Once you have decided to buy a new house and even perhaps have it built for you. You will need to select location, financing and the builder you will use. It is a big decision and must be carfully handled so that you are happy and satisfied with the end result. Having a home built is expensive and you need to balance what you need with what you want so that the house is everything you imagined so that you can move happily into your new home instead of going into the poor house.
Selecting a Home builder is even more important than the financing and the location. The home builder's commmittment to quality will become evident as your new home ages no matter is the home is a modular, log, custom, or tract type housing. The builder decided on the quality level of the materials based on the price points of the final product, your home.
Of course, you cannot expect to see first rate top of the line products throughout a home that's being built to an affordable price point. Still the quality of the finished materials should be of good quality and be expected to give years of use. The builder who cuts corners on finished materials a customer can see has probably cut even more on the stuff that cannot be seen like insulation, proper sealing for drafts, and other energy efficient methods.
Buying a home form a cheap builder may seem like a good deal but once the real costs become known, it's to late to do anything about it. Instead of looking for the absolute cheapest price, look for the best value. The best value will offer the best product for the price and not just let the price determine the value.