Key Takeaways
- Texas is the most popular place to move within the U.S. thanks to its competitive real estate market and high quality of life.
- Design your own new-build home or use a blueprint for inspiration.
- Carefully comparing Texas homebuilders can ensure your dream home becomes a reality.
Building your dream home in the Lone Star State? Comparing Texas homebuilders is an essential step for all new homebuyers looking to construct their own slice of paradise.
Beautiful homes come in many sizes, from modest first-time abodes to high-end luxury homes. The most important part is that your new living space meets all your specs and has a high-quality finish.
Texas builders are one reason the state had nearly 2.5 million new-build homes constructed between 2010 and 2022. That’s 22.5% of the state’s total housing stock as new builds, the highest construction rate in America. Texas is also the most popular place to move across the country, attracting more people than Florida.
Furthermore, there are many types of homes in Texas. This guide compares three major Texas homebuilders to help you lay the foundations for your dream home.
Comparing Texas Homebuilders: Start With These Basics
Follow this checklist to help you assess potential builders for your dream home.
First, you need to know what type of home you want. Consider the following details:
- Size, square foot, number of rooms, and outside space requirements.
- Location and services in the area.
- What is the move-in date, and how long will it take to build?
- Style preferences, such as farmhouse, Spanish colonial, hill country, American craftsman, and many more.
- Any home energy efficiency or renewable energy systems you may wish to install to save money on utility bills.
- Required permits and zoning requirements for the type of home may limit your new home’s type, size, and use.
Next, turn your attention to looking at homebuilders. Be sure to check the following:
- Their years of experience and time in the building business.
- Reviews, reputation, and good name — what do current homeowners think of their builder?
- Does the company build the type of home you want and work in your desired area?
- Do they have a valid license to build in Texas?
- What is the company’s financial transparency?
- Ask if you can walk through previous builds and talk to the general contractor and construction manager throughout the building process.
- What do their warranties cover? These vary, so look for commitment to quality and craftsmanship, structural integrity, material breakdowns, and workmanship defect repair. Some may even cover plumbing and electrical issues.
- Ensure you know how long the warranty lasts, usually from one to 10 years, what it covers, and if you, as the homeowner, need to contribute to any repairs.
Top-notch custom homebuilders will be confident in their work and be happy to share the above details with prospective clients.
What Types of Home Can I Buy or Build in Texas?
Anyone moving to Texas can buy a pre-built home, condo, or apartment or build their own. There are two types of new builds: production homes and model homes.
Production homes have a fairly rigid plan and can be seen online or in person. Prospective homeowners can usually alter fixtures and fittings and occasionally make minor changes to the layout. You’ll usually get a faster move-in date with a production home.
Custom homes usually start from scratch, with the customer and builder working together to create the perfect home. These take longer, up to a year, and require buying land and getting approval and permits from the local authority.
In August 2023, buying a home in Texas cost an average of $350,000. In comparison, building a custom cost $414,000 once the build and land purchase were factored in, so going custom certainly costs more.
However, the perfect, made-to-measure new build in Texas compares favorably to the nation’s general housing market, coming in a few thousand dollars below the national average price for a pre-built home. No wonder Texas is popular. It’s the state where you can build the home you want for less than the average U.S. house.
Comparing Texas Homebuilders: Perry Homes, Tilson Homes, and David Weekley Homes
There are many new homebuilders in Texas vying for business. We’ll compare three well-known Texas homebuilders to help you find the best option. It’s also a springboard for looking at other companies and knowing what to look for before you commit.
Please note: We are not affiliated with any of these companies — rather, we have researched various homebuilders to serve as a resource to help potential buyers.
Below is information about Perry Homes, Tilson Homes, and David Weekley Homes.
Perry Homes
Background: Female and family-owned with over 50 years experience and 65,000 families served.
Specific areas and neighborhoods for building: Austin, Houston, San Antonio, and Dallas-Fort Worth. Expanding into Florida.
Key features: Custom builds, model homes, and production homes in premier communities next to desirable amenities and schools. New builds feature smart technology.
Floor plans and home designs: Professional designers help with custom builds, and interior designers assist with the finishings in centers in Austin, Dallas, Houston and San Antonio.
Energy efficiency and sustainable building practices: Smart thermostats come standard to help save energy alongside Wi-Fi activated lighting for certain areas. Walls have R-13 insulation and flat ceilings R-30, meeting recommended levels and Texas building regulations.
Pricing structures: Works with three mortgage lenders. Two-year workmanship warranty and a 10-year structural warranty.
