What Is An “On Your Land” Builder?

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If you are considering building a home, you may have seen information about an on your land builder and may be wondering what this means? Here we’ll dive into just that – defining what an on your land builder is, also sometimes called an on your lot home builder, and how this type of home builder functions versus other types of home builders. 

As a bonus, we’ll also answer a few frequently asked questions about building a home on your land and what it’s like working with an on your land builder. If you are considering building a home, this information will help you understand your options when it comes to choosing a custom home builder.

What Is An On Your Land Builder?

In the world of residential construction an on your land builder is a home builder that builds homes or structures on land owned by their clients. When building on your land, the builder doesn’t know the size, characteristics, or state of the land that they will be building on until they are contacted by a client about a home building project. 

This type of builder may build homes based off of existing house plans; however, even pre-existing plans typically need to be modified to fit the properties they are being built on taking into account zoning laws and setbacks, flood plans, soil conditions, customer specifications, and more, which is why all homes built on your land will be custom.

Because the home will already be customized almost any on your land builder will offer other customization options such as the opportunity to design and build a completely one of a kind home with a unique to you floorplan, full design choices, and any custom features the you may want in your new home such as a designated wine room, full wiring for smart home features, an ADU on the property, and more.

The difference between an on your land builder and another type of custom home builder is really the difference between who owns the land the home is being built on. If the land is also owned by the builder before the home is built, the builder would not be considered an on your land builder.

Is Every Custom Home Builder Also An On Your Land Builder?

Typically a custom home builder will also be an on your land builder, but there are exceptions. Some custom home builders may own lots that they have developed for residential construction, but will build completely custom homes on them. In this case, the builder would not be considered an on your land builder.

Types of Home Builders

Beyond an on your land builder there are several other types of home builders. 

Custom Home Builders

As we covered above custom home builders can be both builders that build on your land, those that build completely custom homes on land that they’ve already purchased for development, or a combination of the two. In both cases, if you want the flexibility to build a home to your exact specifications, a custom home builder is the type of builder you’ll be working with, whether building on your land or on land owned by the builder already.

Spec Builders

A spec builder is a home builder that purchases land, develops the land, and then builds a home on the land before there is a buyer. This type of builder is speculating that someone will want to purchase the homes they are building, hence the name. If you decide to build with a spec builder before the home is built on your lot, you may be able to customize your home’s finishes and appliance packages as part of your home purchase.

Tract Builders

A tract builder is a home builder that buys large tracts of land and develops the land for homebuilding, think subdivisions and neighborhoods. This type of builder typically has designated build schedules; however, if you purchase a home that hasn’t been built yet, you’ll likely have the ability to choose from a limited selection of home interior and finish packages for a little bit of customization.

Benefits of Working With An On Your Land Builder

The freedom to choose your desired location, cost savings, and flexibility are a few of the top benefits of working with an on your land builder.

Choice of Location

One of the main advantages to working with an on your land builder is the ability to choose where you’d like to build your home. Building on your land means you don’t have to live in a location that someone else has preselected for a home. You can find undeveloped land, live outside of city limits, or find a property with a view you love. Any location is available when you work with an on your land builder to build a custom home. 

As an additional bonus, you can also choose where on your lot you’d like your home to be built. Because nothing has been developed, as long as you are abiding by your municipalities zoning laws, your home can be built wherever you’d like on your property. 

Cost Savings

With an on your land builder you also have the potential for significant cost savings because the builder hasn’t invested in development of the land. As the landowner, you can choose to purchase undeveloped land and take care of preconstruction work independent of your home build, which can add up to significant savings that you would have paid for if you purchased land that had already been developed by your builder. See more information on preconstruction considerations to learn more about what preconstruction preparation can entail. 

Flexibility

Beyond the flexibility of location, you also have more flexibility in when and how your home will be built when you work with an on your land builder as opposed to a tract or spec home builder that may have a predetermined build schedule for their lots. 

At Pathway Builders, we’ve worked with clients that had specific timelines they wanted to meet based on when they wanted to move or their landscaping preferences. As long as we have adequate lead time to do so, we are happy to work within a client’s preferred construction timeline when building a home on their land. One of the many benefits of working with an on your land builder. 

Common Questions About On Your Land Builders & Building On Your Land

Can I build a house on my land in Idaho?

Yes, as long as your land is zoned for residential buildings you can build on your land in Idaho. If you are unsure about the current zoning regulations for your land or lot, you can check with your local municipality before starting the home building process. In Boise, you can reference the City of Boise Zoning information or in Meridian, you can learn more from the Meridian Planning Department.

For more information, see our tips on how to find land to build a house on or learn more about the build on your land construction process.

What does “build on your lot” mean?

In residential construction, “build on your lot” means that a home builder will build a home or structure, like an ADU, on a lot that you own. This lot can include a plot of land you’ve purchased within a neighborhood or subdivision, a property you own outside of city limits, a subdivided piece of land, or even a lot where you have an existing home that you are adding a new structure to or tearing down and rebuilding. In all cases the key difference between a “build on your lot” home builder and another type of home builder is that the home builder never owned the land that the home is built on.

Do all home builders offer the option to build on your lot?

No, there are many home builders and even custom home builders that only build on property that they have purchased and developed specifically for home building. This allows the builder greater control in the process and cost to build because they prepare the land for building often at the same time as adjacent lots and they’ve already worked out the zoning and permitting for the land they are building on.

Is an “on your land builder” more affordable?

An on your land builder can be more affordable than purchasing another newly built house; however, the cost to build a home on your land often has more to do with your design choices, style, the state of your land, and the size of your home. See also our list of the hidden costs of building a custom home to understand all the costs involved in building a custom home. 

As a local Idaho home builder, our goal at Pathway Builders is to be the most affordable custom home builder in Treasure Valley, providing our customers with both value and quality. To understand the cost to build on your land, you can use our Instant Quote tool today and get the price to build any of our home plans on your land including any upgrades or optional features.

If you are looking for an on your land builder in Boise, Meridian, or another area of Southwestern Idaho, we’d love to talk with you. Contact us today for a free consultation or view our previous home building projects to learn more about our work building homes on your land in the Boise area.