The Hamilton Difference

Many people ask me how much it will cost to have us build a new home. They sometimes look at the homes built by premium builders and think that the builder is expensive compared to other builders in the area because his finished house costs more than what someone else bought their home for. It is important to understand that the cost is based on what goes into the home and that is makes it expensive.

Premium home builders have to be competitive just like the builders that build moderate homes or tract homes. The difference is in the design, the details, and the selections. A home with lots of big features, custom selections, and great design will cost more to build than an average home. On the other hand, the builder who minimizes all of these things will have a lower price. This is what the vast majority of builders do in order to quote a low price to the customer. Generally speaking, a builder who is trying to quote a low price needs to leave out as many features as possible in order to hold his costs down. If the client does not ask specifically for an item they want included in their home, it will be excluded from the specifications. Invariably, the house with a low price is less house. Our philosophy is to always build a home that is easily recognized as a great design. We inquire about what features and finishes the client will want, and, working with the client, include as many of these features and finishes as the budget will allow. We want to include as many things as possible in order to create a great home rather than leave out as many features as possible in order to build a low price home. Attentive comparison tells the story. If you can’t see a difference then don’t pay for a difference.

What contributes to the higher cost of a premium custom home:

Big features

• Big lots in great locations
• Big Porches
• Circle driveway
• Big garages
• Swimming pool
• Elaborate landscaping
• Extensive use of electronic technology
• Media rooms
• Extra bathrooms
• Energy efficiency

Expensive selections

• Clad wood windows
• High end appliances
• Elaborate plumbing fixtures
• Very nice lighting and lot of it
• Unique custom features
• Decorative ceilings in all or most rooms
• Custom wood interior doors
• Custom entrance doors
• Lots of tasteful custom finishes and textures
• Specialty surfaces

Customer choices

• Emphasis on green construction/renewable energy
     - Green Certified building
     - LEED certification
     - Photo-voltaic power systems
     - Geo-Thermal heating and air conditioning
• Elaborate Architectural designs
• Trend leading selections