Building a new home is an exciting opportunity to create a space that reflects your lifestyle. However, before choosing floor plans or finishes, one of the biggest decisions you’ll need to make is who you want to build with.
For many homeowners in Salt Lake City and throughout Utah, the choice comes down to working with a custom home builder vs a production builder. Both options can result in a beautiful, high-quality home, but the experience, level of involvement, and final result can look very different. (There’s also “spec” home builders – but we cover them here.)
To keep it simple: A production builder focuses on efficiency by constructing multiple homes from a selection of established plans, often within a larger community. A custom home builder takes a more personalized approach, creating a home designed around your specific needs, property, and vision.
As a custom home builder serving the Wasatch Range area, we’re happy to explain the difference. Let’s dive into each below:
What Is a Production Home Builder?
A production home builder specializes in large-scale home construction using a set collection of floor plans, designs, and features. These builders typically develop entire neighborhoods or communities and offer buyers the ability to select from several predetermined home models. Think of new neighborhoods with identical or incredibly similar homes; they’re likely production.
For this home type, the construction process is streamlined. Instead of starting with a blank page, homeowners looking to build will choose from existing layouts and customize certain elements through available selections.
For example, a production builder may allow you to choose:
- Flooring materials
- Cabinet finishes
- Countertop options
- Paint colors
- Lighting packages
- Exterior styles
Major structural changes, such as moving walls, redesigning room layouts, or altering the home’s overall footprint, isn’t typically available.
Production builders are able to create homes efficiently because they rely on repeatable processes, established plans, and purchasing materials at a larger scale. They also tend to decide what amenities will be built inside a neighborhood, like any parks, pools or trails.
For homeowners who want a simpler process and predictable options, a production builder might be an excellent choice.
What Is a Custom Home Builder?
A custom home builder creates one-of-a-kind homes designed around the homeowner’s individual preferences and property.
Instead of choosing from a catalog of existing plans, you’ll typically work with your home builder and design team to develop a home that fits your lifestyle. This could mean designing a kitchen around how your family cooks, creating dedicated spaces for hobbies, maximizing mountain views, or adapting the home to the unique characteristics of your lot.
Custom home builders typically provide greater flexibility throughout the entire process, including:
- Creating a unique floor plan
- Selecting architectural details
- Choosing materials and finishes
- Adjusting room sizes and layouts
- Designing spaces around your daily routines
For Utah homeowners, this flexibility can be especially valuable. From hillside lots overlooking the Wasatch Mountains to unique properties throughout Salt Lake County, every piece of land comes with its own opportunities and challenges. A custom builder can help create a home that works with the property instead of forcing a predetermined design onto it.
Custom Home Builder vs Production Builder: The Biggest Differences
While both builder types can create exceptional homes, let’s break down the main differences between the two.
Design Flexibility
The biggest difference between a custom home builder and a production builder is the amount of control you have over the design.
Production builders offer limited personalization. You’ll have choices, but those choices are typically selected from a menu of available options. If your biggest concern is paint color or a 1-car garage vs. 2-car, production might be perfect for you.
Custom builders offer a huge range of possibilities. Your home can be designed around the way you actually live rather than adjusted to fit an existing plan. Want to import specific tiles or feature a mosaic for a backsplash? Want your basement to feature a separate living space for long-term guests? A custom home would suit your needs here.
Plus, whatever you can imagine can be accomplished with custom homes. Need a larger mudroom for Utah winters? Want an outdoor kitchen for entertaining? Custom construction lets those details become part of the original design rather than an add-on down the road.
The Building Process
Construction itself also feels different between these build types.
Production home construction is a well-oiled system. Since builders are working from proven plans, many decisions are made ahead of time, materials are often already close-at-hand, and the construction crews are already familiar with the area. This can make the experience feel more straightforward.
Custom home construction is more collaborative. Homeowners are involved in decisions throughout the design and building process, from early concepts to final selections. Procurement for materials, coordinating across crews and extra details may take extra time. However, you’ll get exactly what you want as an end product.
For some homeowners, having fewer decisions is appealing. For others, being involved in creating every detail is one of the most rewarding parts of building a home.
Location and Lot Selection
Production homes are commonly built within planned communities where the builder already owns and prepares the land. This can provide benefits such as neighborhood amenities, established infrastructure, and a cohesive community design. You’ll be limited in choice to the pre-determined lot size that the neighborhood allows for, though, and may not get the best locations if you’re “late” to the area and other homeowners have claimed prime real estate.
Custom homes are often built on individually-selected lots. You get the freedom to choose a location that matches your lifestyle, whether that means a quiet rural setting, a mountain property, or an established Salt Lake City neighborhood. The sky is your limit. Don’t want an HOA? You can just pick a plot that isn’t subject to one.
We will note that some unique lots can require additional planning for things like grading, utilities, access, and site preparation. This is easily mitigated by hiring a knowledgeable custom builder that will evaluate these factors before construction begins, though!
Is a Custom Home Better Than a Production Home?
Honestly, this answer depends on what matters most to you. Neither option is automatically better. The right choice depends on your priorities, timeline, and how involved you want to be in construction.
A production home may be the better option if you:
- Prefer a faster, more structured process
- Like having a defined set of options
- Want to live in a planned community
- Don’t need extensive design changes
In comparison, a custom home may be the better choice if you:
- Want a home designed specifically for your lifestyle
- Have a unique lot or property in mind
- Value architectural creativity
- Want more control over materials and finishes
Why Utah Homeowners Choose Custom Home Builders
Utah continues to attract homeowners who want more than a cookie-cutter floor plan. With diverse landscapes, growing communities, and a strong appreciation for thoughtful design, lots of homeowners are looking for homes that feel connected to their surroundings.
A custom home allows you to consider details that make everyday life easier, from storage solutions and flexible living spaces to energy-efficient features and designs that take advantage of natural light.
Curious about the benefits included in custom homes? Check out our guide to why choosing custom might be right for you.
Choosing the Right Builder for Your New Home
Whether you choose a production builder or a custom home builder, the most important step is finding a team you trust.
If you’re searching for an experienced custom home builder in the Wasatch Range, check us out at Truecraft Utah. TrueCraft Utah was built on the simple belief that every homeowner deserves a space that fits their life. We believe that a home built or reimagined around your life — your family, your routines, your vision — is one of the most meaningful investments you can make.
Contact us today to begin building your custom home.
