House and Land Package vs Custom Build: Which Is Right for You in Canterbury?
House and land package vs custom build at a glance
Both paths end in the same place: a quality, Hallmark-built home. The difference is how you get there.
A house and land package hands you a matched section, design and fixed price, so you can make a few confident choices and leave the rest to us. A custom build starts with a blank page and your own land, so you shape every detail. Neither is better in general. It comes down to how much time you have, how many decisions you want to make, and whether you already have land. Here’s how the two compare side by side.
| House and Land Package | Custom build | |
| Land | Section is secured for you, usually in a new subdivision | You buy or already own the section |
| Design | Home is pre-designed for the section, with room to tailor | Designed from scratch around your site and brief |
| Price | One fixed price for house and land, known before you commit | Estimated at concept stage, fixed once design and site investigations are complete |
| Payments | Typically a deposit upfront, balance on completion (turnkey) | Typically staged progress payments during the build |
| Decisions | Fewer, faster, with a specification already chosen | Many, from layout to cladding to tapware |
| Best for | First home buyers, investors, people that don’t want to be overwhelmed with decisions, anyone who wants cost certainty | Buyers with land, a clear vision, or a site that needs a bespoke design |
What is a house and land package?
A house and land package bundles a section and a home into one product with one price. With Hallmark, we secure the section, create the initial design and specification, and set a fixed price upfront, so you know exactly what you’re paying before you commit to anything. From there you can tailor the design to fit your lifestyle, or simply sign and let us take care of the rest. And packages aren’t just entry level: ours range from first homes through to premium family homes up to around $1.6 million.
We don’t just hand you a floor plan. Our team designs the whole home for you: we create a moodboard, design the kitchen and choose the colours and finishes throughout, so you can see exactly what your home could look like before you commit. The kitchen design is included in the package price, so you know what you’re getting from the start, with no guesswork and no surprise upgrades.
Take Lot 95, The Hamptons, pictured above. We designed a plan specifically for the section, produced renders in the colour palette we envisioned for the home, created the kitchen design, and specified the vanity, tapware and tiles. It’s a complete picture of a finished home, not a blank canvas. And if something isn’t quite to your taste, you can change it. The design is a starting point that shows you what’s possible, not a set of rules.
Most Hallmark house and land packages are sold on a progress payment contract, so you pay a portion of the build as each major milestone is completed, such as the slab, the frames and the roof. If you’d prefer, we can offer a turnkey contract on request, where you typically pay a deposit upfront and the balance once your home is complete.
Why people choose a package:
- Cost certainty from day one. House and land are priced together, so there’s no gap between what the land cost and what the build turns out to cost.
- A choice of payment structure. Pay in stages as your home progresses or ask about a turnkey contract if you’d rather pay the balance on completion.
- Less stress, fewer decisions. Our team has already matched the section, floor plan, specification, and gives you an idea of colours, so you skip the most demanding part of building. It suits busy professionals and families, and anyone who would rather not make hundreds of design calls themselves.
- Strong for investors. A new build with a fixed price and a clear completion date makes the numbers easier to model.
The trade-offs to know:
- Location is limited to where packages are available, usually newer subdivisions. We currently have packages in Halswell, Rolleston, Prebbleton, Oakbridge and West Melton.
- Design flexibility has edges. You can tailor a package, but the section and its covenants shape what’s possible.
- Turnkey works differently. If you choose a turnkey contract, the land usually stays with the developer or builder until settlement, which is normal but worth understanding with your solicitor.
View our current house and land packages →
What is a custom build?
A custom build starts with your land and your brief. You own (or buy) the section, and the home is designed specifically for it: its orientation, its views, its soil and the way you want to live.
At Hallmark, a custom build can mean starting from one of our plans and modifying it, or going fully architectural with our Prestige Series, guided by our in-house architectural design team from first sketch to final build.
Custom builds are typically paid by progress payments, where you pay in stages as the build reaches milestones such as foundations, framing and roof. Because you own the land from the outset, you’ll usually be paying interest on your land and drawn-down construction funds while the home is being built. Your bank or broker can walk you through how construction lending works for your situation.
Why people choose a custom build:
- The home fits the site. Sun, views, slope and neighbours all shape the design, rather than a design being placed on a section.
- Total design freedom. Room sizes, rooflines, glazing, cladding and finishes are yours to decide.
