A custom home builder’s quote covers the completed house as specified: structure, systems, and the finishes you selected. It usually excludes landscaping, landscape grading, fencing and window coverings unless those were specifically bid. Appliances are typically carried as an allowance, and the driveway should be defined explicitly.
The short version
- Ask for the exclusions list before you compare any two quotes.
- Appliances are an allowance, not a fixed cost. The allowance amount matters.
- Final grading around the house is included. Landscape grading is not.
- Driveway scope varies enormously and should be spelled out, not assumed.
- Anasazi attaches a ten page specification listing every included and excluded item.
What does a custom home builder’s quote actually cover?
The house itself: foundation, framing, roof, exterior, mechanical systems, insulation, drywall, trim, cabinetry, flooring, fixtures, and the finishes you chose during selections. It also covers permits and inspections when the builder handles them. What it does not cover is everything the specification says it does not.
The quote is only as good as the document behind it. Anasazi’s contract sits alongside a ten page specifics document that itemizes both sides of the line, initialed page by page.
“There’s no confusion,” John Worlund says. “It’s all there in the ten pages of specifics.”
That document exists for a single reason. When something is not in the finished house and the homeowner expected it, there is one place to look.
What is usually not included in a home builder’s price?
Landscaping, landscape grading, fencing and window coverings are typically excluded unless they were specifically bid. Appliances are carried as an allowance rather than a fixed cost. Final grading around the house is included at Anasazi. Landscape grading is not. The driveway is always defined explicitly because scope varies so much.
| Item | Status on an Anasazi quote |
|---|---|
| Landscaping | Not included unless bid |
| Landscape grading | Not included |
| Final grading around the house | Included |
| Fencing | Not included unless bid |
| Window coverings | Homeowner’s responsibility |
| Appliances | Allowance line item |
| Driveway | Always defined explicitly |
| Remodels and additions | Not their focus. They build custom homes. |
The driveway is worth pausing on. A 40 foot approach in a subdivision and a 600 foot gravel run to a rural building site are not remotely the same job, and a quote that says “driveway” without describing which one is not telling you much.
Building a custom home on unimproved land
How do allowances work, and where do they go wrong?
An allowance is a dollar amount carried in the contract for a category you have not selected yet, usually appliances, and sometimes lighting or plumbing fixtures. You spend against it. If your selections come in under, you get credited back. If they come in over, you pay the difference.
The failure mode is a builder setting allowances low to make the contract price look competitive. You discover the gap at the supply house, months after signing, when switching builders is no longer an option.
So the question to ask is not whether there are allowances. It is what each allowance is set at, and whether that number reflects what you actually intend to buy. Appliance packages on past Anasazi projects have run anywhere from about $8,000 to $30,000. An allowance set near the bottom of that range tells you something.
How to avoid cost overruns on a custom home build
Does the quote include the land and site work?
On a build on your lot project, no. You get two numbers. The house is one. Site development is the other, covering the well, septic, power extension, clearing, grading and driveway your specific parcel needs. A finished subdivision lot with utilities stubbed in needs very little of that.
Anasazi gives you both numbers before you sign anything. The site visit that produces the second one is free.
One cost worth asking about specifically: Washington State energy code compliance adds roughly $20,000 to $30,000 to a home. It is not an upgrade you selected and it does not appear as an obvious line item, which is why John calls it the cost clients least expect.
Washington energy code and what it adds to your build
Common questions about builder quotes
Should the quote be itemized line by line?
It should be backed by a written specification listing inclusions and exclusions. Anasazi’s runs ten pages and gets initialed page by page.
Are permits included in the quote?
At Anasazi, yes. The company handles all permit paperwork, including building and septic permits, and coordinates final inspections.
What if something was left out of the quote by mistake?
Under a fixed price turnkey contract, an estimating mistake is the builder’s risk, not yours. That is the practical difference between fixed price and cost plus.
Can I supply my own appliances or fixtures?
Selections are made with you, and appliances run as an allowance, so what you buy against it is your decision. Discuss anything you plan to supply directly before the contract is signed.
Why can’t I get a quote over the phone?
Because a real number requires your specific plan sent to every trade, plus the questions that come back. John counts close to thirty separate contacts before a total exists.
Before you compare two builders, ask both for the exclusions list. It is usually more revealing than the price. Start a free conversation with John, or read about how the pricing conversation actually works.
Related: How much does it cost to build a custom home in the Tri-Cities? · Should I get multiple quotes from custom home builders?
