Quality: Custom vs. High-end custom vs. Production
I have purchased a nice lot and have recently been looking at builder’s model homes to try to get an idea as to their quality, which seems to vary greatly. I have a question about house quality as it relates to materials. To set the stage, I’m in the Omaha market. Around here, we have 3 fairly distinct levels of builders: Production ($150-300K), Custom ($300-600K), and High-end Custom ($600K-2M). What I’m wondering is what makes the high-end custom feel more “solid” than the others (ie. walls don’t sound hollow when tapped on, floor doesn’t make noise when walked on, etc). I can’t seem to get a difinitive answer from anyone. Is there a difference between drywall thickness, plywood thickness, plywood and drywall used together, interior walls insulated, floors insulated, narrowly-spaced studs and joists, solid core doors? Basically, what makes the million dollar home feel like a million dollars? I’m a drainage/landscape construction contractor, so I know that material variances can definitely impact the feel of the overall product. Any insights would be greatly appreciated. -Chris
Replies
If the high end houses really seem more solid...
The high end house walls may have veneer plaster (not common in my area) or thicker or two layers of drywall glued and screwed instead of having the minimum possible number of fasteners, in lieu of the common layer of 1/2 inch drywall. Floors may be built sturdier than code calls for, also glued down, with top quality subfloor materials. I think you pretty well summed it up in your post. I think hollow core doors can reflect a lot of noise because they act like a speaker cone and vibrate easily.