With so many types of home building companies out there, it's a little tough to figure out who does what and who builds what. Here's a quick run-down on how to tell the difference between custom and production home building companies.

  Custom home builders generally:

• Build on land you own. Some custom builders also build on land they own.
• Build one-of-a-kind houses. A custom home is a site-specific home built from a unique set of plans for a specific client. Some custom builders may offer design/build services.
• Build single-family homes.
• Are generally small-volume builders (those that build 25 or fewer homes a year).
• Tend to build high-end homes.

  Production home builders generally:

• Build on land they own.
• Tend to use stock plans, but usually offer a variety of plan choices and options.
• Build all types of housing — single-family, condos, town houses, and rental properties.
• Are large-volume builders (those that build more than 25 homes a year).

• Generally build for all price points — entry level, move up, luxury, etc.