- You choose the location. An established suburb, a rural block, or a section you already own.
- Room to build value. A well-designed home on a well-chosen site can be a strong long-term asset.
The trade-offs to know:
- More time upfront. Design, engineering and consent add time before construction starts. Depending on how many plan variations are drawn and how complex the home is, this could take months.
- Your number firms up later. You’ll get a rough estimate at concept stage, with a fixed price once design and site investigations are complete.
- Site conditions matter more. On an existing section, your soil classification (TC1, TC2 or TC3 in Christchurch) can change your foundation type and cost, which is why a geotechnical report comes early.
- More decisions. Rewarding for some people, tiring for others.
How the cost compares
Neither option is automatically cheaper. A package bundles the land and build into one price, while a custom build separates them, and the final number depends on the section, the design and the specification you choose.
As a guide, Hallmark’s Headstart Series starts from around $370,000 for the build, while fully custom Prestige homes typically run from $4,500+ per m². For real examples with floor areas and per m² rates, see our guide: How much does it cost to build a custom home in Christchurch?
A few cost differences to weigh up:
- Holding costs. Turnkey packages generally keep your payments lower during construction. Progress payments mean interest starts earlier.
- Who carries the build risk. On a turnkey contract, the builder or developer carries more of the construction risk until completion.
- Site costs. Depending what is included in the package, these might be already priced in. On your own section, driveways, services, retaining and foundations are worked out once the site is investigated.
Which one is right for you?
A house and land package is likely the better fit if you:
- don’t yet own land
- want one fixed price before you commit
- want a quality home, whether it’s your first or a premium family home, without running the whole design process yourself
- are short on time, or simply don’t want the stress of a build full of decisions
A custom build is likely the better fit if you:
- already own a section, or have your heart set on a specific location
- have a site with views, slope or orientation worth designing around
- want full say over layout, materials and finish
- are building a forever home and have time for the design process
The middle ground: many of our clients start with a package and tailor it. You keep the cost certainty of a secured section and fixed price, while adjusting the layout or specification to suit how you live. It’s often the sweet spot between the two.
Why build with Hallmark Homes, whichever path you choose
- Family owned and Canterbury based, building right across the region from Ashburton to Amberley.
- 30 plus years of Hallmark Homes. A brand you can trust with three decades of experience in construction.
- Award winning. 2026 Gold Award and Category Winner, $750k to $1 million New Build category, House of the Year (Christchurch). 2024 Gold award and Top 100 House of the year for our Oakbridge Showhome.
- Transparent pricing. A free concept design with a rough estimate before you commit, and any extra costs explained upfront.
- Build guarantee. Master Build 10-Year Guarantee.
Frequently asked questions
Is a house and land package cheaper than a custom build? Not always. A house and land package gives you one fixed price for both section and home, which makes it easier to budget, while a custom build’s cost depends on your land, design and specification. Packages often suit tighter budgets because the design and section are matched for efficiency.
Can I change the design of a Hallmark house and land package? Yes. Hallmark, house and land packages come with an initial design and specification, and you can tailor the design to suit your lifestyle or sign as is. Changes may affect the fixed price, and we’ll confirm any difference before you commit.
How do payments work for a house and land package vs a custom build? Most Hallmark house and land packages and custom builds are paid through progress payments, with a portion of the build paid as each major milestone is completed, such as the slab, frames and roof. For house and land packages, a turnkey contract with a deposit upfront and the balance on completion is available on request.
Which is faster, a house and land package or a custom build? A house and land package is usually faster to get started because the section, design and specification are already prepared. Once construction begins, most Hallmark builds take between 4 and 10 months depending on size, design and specification.
Can Hallmark Homes build on my own land? Yes. If you already own a section anywhere in Christchurch or wider Canterbury, we can start with a free concept design and rough estimate. If you’re still looking for land, our subdivisions and developer partnerships page is a good place to start.
Who owns the land during a turnkey house and land build? On a turnkey contract, the developer or builder usually holds the title until settlement, and ownership transfers to you when the home is complete and the balance is paid. Your solicitor should review the contract before you sign.
Got more questions? Visit our full FAQs page.
Ready to talk it through?
Whether you’re browsing packages or sketching a forever home on your own section, we’ll give you an honest view of which path suits your budget and timeline. Because you deserve to have it all.
View house and land packages → | Get your free concept design →
The delight is in the details, and that includes choosing the right way to build.
