Choosing a smaller custom builder vs a major project home builder: What’s best for your biggest investment?

When it comes to building a new home or taking on a major renovation, the decision you make about your builder will shape every stage of your experience, from the first sketch to the final handover. For many of us, this is the biggest investment you’ll ever make. So it’s worth understanding the difference between working with a smaller custom builder like BJE Building Group and a large project home company.

Why many clients prefer smaller custom builders

True customisation, not cookie cutter

Project home builders often work from fixed floor plans with limited upgrades. That means hundreds of other homes will look and feel exactly like yours.

A custom builder, on the other hand, starts with your vision and what you have to work with. This means your block, your lifestyle and your wishlist. Whether you want a bespoke kitchen layout, bring your pinterest board dreams to life, smaller builders have the flexibility to design without limitations. 

Flexibility at every stage

With big project home companies, the build process is rigid: once selections are locked in, variations can be expensive or simply not allowed.

Smaller builders like BJE Building Group generally offer:

• more room to tweak design during construction

• tailored material choices

• personalised suggestions based on your needs 

• and far quicker decision making

You’re not squeezed into a system, we adapt the process around you.

A direct relationship with the person running your job

This is a major advantage people don’t realise until they experience it.

With large builders, you may deal with:

a salesperson at the start,then a pre-construction coordinator, then a site supervisor, then a customer care team …meaning you repeat your story and vision again and again.

With a smaller custom builder, the person you meet is the person who builds your home. You deal directly with the builder who knows the project inside out. This creates:

• clearer communication

• fewer misunderstandings

• accountability you can trust

• and genuine pride in the quality of work

You’re not just a job number, you're a real client with a real outcome that matters.

Quality over quantity

Project builders focus on volume. Their systems are designed to complete as many homes as possible, as quickly as possible. They are often paying trades a flat rate to complete their part of the build as quickly as possible. This can encourage corners to be cut and subpar quality. 

Smaller builders take on fewer projects so they can maintain:

• higher craftsmanship standards

• better attention to detail

• more time spent on-site with hands-on supervision from the builder every day

• Strong relationships with local quality trades that we trust

  This often results in a higher-quality finished home.

Pros & cons of smaller builders vs project builders

 Pros of smaller custom builders

• Personalised design tailored to your lifestyle

• Consistent communication with the same person

• Greater flexibility for materials + changes (you’re not going to have to remortgage your house just to put an extra downlight in!)

• Higher attention to detail

• Bespoke solutions for tricky or unique blocks

• Builds feel intentional, not mass-produced

 Cons of smaller custom builders

• Generally a higher investment than basic project homes
  Longer design process due to customisation

• Fewer display homes, so you rely on portfolios + site visits

• Limited capacity, meaning waitlists during busy periods

Pros of major project home builders

• Lower entry-level pricing

• Faster build times due to standardised processes

• Lots of display homes to walk through

• Clear upgrade packages

Cons of major project builders

• Limited design flexibility

• Variation fees can be high

• Less personal service

• You rarely meet the actual builder

• Homes can feel repetitive or generic

• Communication can be slower or fragmented

• Lack of care from other trades who are just showing up to smash out the work

So, who should I build with? 

If you’re after a quick, lower-cost build with little variation, a large project builder may suit your needs.

But if you want:

• a home designed just for you

• a builder who knows your name

• flexibility throughout the process, and

• the confidence that the person you’re speaking to is the one running your job…

…then a smaller custom builder is almost always the better choice.

Building a home is one of life’s biggest milestones. Choosing a builder who is invested in your experience — not just the volume of homes they complete — can make the journey smoother, more enjoyable, and far more rewarding.

We’ve done it for ourselves before so we often put ourselves in your shoes as the customer. 

Thinking about building or renovating?

A custom builder like BJE Building Group can bring your vision to life with care, craftsmanship, and personalised service at every step.

Get in touch here.