What is a Shell Home?
A shell home is a custom-built home in a way that it has a finished structure, but the interior is left for the homeowner to fully customize to their style. It includes the basic structures such as the foundation, framing, roofing, siding, windows, exterior doors, and interior framing. This provides a blank interior space to add plumbing, electrical, trim, cabinetry, lights, and the other details that make the home unique.
Before you decide if a shell home is for you, let us explore its pros and cons below.
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Advantages of Building Shell Homes
Shell homes are most advantageous for homeowners with building experience. These homeowners can be people who have worked in construction before, DIY-ers, self-builders, or people with access to reputable subcontractors. Their knowledge in construction allows them to take full advantage of shell home flexibility in interior building. Their management in construction also allows them to be more efficient in home building against growing labor and material costs.
Flexibility in
Interior Customization
Shell homes give homeowners complete control over interior design and layout. Because the inside of the house is left unfinished, interior customization is possible. The homeowner is now given interior design options for a personalized layout and finishing. This benefits anyone who wants design freedom.
Lower
Construction Costs
A shell home has lower construction costs than a completed home. It is a budget-friendly building for anyone with the time and skill to finish the home’s interior. Shell homes have become a popular, affordable housing option for people who want reduced expenses by doing it themselves or have contacts with subcontractors with competitive pricing.
Energy-Efficient Design
Shell homes can be built with energy-efficient designs by environmentally-conscious homeowners. They can cut costs through eco-friendly housing by having a reduced carbon footprint and sustainable construction from green materials. These green materials can be energy-efficient light fixtures or R-value insulation that can save money on heating and cooling bills.
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Disadvantages of Shell Home Construction
If a homeowner does not have experience in construction, they may face the challenges of building a shell home. Its lack of interior finishing allows for customization with lower initial costs. However, it also means greater responsibility in interior finishing and financing considerations.
Amount of Work
Shell homes demand great planning and preparation for interior design alone. DIY can be time-consuming, especially when done by one individual. The homeowner also becomes the general contractor who must research the best materials and prices. They would need to look for reputable subcontractors whose workmanship they can trust.
Risk of Taking Too Much Time
in Self-Building
When too much time is spent to complete an item, it can be costly in the future. Subcontractors may walk away if they get rescheduled too many times. Material and labor costs can rise by the time only some of the tasks are finished.
Challenges of Acquiring
Building Materials
Self-builders can face limited resources at higher prices against established builders with higher-quantity purchases, the ability to order in advance, and better relationships with suppliers. There is also the risk of misordering and difficulty getting the correct one after.
Challenges of Acquiring Dependable Labor
As a general contractor, the shell homeowner will need dependable subcontractors. If they have a background in construction, they may have connections to trusted subcontractors. If not, they risk voided warranties if services and appliances are improperly installed by subworkmanship.
Lack of Financing Options
Shell homes present a unique financing challenge. Due to their incomplete nature, they may not meet the criteria for traditional home loans. This means homeowners looking to complete their shell homes must explore alternative financing solutions.
Are Shell Homes Right for You?
Shell homes benefit people with building experience, like builders, self-builders, DIY-ers, and people with reliable contacts with trusted subcontractors. Without any of these, the disadvantages of shell homes can be more complex and counterintuitive in terms of cost-savings and timely completions.
Are shell homes right for you? Learn about the different Shell Home Programs to determine what is right for you.
