Building vs Buying a House—Which is Better?

One of our most commonly asked questions is should I buy or build a house? Since everyone's preferences and finances are different, there's no easy way to answer this, so we've broken it down and addressed a few misconceptions about the building process. If you're interested in seeing what it takes to find the right lot to build a home on, check out our article with tips to buy land to build a house.

Is It Cheaper To Build or Buy a House?

This is a tricky question to answer, but in general, yes, it is cheaper to buy a house than purchase land and build one from scratch. Caveat: This will vary greatly depending on a variety of factors, including a buyer's flexibility with location, renovations they'd like to make on a pre-built house, and how long the buyer's planning on staying in either home.

Building a House Will Give Me a Lower Return on Investment Than Buying a House

Not always the case! This also varies depending on a variety of factors, so it's difficult to do a true apples-to-apples comparison. There are lots of aspects to consider, but here are a few.

How "standard" are the features and layout of the home you're thinking about building?

This depends on where you live and plan to build, as some states like Arizona have a different list of what is desirable compared to Washington. In general though, if you're planning on building a home on acreage and including a more obscure structure like a standalone garage with RV parking, a big office space, or a large swimming pool in the backyard, then odds are that you may not recoup your investment depending on where your house is built.

In general, any expensive feature or additional structures that makes your home and property more "niche" will likely limit the number of prospective buyers when it comes time to sell, which may result in you needing to lower your future asking price.

Another factor that will play a big part on your return on investment is the length of time you're planning on staying in the house. Appliances and modern home design, architecture, and materials are continuing to grow more and more energy efficient, which can play a BIG role in your overall heating, utility, and energy bills.

When you build a house, you'll pick out the appliances yourself. So if you're planning on staying in your custom built home for 10, 15 or 20 years, then you could save a substantial amount by "going green." Bonus: some states offer rebates or tax incentives for environmentally friendly features, like solar panels. Consider checking with a green builder in your area for more details.

I'll Always Save Money If I Do Most of The Work Myself

Not quite. This line of thinking can be dangerous to your body, mind, AND wallet. If you have time that you can allot to easy aspects of building a home, and you're familiar with the type of work, feel free to pick up a hammer. But remember—time is money, and unfortunately the more a job costs a professional to do, the more of your time it's likely to take. Before you start tackling any aspects of building a home, put in some research. There are a lot of things an expert automatically takes into account that the average person wouldn't know.

Forbes offers a great article on how to hire a general contractor if you have a project that requires a higher skill level, or ones that you may not want to DIY such as electrical or plumbing work.

If you're unsure as to whether you can tackle a project, opt for the professional route. In general, you'll spend more money hiring someone to fix any damage done by DIY-ing than you would have spent if you had paid someone from the start.

A good professional will also come with an understanding of building codes and requirements, knowledge that most amateur home builders would need to put in research hours to obtain. Another bonus of hiring someone: A general contractor will often provide warranties on the products and work they complete, either personally or through subcontractors. For example, if a toilet that a contractor installed doesn't work, most contractors would cover the cost for the repairs or reinstallation.

Paying a Contractor a Hefty Down Payment Is Not Standard Industry Practice

As you might expect, most contractors will ask for a down payment up front to secure your spot on their schedule or purchase materials for your job in advance. Depending on the job, subsequent payments are generally tied to job progress. However, asking for a large down payment is a big red flag. Down payment amounts and percentages will vary by contractor and job, but in general, look closely at down payments over 20-25% of the contract price.

To help protect consumers, many states have issued guidance or even enacted laws surrounding this matter. For example, Maryland's Home Improvement Commission states that homebuilders should "pay no more than one-third of the contract price as down payment." California law states that home improvement down payments cannot exceed $1,000 or 10% of the contract price. Your local consumer agency or the agency that issues contracts and licenses can provide applicable limits in your state.

Down payment percentages are often negotiable. If you're feeling unsure, ask your contractor for more details and see if they'd be willing to establish payment schedules at certain milestones. Most importantly, before you hire a contractor, do your research. Read Forbes' How To Hire A General Contractor: Checklist And Tips for more insight.

WaFd Bank is Here to Help

We are primarily a portfolio lender. Since we started serving communities in 1917 we prefer to keep loans on our books so we're always there to work with our clients, so you'll know where to go with questions or to get help. This means we're able to make our lending decisions based on common sense principles—not just guidelines from the Federal Housing Finance Agency. If you're looking for a home, we're here to help you find the best fit for yourself and your family. With more than 105 years of experience, we know what it takes to get the job done. Talk to your local neighborhood loan officer or give us a call at 800-324-9375 to find out more. All loans are subject to credit approval.

All loans subject to credit approval and loan program requirements.