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The idea of building a home is like the idea of getting on a roller coaster, it can be exciting and scary at the same time. Yet, at the same time you can choose which roller coaster you want to ride on before getting in line. You can get on a roller coaster that is full of peaks and valleys, twists and turns, and gut-wrenching horror. Or, you walk a little further and find the roller coaster that is known for its majestic views, smooth transitions, and a peaceful resolution. There are three main types of home builders in the greater Bluffton, SC area; Tract builders, Speculative builders, and Custom builders. A Tract builder typically purchases a large plat of land and divides that land into smaller lots. The land is owned by the builder to in turn the home built there will be by that same company. The homes in these neighborhoods typically look very similar to each other with very little customization between them. A Speculative (spec) builder is a builder who purchases a piece of land, builds a house on that land, and then sells the house as an investment. The look of the house of course is dependent on how the owner/builder has decided the look, feel, and selections of the house. A Custom builder builds on an empty canvas of land. Whether they own the land or a client approaches them, the build process is from the ground up. This home is completely customizable within the budget of the project. 5 Reasons NOT to build a Custom Home 5. Move in ASAP If you are in immediate need to move into a home, a custom home builder will typically not be the best fit for you. A custom build takes time to ensure that the plan, build, and finishes are to your expectations. From the first meetings with Kendrick Construction, we take the time to listen to what your budget and design should look like. After a finished design is completed and a contract is signed, we then go to work managing all of the paper work, build process, and communication that is necessary to have a custom home build to those specifications. If you are looking to move in as soon as possible (ASAP) in the Bluffton, SC area, I would recommend reaching out to a real estate agent like Engel & Völkers located here in Bluffton to find a home to move into right away. 4. Communication is Annoying If you do not want to be apart of the build process, a custom home builder is probably not the right choice for you. Typically when you purchase a home through a tract builder, you input is accepted when choosing an initial design and various selection choices, usually consisting of 2-3 options. Since the land is owned by the builder and not you, there are often strict restrictions on who and when you can be on the lot itself, even during the building process. Of course a spec home is built without any input from the client at all, so you won't have to worry about communicating with a spec home builder. At Kendrick Construction you will be in constant contact with your designated team to help you with any needs, changes, or questions you may have. All of our client will have a dedicated client web portal assigned to their specific project which displays daily logs with pictures, construction schedule and progress, a personal financial overview, and a communication link to get in tough with your team members. You will also have our personal phone numbers and email addresses to continue to give your plenty of options to get in touch with your builder. 3. "Good Enough" is something you often say The world of construction is a world of predecessors. Without a good foundation, your framing is typically not going to be straight. Without straight framing, your drywall will not be square. Without your drywall being square, your finish will not be perfect and in turn only be able to be "good enough." A tract home builder is often building dozens of homes at a time and has only so much time to dedicate to each project on any given day. Sub contractors are often left alone to hide mistakes to save time to get onto the next project. Selections of items like plumbing fixtures, countertops, cabinets, lighting, and more are often purchased in bulk giving the tract home customer only a few choices in this decision-making process. The select few choices will have to be "good enough" because those will be the options. When you build with a custom home builder like Kendrick Construction, you will have a designated design and field team to ensure you get the product you want. Your designated field manager will be on-site on a daily basis and working behind the scenes for you when they are not there. The all important predecessor that comes before the next, will have the detailed attention that is needed for a proper finish. The designated design team at Kendrick Construction will work with your contracted selection budget to pick out the selections you want. We have established relationships with many local vendors who provide great pricing and service to make sure you are purchasing quality items with client support long after you move in. 2. Location There are many neighborhoods in the Bluffton, SC area that have been purchased by tract builders to build their own homes on. Buying land in bulk allows the builders to divide the land how they choose to build as many homes as possible in the neighborhood. Typically, this type of homes are built off of the same two or three models to keep lumber prices down. The large land purchases are apart of a larger investment, so these lots are not usually available for custom builders (or any builder for that matter) to build on. 1. Cost Building a new house is expensive no matter how you look at it. A brand new car, boat, or appliance is typically always more expensive than buying one that has been used already. In order to keep margins high on low priced homes, tract builders will typically build off of only a few models. Most of the houses will have the same look inside and out ensuring low costs on lumber, fixtures, countertops, and the bulk purchased land. If you want to build a house that looks the same as the rest, a custom home builder will probably not be the right choice for you. Kendrick Construction builds some of the best custom homes in the greater Bluffton, SC area. We surround ourselves with a high-quality team of people internally, along with fantastic subcontractors and vendors to deliver an amazing end product to all of our clients. From the beginning of the build process we listen to what you want in your custom home and turn that vision into reality.