Spec House, Development House, Custom Build - these are all options for a new home.

Spec house builders generally build a house first and then sell it as is - making all the decisions for layout and finishes with maximum efficiency and profit in mind.  They generally do not work with input from a buyer, though SOME spec builders might be willing to change some things if you happen to purchase early in the building process. 

I am working with a new client right now for whom this is the case.  My job is to help her deal with the fire hose of decisions coming at her and to protect her interests and make sure she gets the home she wants!

Developments are generally tract homes or planned neighborhoods.  The developer will build a model and sell lots to built your house with a menu of options to choose from for style, layout and finishes.  Sometimes these are more flexible than others - generally the smaller the development (or developer), the more customizable it might be.

We’ve worked on two different development homes recently and have been able to alter the layouts to suit the clients better in both cases because we were engaged early in the process and the builder was amenable to the alterations.

National development companies are less likely to be agreeable to this and are depending on economies of scale in doing the same thing the same way each time for greater efficiency and profit.  This can lead to a known product, but likely one that looks suspiciously similar to its neighbors….sort of the Stepford Wives of the housing market - at that point differentiating your home with the decor to make it yours is imperative.

Custom homes are just that, custom from the ground up - you buy the lot, you hire the builder, you engage the architect and the design professionals and you build exactly what suits your needs down to the tiniest detail.  This involves an incredible number of decisions and a design team to guide you through them is strongly recommended.

Unless you have all the time in the world to research and learn everything about everything, and relationships with the vendors to deliver the products you want in the time you need, it will be an expensive and stressful proposition to manage on your own.

For the middle of the road option - a development house plan or spec house you are able to have input into, there are a number of decisions you will still be making to personalize your home.

Expect to solidify the plan layout before the walls go up.  Then you will need to make selections that suit your needs.  Depending on whether the builder is used to working with the client, relying on a sales team, or not used to dealing with people in general, you may or may not have a heads up as to what decisions you will be asked to make until they NEED THE ANSWER yesterday.

You definitely want to have a plan in place before that happens so you can enjoy the process and blissfully watch the progress on your plan being implemented!

ALL decisions will affect other decisions and you will be asked to choose things in the order the builder needs to know them, not necessarily in the order in which it would make sense from a design perspective.

The plumbing selections will be needed early on because the plumber needs to know what guts need to go into the wall, and those guts depend on the particular faucet and brand and configuration you choose….the style of which SHOULD be informed by other things like the shape and style of the fixtures, cabinetry, tile, and lighting…

The positions of any grab bars (and TP holders , hooks, and towel bars to a lesser extent) need to be determined before the wallboard goes up so that blocking can be included in the walls to anchor them.

There will be early electrical decisions too. The optimal electrical box placement will depend on the fixtures you choose and where the backplate on the fixture is located. How far apart sconces need to be will depend on what is going between them…like how big IS the mirror going to be?

For example, these sconces flanking a powder room mirror have the backplates much lower than might be ‘standard’ in order for the business end to fall in the right place.  The scaled plan drawings for this bathroom were completed and the mirror and sconces purchased and on site long before that electrical placement needed to be decided.

Typically there is an electrical walk-thru with the electrician prior to wiring to specify the locations of all the fixtures, outlets, and switches.  This is your opportunity to make sure the thermostat or a light switch panel is not located in a place that makes it impossible to hang artwork or place furniture appropriately. This is also when you determine the location for any wall hung TV wiring.

  Our best advice?  Have a plan and make all your choices in service of that plan.  A house should be cohesive but personal, it should flow but not be boringly all the same.

You don’t need to choose the same cabinetry or faucets for every bathroom, but the style should be consistent with the style of the house and your personality - make sense?

Find out if the builder has particular vendors they work with so you know where to look and what brands you have to choose from.

And find out what the cost allowances are that are built into the price of the house for each category - that way you will know when you are spending extra to get something more unique or special or higher quality.   

Almost ALL builder allowances are ridiculously low, so factor in a contingency percentage for those overages right at the start.

One developer house we worked on had a builder allowance of about half what was really needed for light fixtures…I don’t know what they were thinking!  We didn’t even select anything wildly expensive or even add light fixtures everywhere they were called for.  There is no way we could have put in lighting that did not look like a discount store firesale for the builder allowance.

Once you have a plan, then you can relax a bit and enjoy the process instead of always playing a stressful game of decision roulette as questions arise!

I’ve compiled a room by room checklist of things you may need to select to aid you in the process.  This list is a good starting place for most renovations as well.

If you are trying to figure out the cost of the renovation, price out the specific items listed and then add labor.  Accurate labor quotes depend on having a plan and selections so the contractor knows exactly what type of labor is needed.

Development/Spec New Home Build/Renovation Checklist

Exterior

• Siding/finish materials

• Roofing

• Trim Color

• Door Color

• Garage Door style

• Lighting

Throughout

• Main Flooring

• Paint/Trim Colors

• Any Wallcovering

• Millwork

• Door style/hardware/finish color

Kitchen

• Flooring (if different than main flooring)

• Appliances

• Cabinets: layout and inserts, style and color

• Cabinet hardware

• Sink(s)

• Faucet(s)

• Countertop

• Backsplash material and layout

• Grout color if applicable

• Light fixtures (under cabinet, overhead task, accent lighting/pendants)

Bathrooms

• Plumbing fixtures and colors

• Niches

• Faucets, style and finish, decide on the specifics for your shower system - there is everything from basic shower head and valve to rainheads, body sprays, and handhelds with a diverter valve. The more pieces, the more specific you will need to be with regard to placement.

• Tile or stone for floor, shower, shower floor, niches, any accent walls and layout design

• Grout color(s)

• Cabinetry Style and finish

• Cabinet Hardware

• Countertop material

• Solid surface for shower seat, shower threshold, niche shelves

• Shower Door

• Lighting and ventilation

• Mirrors

• Accessories (TP holder/hooks/towel bars/grab bars)

• Paint colors/wallpaper selection

Laundry Room and/or Mud Room

• Appliances

• Flooring Selection

• Lighting

• Shelving/Storage style and layout

• Sink/faucet/countertop/cabinetry/backsplash (if applicable)

• Built-in storage/millwork/hooks/cubbies if applicable

• Accessories (ie built in ironing board)

• Tile if applicable

• Paint colors/wallpaper selection

Bedrooms

• Closet configurations and systems

• Flooring

• Lighting/Fans

• Any built-ins (ie window seats/cabinetry/shelving)

• TV placement and size if applicable

• Paint colors/wallpaper selection

Living Spaces

• Fireplace style. mantel, finish materials

• Lighting/Fans

• Any built-ins style and configuration

• TV/AV placement

• Stair railing style, material, and colors

• Paint colors/wallpaper selections

Home Office

• Lighting

• Internet/Wiring needs

• Any built-in storage/shelving/work surfaces

• Paint colors/wallpaper selections

Building or renovating can be one of the most stressful activities - there will always be unexpected bumps in the road, and it will often cost more than anticipated - this is where a contingency fund is important (if you don’t spend it, you have it for something else…like furniture or a fabulous vacation!)

But building or renovating is also one of the most rewarding activities.  If you plan carefully ahead, you can minimize a lot of the stress and enjoy the process of watching your dream come true.

Other posts your might enjoy:

Modifying a builder kitchen

How to select light fixtures

And this oldie but goodie How much does it really cost to renovate a bathroom?