Here's what most people don't consider when they start to talk about floor-plans with builders.

If you go to a builder and fall in love with one of their floor-plans, you can't take that floor-plan and have it quoted by anyone else.

In most cases, there'll usually be something about the floor-plan that you'd like to change.  So, you'll work with them on ideas to turn a floor-plan you like into a floor-plan you love.  The trouble is that you then can't take that floor-plan to anyone else to be quoted.  The builder owns the copyright to their floor-plan.

Based on this scenario, you'll ask them for a quote on what you've both come up with.

Knowing that you've already invested time and emotion working with them on a floor-plan you love, they'll rightly assume that you're not getting quotes for it from anyone else.

This could affect the price they give you knowing that at this point it's very hard for you to walk away.

Alternatively, if you work with an independent building designer to create your perfect home, you own the floor-plan and can have it quoted by as many builders as you choose.

It's only natural that you'll get a more competitive quote if the builder knows their quote is competing with other builders.

Owning your own floor-plan keeps you in control.  And the price you get quoted from builders may be affected by knowing whether or not their price will be competing with other builders.

Remember the good thing about owning your own floor-plan is that you can make adjustments to it with your builder and designer to strip the cost of the home back to fall within your budget if necessary.

Your builder will soon tell you what is and isn't possible.