Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2004

 

Options available for buyers seeking custom homes

By MONROE ROARK
mroark@TheCitizenNews.com

Most home buyers, especially those in an established subdivision, go through the process of picking out a finished home or selecting from a builder’s list of ready-made floor plans to obtain a brand-new home that has not yet been built.

But some are most discriminating than that. They know exactly what they want and often have their own plans prepared in advance to present to a builder. They will then tweak those plans as they go, not settling for whatever accessories might be available in a typical subdivision home. That puts them in the custom building category, which means more individual attention from the builder and often comes at a higher price tag.

“We’ll build wherever people want,” said Jeff Ellis of Ellis-Cook Construction, which is now finishing up two homes in Horseman’s Run south of Fayetteville.

Custom home building usually involves a buyer that is much more educated about the process, especially since he or she is the one deciding how the house will be designed.

“In a true custom, they’re bringing us the plan,” said Ellis.

But from that point there is usually a good bit more educating to be done, because when the buyers finds out how much everything they want will actually cost, that typically leads to some much-needed prioritizing. “We go through sticker shock,” as Ellis put it.

Of course, by its very nature this type of building process involves flexibility on the part of the builder as well as the buyer. For example, Ellis pointed out that framing of custom homes has often been affected in recent years by price spikes in wood products, because a negotiated price on the material is usually good for 30 days and when the time comes for the actual work to be done, the cost has often gone up. That kind of thing can happen in many aspects of the building process as specifications are tailored for a customer’s unique needs and wants.

Ellis-Cook has lots available in a new subdivision on S. Jeff Davis Drive, where homes will likely be in the high 200’s. When building in a particular subdivision, home prices usually stay in the ballpark of the homes around them, Ellis said, but in some cases, such as an isolated home on several acres, it can be as pricey as the customer wants.

Cedarcroft, on MacDuff Parkway in Peachtree City, has base home plans available for buyers but Ravin Homes, the builder, will work with customers to change them where needed, according to Roch deGolian of Ravin Homes. The company will also work with buyers who have their own house plans, he said.

“We probably do three or four a year [in Cedarcroft] that are completely custom,” said deGolian.

Construction is underway in Phase 2, where there are about 75 lots still available, and about 80 lots will be developed in Phase 3.

Ravin Homes, which is also building in The Villages of LaFayette Park in Fayetteville, has some other custom home projects in the hopper. A customer of their in a previous subdivision now has commissioned the company to build a home on some acreage in a more rural area of Fayette County, while another customer who purchased a lot from Ravin several years ago in Peachtree City is now having the company market it, and Ravin will build a house on that lot for the eventual buyer.

Annelise Park, billed as Fayette County’s first conservation community, stretches over 185 acres at Flat Creek and Sandy Creek roads. When completed, it will have sidewalks, underground utilities, street lights and two miles of biking-walking trails along with an 82-acre park, gazebo, picnic area, golf cart bridge and two fishing ponds.

A total of 76 lots, ranging from one to 2 1/2 acres, are available with four builders to choose from. Prospective home buyers can contact Donna O’Kelly Realtors to be put in touch with the builders or choose a lot. Buyers can bring in their own plans or choose a plan from the builder.

Streets are in place for Phase 1, and the first lot is under contract, according to O’Kelly agent Cornelia Carpenter.

Right now there is only a mailbox at Annelise Park, but a sales trailer will be on site soon. Until then, buyers can call the O’Kelly office and get in touch with Carpenter or Melissa Messer for more information about Annelise Park.