whether you want to choose from available spec homes.

The following are some of the benefits and drawbacks of both to help you determine which type of construction best suits your personal wants and needs. 

The Pros of Custom Homes

The following are a few of the benefits of building a completely custom home:

You can design your home just the way you want it – The only way to obtain your true dream home is to build it yourself. This means that if you want things a certain way, such as a large, open kitchen or a pool in your backyard, a custom home is the best way – and in most cases the only way – to get it.

You get to choose your appliances – You won’t get stuck with pre-installed appliances since you can choose exactly what types of appliances you want, whether they’re basic models or feature-packed models.

You only pay for what you want – Although custom homes are often a bit more expensive than spec homes on the surface, you’re only paying for what you want. With spec homes, there may be features that you wouldn’t have added if you had total control over your home design. This means that with a custom home, you won’t be paying for features you don’t need or want.

You can invest in features that reduce operational costs – Spec homes may not be designed with geothermal heating or a solar panel system, but your custom home can be. While you may pay more for these types of features initially, they can greatly reduce the operational costs of your home over the long term.

The Cons of Custom Homes

The following are a few of the drawbacks that can come with building a custom home:

Building a custom home can take time – Because the floorplan is brand new, it may take time to design the home properly so that it will be functional once it’s built. Not to mention that certain challenges may arise during the construction process that were unforeseen. For this reason, it’s important to prepare for the process appropriately and communicate with your builder to keep up with the progress.

Building a custom home can be more expensive – Depending on the size of the house and the types of features you want to include, the costs can add up quickly – to the point where a custom house can be much more expensive than a spec home.

The Pros of Spec Homes

Investing in a spec home has its advantages, which include the following:

You’ll know exactly what you’re getting – You’ll be able to view models of the spec home before it’s built so that you know exactly what your new home will look like.

It will take much less time to build – Because the plans for a spec home have already been designed, it won’t take long to build once you’ve chosen a spec home.

Building a spec home results in less challenges – Because the spec home has been built before, the builders won’t come to you with unforeseen challenges or issues that you’ll have to solve on the spot. Not only does this eliminate the risk of lost time and costs, it also reduces the amount of stress involved since you won’t have to worry about the building process.

The Cons of Spec Homes

Despite the advantages of buying a spec home, there are drawbacks as well. These include the following:

You probably won’t find your dream spec home – It’s extremely rare to find a spec home that has everything you’re looking for. While you can find a spec home that has the number of rooms and bathrooms you want in a floorplan that pleases you, it will most likely be missing some of those features that you’ve always dreamed of having in your own house – whether it’s extremely tall ceilings, a hot tub in your master bath or a restaurant-style kitchen. Instead, you’ll have to invest in home improvements for those features you feel like you can’t do without.

Your spec home won’t be unique – Whereas every custom home is unique to the owner, a spec home will be one of many. This can make spec homes feel less personal, which is a problem for some.

Choosing a Custom Home vs. a Spec Home

When it comes to choosing between custom home construction and a spec home, there is no right or wrong decision. The choice is completely up to you and your family’s personal needs and wants. Just be sure to keep in mind the pros and cons of each in order to make a more informed decision.

Click here to see more information on both spec homes and new construction builders in the Chesterfield or Midlothian, VA area.