Spec builder has a lower end finished product by default. He is happy to "upgrade" everything at a cost. Things like encased windows were extras with him.

He was cheaper but before having to pay to upgrade it all. We likely would have been about $128/sq ft vs $140/sq ft with our custom guy.

Time to build was 2x quicker because he has multiple crews that can work nonstop. He said about 4 or 5 months for our home.

While he was happy to build our custom plans he really wanted us to use one of his and just customize things in it.

Custom build had a higher end finished product by default and there was now down grading for him. In his words, you are paying for my quality and I'm putting my name on it.

Custom build set expectations from start at about 12 months+ but could maybe do it a little quicker. We would really like 9 if possible.

Everything was from scratch with him. Provided inspiration homes and he went to work. Basically said everything we would want and he did it. Then we worked backwards from there. He even came and measured our furniture to show us how it would sit in both a 2D and 3D plan. For a non visual person it did wonders for me.

We spent 2 meetings that were both 2 + hours going over plans and making fine adjustments to things.

In the end we will pay about $100k more than we planned but will have everything we've always said we wanted. Nothing fancy but things like a real mud room with a locker system and exposed trusses are things we wanted.

Finished product is a main level w/finished basement modern farmhouse and we are pleased. Hope to start construction early Aug.

Feel free to BM me and I can share our plans.