Making structural changes to home more difficult

A semicustom homebuilding process where buyers can opt for both structural and cosmetic changes can result in a less streamlined process and higher costs for builders — two possible reasons why this is not the norm in homebuilding.

Typically, a semicustom home is constructed: 1) on an individual parcel of land; 2) in a semicustom neighborhood where each home site has its own building permit; or 3) in a neighborhood with “standard” plans where permits are submitted in advance by the builder like in traditional neighborhoods. The permit process differs for each.

A single building permit is usually submitted for homes built on individually owned parcels of land. The use of an existing floor plan altered structurally to fit the owner’s needs makes the home semicustom; if the owner opts to work with an architect and designs the home from scratch, it would be considered a custom home.

Christopher Homes is among the valley’s builders that is experienced in constructing semicustom and custom homes on privately owned home sites as well as in luxury neighborhoods. The company has built more than 1,700 homes over the years and also remodels homes from their kitchens to room additions to adding second floors.

“When we started building in Southern Nevada in 1992, at that time the choices were homes built by custom builders or production builders. There was nothing in between. We created our own niche of building beautiful homes that people could personalize and customize,” said Erika Geiser, vice president of marketing and business development at Christopher Homes.

Boulder Ridge, the builder’s current neighborhood-based project within The Ridges at Summerlin, is an example of a semicustom neighborhood with each home site having its own permit based on the buyer’s selected blueprint and choice of architectural and design options.

“Boulder Ridge is luxurious, and we call the neighborhood semicustom homes because we start off with six floor plans and the home sites. Buyers pick the home site and the floor plan, and then they can make whatever modifications to the home that they like,” Geiser said of the neighborhood where 18 of its 46 home sites remain.

“Buyers can expand the rooms and the size of their homes. They can add wine cellars. We also can help them with their backyard landscaping, build a pool house and make the entire house ready just the way that they want it before they move in. It’s as close to building a custom home with it being semicustom. However, they are semicustom because we start off with floor plans that can then be modified by buyers.”

The third option — a neighborhood with “standard” plans — is a little more difficult to explain. Despite the more complex process, this is an option that Pinnacle Homes offers to buyers who purchase the home at “dirt” or before construction begins.

“Our sales team at Pinnacle Homes uses semicustom terminology because our floor plans can be customized. However a lot of what we can do depends on when a buyer purchases in the construction process. Are they purchasing when the home site is dirt or are they purchasing after construction begins?” said Lonette Nagy, production manager for Pinnacle Homes.

“One scenario is a subdivision of luxury homes with what is known as ‘standard plans’ that are approved with the county. On a subdivision scenario, the builder submits X number of floor plans for approval that you can build on that site. With standard plans, you do not have as much flexibility in changing the design as you do when you submit a single plan that is going to be built one time on one lot,” Nagy said. “In the subdivision arena, we just can’t easily make changes to the plans. It becomes more complicated, but we can do it if the person purchases the home when the home site is at dirt.”

In simplistic, layman’s terms, Nagy said if someone purchases a home at dirt, structural changes to the standard plan can be made for that one residence by having the architect rework the plan and submit an additional permit for a “remodel.” Of course, in reality, it is more complicated.

This possibility still exists at Pinnacle Homes’ Bright Angel Estates where four dirt lots and two standing homes remain, as well as at its yet-to-be released Skyline Vista in the northwestern valley.

“We have bought individual lots in custom communities and designed the house specific to each lot, too. In that instance, making changes is a little easier process,” Nagy said of the builder’s activity in Palisades Estates.

“Either way customization is possible. It just becomes more difficult to move walls and change the home’s structure in a subdivision setting,” Nagy said. “For cosmetic things, we do just about anything for people. If buyers want something special, they can tell the sales agent what it is they want and supply the pictures and model numbers. We price it with the appropriate subcontractors, and they are able to choose what they want in their home.”