Jeff VerHeul is no stranger to the custom home building process. He has built three homes in his lifetime. Two he built in true custom construction fashion, hiring an architect and builder and making each design decision along the way. When he moved to the Texas Hill Country, he said the phenomenal view from one of the lots he found on Lake Travis forced him to make a decision. Would he look for another lot, or would he use the semi-custom builder who owned the lot, Monterey Homes?

He decided to give the "ready-to-customize" homebuilder a shot, despite his skepticism about the opportunity to have exactly what he wanted in a new luxury home. So he skipped the architect (and the five-figure expense), chose one of Monterey Homes' model floor plans, and started the dialogue with the builder about the additions and changes he wanted to make to the plans before construction began on his chosen lot in the Enclave at Rough Hollow.

"I found the plan to be extraordinarily flexible," VerHeul says. "I did a lot of ‘rip and tear' to it. Whatever I asked for, Monterey Homes was able to do." He turned the house plan into a true home through the addition of a mother-in-law suite, bathroom upgrades, and a full stone exterior.

Kelly and David Smith and their three sons and three dogs expect to move into their ready-to-customize home this month. Kelly says she was able to get exactly what she wanted despite not having the knack for visualization of what "could be" and not having any time left to spend on the process after taking care of her large family. She visited 10 of the builder's models and chose the floor plan that worked best for her family, adding options such as a griddle on the kitchen cooktop, the curved staircase of her dreams, and specifying the vendor from whom she wanted to purchase interior doors.

Making the Choice
There are advantages to choosing the ready-to-customize, or RTC, option when building a luxury home.

Compressed Time Schedule
An RTC choice saves homeowners six to 12 months in the project lifecycle. Since homeowners start with a floor plan or model provided by a semi-custom builder, the architect is removed from the process. Additions and material changes can be handled by the builder, and most semi-custom builders expect those changes will occur as the homeowner goes through the decision-making process. Some builders provide a design center where homeowners make appointments with a specialist who assists them in personalizing their home. "The designated representative leads them through shopping to closing and a post-closing warranty," says Meritage Homes' and Monterey Homes' Director of Marketing Abby Feuerbacher. A design center tends to increase the speed of the decision-making process over which materials to choose, what fixtures look best, and other custom options.

There are many on-the-ground custom luxury homes for those who prefer none of the hassles of the process or who need a rapid relocation to the Austin area. A quick move-in precludes stresses over choosing and having materials delivered on time for homeowners who have extreme deadlines.

Better Value
Semi-custom homebuilders often provide a better price for the same quality as a true custom build since they have pre-negotiated supplier contracts and enjoy vendor deals due to larger scale buys. Homeowners can take advantage by enjoying a larger house for less money or paying a smaller price tag on what they planned to build with a smaller custom builder. And with the architectural flexibility inherent in such projects, upgrades and room additions are manageable and can be rolled into most mortgages.

Carefree Design
RTC home plans benefit homeowners by freeing them from tracking down special materials halfway around the world. There is overall less planning, which means less time away from work and family activities while the home is under construction.
Often semi-custom builders have many lots in attractive neighborhoods from which to choose. Monterey Homes, a builder belonging to the Meritage Homes Corporation, has five communities from which to choose, including lots on Lake Travis and Lake Austin, at Steiner Ranch and at Barton Creek Resort. These high-end communities contain luxury lifestyle amenities, such as restaurants, golf courses, yacht club, resort-style pools and clubhouses, a wide range of outdoor recreational activities, and water parks within the communities' gates.

The semi-custom option is appropriate for young families, retirees, people needing fast relocations, or even move-down buyers who all want resort-style living when they come home at the end of a busy day. With a quick build-out guarantee, buyers also enjoy a fully developed community within a short period of time.

Resources by Builders:

• Alberto Jauregui Designs, Inc. (512) 328-7706
• Apono Estate Homes (512) 349-9200
• Austin Flair Homes (512) 342-8157
• Bellview Signature Homes (512) 329-9904
• Brian Bailey Homes (512) 328-2502
• Burdick Custom Homes (210) 698-1200
• Camelot Custom Homes (512) 577-8348
• Cavalcade Custom Homes (512) 306-9198
• Chad Powell Homes (210) 492-9007
• Chupik Properties and Design (512) 302-1900
• Copperleaf Property Group (512) 402-0900
• Corias Homes (512) 328-4151
• Galleria Homes (210) 490-2990
• Geoff Meiteen - Master Builder (512) 257-9823
• George Custom Homes (512) 528-0708
• Hagy Custom Homes (512) 263-0323
• Harrington Custom Homes (512) 329-5558
• Heyl Homes Inc. (512) 343-8457
• Image Homes (210) 699-1773
• Jauregui Architecture & Construction (512) 328-7706
• Jenkins Custom Homes (512) 402-9222
• John Luce Builder (512) 750-4424
• John Siemering Homes (512) 416-6500
• Kyle Lindsey Custom Homes (830) 980-9612
• Laurel Haven Custom Homes (512) 261-4663
• Mangum Builders (512) 264-9190
• Michael Deane Homes (512) 478-2400
• Mike Hollaway Custom Homes (210) 490-0069
• Monterey Homes (512) 610-4800
• New Austin Homes (512) 918-2655
• Partners in Building (512) 266-6709
• Russell Eppright Homes (512) 347-9955
• Serrano Homes (512) 328-7374
• Shawn F. Hood Design (512) 218-8773
• Stadler Custom Homes (512) 263-0310
• Stadler Custom Homes (830) 980-4198
• Sterling Custom Homes (512) 263-2214
• Toll Brothers (512) 342-8850
• VII Homes (512) 796-4159
• Wilde Custom Homes (512) 327-1801
• Wyeth Custom Homes (512) 894-3757