Reputation: The company claims a 95% customer satisfaction rating. Houzz gives a 2.2 star rating (out of 5 stars) from 11 reviews, and a 1.3 star rating (out of 5 stars) on Consumer Affairs.
Tilson Homes
Background: Building new homes since 1932, Tilson claims to have built 40,000+ homes.
Specific areas and neighborhoods for building: Rural Texas, plus Austin, San Antonio, Houston, Waco, Dallas, and Fort Worth. They build on land you own.
Key features: Model homes and custom builds, with an interactive floor planner and exteriors to help with inspirational ideas.
Floor plans and home designs: Design consultants guide people throughout the process. Every Tilson floor plan is customizable, with the chance to increase room sizes, add walls, or move a garage. The same applies to the exterior, changing windows, trims, fixtures, and interiors for appliances.
Energy efficiency and sustainable building practices: The company concentrates on preventing air leakages to improve energy efficiency, performing a blower-door test to check for issues before completion. Tilson Homes also uses low-emissivity (Low-E) windows to stop the sun’s UV rays from entering the home. Its energy-efficient buildings reach International Code Council requirements, a model code for building.
Pricing structures: Tilson’s EasyBuy program means no construction loans, payments during construction, or down payments for those who qualify. For warranties, there is one year for workmanship and material, two years for plumbing, electrical, and HVAC delivery systems, and 10 years for major structural components.
Reputation: Several building awards. Houzz has one review, a 5-star rating (out of 5 stars), while Yelp has 2.5 stars (out of 5 stars) from 10 reviews.
David Weekley Homes
Background: Houston-based and privately held, David Weekly Homes started in 1976 and has expanded into 19 cities across 13 states in America.
Specific areas and neighborhoods for building: Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, Austin, and San Antonio.
Key features: Custom and model homes, with five featured design types to help people narrow down what best suits them. Design help, energy efficiency scores, and preferred lenders for mortgages.
Floor plans and home designs: The website has countless advice articles on design, fixtures, and fittings. David Weekley’s Design Center in Dallas employs professionals to help with decisions on everything from floors to appliances.
Energy efficiency and sustainable building practices: Called EnergySaver homes, David Weekley builders ensure air leaks are kept to a minimum. Low-e windows reduce heating and air conditioning stress. The company claims you could save up to $600 a year on utility bills, performs a pre-moving-in blower door test, and gives every home a Home Energy Rating System (HERS) score, so you know how your home performs energy-wise. Zero or low-VOC paints (volatile organic compounds) cover the walls, and mold-resistant cement is used for shower and tub walls.
Pricing structures: There are useful mortgage calculators to help with budgeting. For warranties, there is one year for workmanship and material, two years for plumbing, electrical, and HVAC delivery systems, and 10 years for major structural components. Company representatives provide warranty walk-throughs and there is a 24/7 warranty helpline.
Reputation: Company claims 93% of customers would recommend its services and has given $275+ million to worthy causes. Houzz offers a 2-star rating (out of 5 stars) from 44 reviews, with Yelp giving the same 2-star rating (out of 5 stars) from 27 reviews.
More Custom Homebuilders in Texas
It might be the best home builder for you is one of the above. Or perhaps they don’t cover the area you want to build.
Not to worry — there are many more Texas homebuilders to consider:
- Pulte builds custom homes across Dallas with model homes in Dallas, Austin, Houston, and San Antonio.
- Meritage builds in Cedar Creek, Buda, Dripping Springs, Hutto, Kyle, Georgetown, Manor, Round Rock, and Liberty Hill.
- Highland Homes covers Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio and Austin.
- D.R. Horton claims to be America’s largest homebuilder by volume since 2002 and has sites all over Texas.
For luxury home builds, consider Bauhaus Modern Homes, Rosewood Custom Builders, and Lennar, among others.
Comparing Texas Homebuilders and the Best Utilities
Getting a top-notch new home in Texas means finding the right custom home builder. We’ve only covered three, so keep in mind that there are many more. Remember to check every company’s credentials, previous building quality, customer satisfaction levels, prices, areas they build, and warranties before making any decisions.
Once you’ve finished comparing Texas housebuilders and built your dream home, getting the best-value energy bills will help you enjoy your new home even more. Thanks to the state’s energy deregulation in most areas, it’s easy to set up a new electric company in Texas.
We’ve got stacks of helpful information about moving to the Lone Star State:
Amigo Energy and sister companies Tara Energy and Just Energy are some of the energy companies offering electricity deals to suit your lifestyle and your new home. Learn more about our residential electricity deals, whether you’re new to Texas, building a new home, moving within the state, or just looking for a new electricity deal that offers money-saving, renewable energy options.
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