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A production builder, as tract builders prefer to be called, emphasizes speed and ease of construction. This allows him to sell houses for much less money than a custom home builder charges. The production builder will only build the plans he offers. Some will modify their basic house, but most do not. The builder chooses the construction materials and finishes, you choose the colors and patterns. The basic house may be quite plain, but the builder offers many upgrades you can purchase to embellish it.
The world of production builders has changed dramatically in the last fifty years. No more one-size fits all. Today’s production builders offer small, large and in-between sized houses with options that allow buyers to customize their houses to a remarkable degree. |
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Turn a Good House Into a Great House |
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Interior designers are skilled at matching a house to a lifestyle. They have a practical streak and expertise in the aesthetic nuances. Their savvy about durability of materials and finishes goes far beyond that of a typical model-home salesperson and most custom builders. Engaging an interior designer can help you turn a good house into a great house. |
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Building for Privacy: Three Architects, Three Solutions |
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Today’s home builders face two major challenges. Privacy issues, because lots are small and houses are close together; and accommodating buyer preferences when most markets have many different types of households. When top design talent is brought to the table, however, solutions can emerge, as demonstrated by Builder Magazine in its show houses at the 2005 International Builder’s Show in Orlando, Fla. |
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Home Building's Three Magic Words: Commodity, Firmness, Delight
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Architects say a good house should deliver “commodity, firmness, and delight.” What do they mean? “Commodity” means that a house should have the spaces that you need. “Firmness” means it should be well built, and “delight” means it should enhance your life. When touring models, “delight” is easy to spot. “Commodity” and “firmness” are harder to identify, but equally important. If there’s a leaky roof or insufficient storage, you won’t be happy. |
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Picks of the Pack in Production Houses |
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While there are plenty of humdrum production houses in today’s new-home market, there are also many that aren’t. How can the average buyer tell the difference? What distinguishes the house that rises about the rest of the pack? Barry Berkus explains this in poetic terms. William Devereaux is more prosaic, explaining it in terms that any home buyer can readily understand. |
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When Architects Design for Home Plan Services |
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It’s not well known that architects produce designs for home plan services. But, for the budget minded who can't afford an architect's fees, this can be an affordable alternative. "For about $1,000," said Vienna, Va., architect William Sutton, whose firm designs all the plans offered by Caddhomes, "you've got a set of plans designed by serious architects that are buildable, look good and live well." |
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When Architects Design for Home Builders |
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A major home-building industry secret: Many builders engage architects to design their projects. The builders do not advertise this, but they know from experience that an architect-designed house will outdo the competition. It’s also a boon for the budget-minded consumer who wants an architect-designed house. The house will not be a unique-to-you, one-of-a kind house, but it will be imbued with an architect’s trained eye and design sensibilities. |
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