Large building companies have a lot of employees and equipment, which means they have to have enough work to keep them all occupied and earn enough money to pay for them. This is why they tend to build in high volume, with lots of homes built at the same time on a large estate.
This high-volume approach does mean that large builders can buy their material in bulk, benefiting from economies of scale and therefore potentially being cheaper than their smaller rivals.
At the other end of the scale, small, boutique builders concentrate on smaller developments, often individual houses on single blocks. That means they can’t compete with larger companies on price alone, but they do offer plenty of other benefits.
The homes they build are of unique design and of higher quality, with higher long-term value, and they treat all their clients as individuals to provide a completely personal service.
Personalised Service & Direct Communication
Large companies often have a customer service team to deal with questions, which means you may be talking to different people every time. Small-scale builders, however, have a limited number of employees, and you will usually deal directly with the builders themselves, who will be on site during the construction of your property. This means you will talk directly to those doing the job so that questions are answered much more quickly and issues are resolved promptly.
Whereas large builders are dealing with possibly hundreds of clients at any one time, small builders may only have one or two, so are better able to offer a personal service. They tend to value each customer more as an individual and so will keep them updated on progress and warn of potential problems. Providing the same personal service to hundreds of clients is not possible.
The personal approach of small builders is, to some degree, due to them being part of the local community. This means they will always be judged by their work and quality of service, and will struggle to get work locally if standards drop, because word soon gets around.
Superior Quality, Craftsmanship & Attention to Detail
Rather than focusing on volume production, small builders concentrate more on doing each job properly. They focus on unique designs, quality craftsmanship and materials, and great attention to detail. So, even though their prices might be higher than those of volume builders, they deliver better value for money by building homes that will appreciate in price.
Volume builders cannot afford the same attention to detail because speed is of the essence. They might get the job done quicker and cheaper, but the overall outcome is not as good.
That attention to detail can be useful before a job even starts. Equipped with local knowledge, a small builder will have worked extensively in the area and will be familiar with local conditions. If the ground where you plan to build is not suitable due to, for example, underlying rock that makes excavation impossible, you will save a lot of time and money. Volume builders are unlikely to have the same knowledge.
Flexibility, Customisation & Problem-Solving
Volume builders are generally interested in large developments on level and easily-worked blocks where all the houses will be very similar. You therefore have to take one of the homes they are building in a specific location or look for another builder.
If you want a home of individual design on a sloping or irregular block, a volume builder will not be interested. To satisfy your particular needs, you want a boutique builder who is able to custom-design your home and build it on your chosen site.
Boutique builders focus specifically on the needs of their clients and do everything possible to satisfy those needs. They will concentrate on the smallest of details to ensure everything is right and will happily incorporate changes the client needs. They are very agile in their approach, able to adapt quickly to the latest market trends and to requests from their clients. Volume builders, on the other hand, work on standard designs and will rarely deviate from them. You may be able to choose different wall finishes and countertop styles, but that is often the extent of their flexibility.
If you want to be treated like an individual and have your wishes listened to and acted upon, a small builder is the only realistic choice. They will be able to deliver the home you really want, not the one they intend to build.
Local Expertise & Strong Relationships
Local builders are an integral part of the community. They value their standing within the community and do everything they can to ensure their good reputation is maintained.
The only way they can do that is by consistently building quality homes on time and within budget, and really looking after their clients. Good reputations are hard to gain but are very easily lost, so small builders have to be attentive at all times, unlike volume builders, who move on to other locations.
Rather than building large developments, small builders concentrate on building individual properties that integrate properly into the local community. They aim to build small communities that blend in with the local environment and are mindful about providing a pleasant living experience.
The big focus is on client needs rather than on profit, on building trust and developing strong and long-lasting relationships. As small and local builders, that is a focus we at Enso Homes share. Our main speciality is building homes with individual designs that completely satisfy clients’ needs.
We always listen to our clients’ wishes, accommodating them when practical and finding suitable alternative solutions when not. We are adaptable, professional and friendly, and we do like a challenge. Our homes stand out from the rest for their high quality and individual design.
So, if you want your new home to be truly unique and of the highest quality, we can do what a volume builder cannot accomplish. Take a look at what we do and then get in touch so we can create the home of your dreams rather than putting you in a box that is the same as the one next door.
