Custom Home vs. Spec Home

Brown Home Sunroom

Custom home vs. spec home: what’s the difference?

A new construction home can be a beautiful thing. A house should not be just a fancy, stylish building; it should be built for your needs according to your tastes. A home is much more than its materials. That being said, if you want a new construction home, it’s a good idea to learn about the details of a custom home vs. spec home.

Two Types of New Homes

What are the differences between a custom home vs. spec home? 

A custom home is designed practically from scratch. Once you determine what house style you prefer, you can work with an architect who is adept at that style and can further customize the floor plan and its details. The home will not be built until you create it!

A spec home is a new construction house built based on a predetermined floor plan according to the most popular floor plans. The builder builds based on what will hopefully appeal to the most people, hence why it is called a speculative home. They can be move-in ready or have room for some customizations before or during the build.

Planning Each Type of Home

Financing a custom home involves a construction loan and a regular mortgage, which you can combine to get a better deal. Once you have determined your custom home budget and financing plan, you can move on to the design process. With Shore-Line Construction, a custom home builder in Maryland, we will match you with an architect based on your preferred architectural style. 

This design process may take longer than with a spec home, which you may have room to customize at relatively superficial levels like flooring, kitchen cabinets, hardware, etc. Financing works the same way if you are buying a home yet to be built. If you are purchasing a move-in ready house, you will only need to pay a regular mortgage.

The Timeline for Each Type of Home

Building a spec home with minimal customizations takes only months to build, but a custom home will take longer. Not only will the design process take longer, but the construction process can also take more time. 

Custom Home or Spec Home: Which Do You Prefer?

With a custom home, you can design your home just the way you want, but with a spec home, you can potentially move in faster and more affordably. Financing for both is possible. If a custom home is for you, see what Shore-Line Construction can do!

LEARN MORE WITH SHORE-LINE CONSTRUCTION!

At Shore-Line Construction, we know that your home is a reflection of you. That’s why we strive to make each home we build as beautiful as the family who will live there. We work with each of our clients to design a home that fits their needs. The end result is a durable, energy-efficient custom home that the family will enjoy for generations to come. Shore-Line Construction has been serving our customers for over 25 years, and we look forward to the opportunity to help you!

If you’re interested in learning more about what Shore-Line Construction can do for you, check out our website or give us a call at 410-574-6623. Keep up with all of the latest news by following our blog and social media pages on Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest, and Houzz.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 18th, 2025 at 5:06 pm. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.