A lower end semi custom (or maybe semi- stock would be more accurate!) usually refers to a subdivision that's builder controlled and who will build you 1 of maybe 15 plans that he's got the rights for and will allow you choice A, B, or C in siding color, or D, E, F in stone color, Or G, H, I for cabinets..... etc. Chinese restaurant menu pricing. No substitutions. You get to "customize" your home within a certain set of limited parameters.

Or at a higher price point, it can refer to a mill plan that's been build a thousand times across the country by different builders, and maybe even the builder that you choose. But you build it with some alterations, or specific materials that you spec for it. Not the A, B, C choices, but true custom choices of 1 among 1000 different possibilities, but within a limited previously done footprint.

A true custom build is one that has an architect design a home for a particular building site and a particular family. A one off, basically, even though it may be inspired by details from other builds that the architect has done before or that the customer has requested. A true custom can be the most expensive choice, but it can also be surprisingly affordable as you aren't trying to fit a round peg into a square hole like so many people typically do by buying a "floorplan" off the internet that doesn't fit their family or their building site. Having something that works from the beginning, and is built with certain specs in mind will actually cut some costs that people spend on doing something "semi- custom" and trying to hammer that round peg into that square hole.

hollysprings,
you gave a very accurate description of what true custom build is. Unfortunately, most people in America do not use the "custom house" to mean that these days.

Most people refer to their house as "custom" because they got to pick out appliances and finishes for their home. For a generic builder, as long as the customer picks "anything", they throw in the word "custom". In generic builder-speak, "custom" simply means that the buyer got to chose "something"; paint color, siding material, flooring, cabinets etc.

Although "a custom house" used to mean what Hollysprings says, these days, most people who has their house designed by an architect will say "an architect designed house" rather than "a custom house" because the meaning of "a custom house" has become a house built with a "stock plan" that you got to pick custom-finishes. Some builders even let you tweak the plans. But rarely, a typical 'custom house' these days means that the architect designed the plan just for the client for a particular site....

So it depends who is doing the talking, "custom house" can be two very different things; from what Hollysprings say to a typical builder in a subdivision that lets you pick the carpets and cabinets.

I agree kaismom! As a Realtor, it drives me crazy every time I see the word "custom" in a listing description. Way overused and incorrectly used.

We just built what I consider a true custom home - I drew out the plans for what we wanted to the square inch, an architect drafted the plans, we selected every single finish and fixture. I can't believe I'm sitting at my dining room table right now after years of planning! I wouldn't have had it any other way. While there are some beautiful homes around us, as a real estate agent, I got so sick of seeing the same basic floor plan over and over and over. If we were going to spend the time and energy to build, I wanted it to truly be ours.

A semi-custom home to me involves more than choice A, B or C - that is what everyone gets.

We bought a semi-custom townhome. The floorplan was more or less set - but we were able to make some basic changes. However, every bit of finish-out from the faucets, to the light fixtures to the tile to the flooring to the trim, etc. etc. was entirely custom. That is, the only limit to our choices was what we were willing to spend the money on.

Choice A, B or C - that's standard builder stuff.

A fully custom home involves hiring architect from the beginning.

Must be a regional thing. I never recall a "custom home" meaning anything other than as hollysprings defines it.

But it's certainly important to keep the shifting definition in mind. I suspect it originated in the ever fertile imagination of real estate agents seeking to gild a pig's ear.

jrldh wrothe, "...Given how uniform the true custom homes that people post here on this forum look, I'd say that it's a waste of money to go true custom..."

Actually, the majority of the homes posted here are stock plans from the Internet or from builder's tracts or plan books. And they are often very similar, since builders go to the same trade shows, look at other builder's houses (especially those that sell) and replicate them.

Many of the homeowners who post their "own" plans here, freely acknowledge that they have visited open houses and their friend's homes and "borrowed" what they have found appealing.

None of these homes are "custom" or "architect-designed"--they are "borrowed" and "replicated" homes. It doesn't matter if someone adds some stone to the outside or swaps carpet for hardwood on the inside.

Taking the misuse of terminology further, many posters write that the take their preliminary drawings to "an architect" to have their plans "drawn up". Architects do not "draw up" someone else's plans. In many states, they are prevented by law from doing so. Looking at the final plans, and their frequent lack of imagination (and often lack of resolution), it's clear that it really was a drafter who was responsible, not an experienced architect. In some cases, after questioning, the poster will acknowledge the author of the final plan was the drafter at the local lumberyard. So even the term "architect" is often misused here.

To experienced observers, this is almost always immediatedly clear. To others, however, it may never be understood.

So we can use and value "custom" and "architect-designed" based on our own personal preferences and value systems, but as the Bard said so well, "a rose by any other name is still a rose". It's just that they may not always smell so sweet!

Everyone borrows ideas from somewhere. Brilliant architects being in their creativity to build on some of older concepts. Unless we use those architects to build very very unique homes, it may be better to go with semi custom home since we may have trouble selling it in CookieCuttersVille. Best in my opinion is to use semi-custom and spend some money on changing exterior (not material but design).. and personalizing the inside. While semi custom home builders still get us to buy cookie cutter homes, we can use the opportunity to add the unique element architecturally..to give it a different look. Can't be too unique but can be different..which may be better for property value..?

These terms will never have universal definitions nor do they need to. Every house and site is unique to some degree. These are just marketing terms that are used in whatever way suits individual salespeople. It's like realtors calling a house a "colonial". Architects can and do sell designs on the Internet that they will modify without seeing the site or meeting the owner. The term "custom" is meaningless if full architectural services are provided. To an architect all designs are unique as well as derivative.

An architect stamp indicates that the drawing was drawn by or under the direct supervision of the architect. It has nothing to do with the origin of the content. It essentially only prevents the architect from stamping someone else's drawing.