A builder who's spent 14 years in the industry explains how to know whether you should build or buy

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March 21, 2017 1:52 AM

Marnie Oursler, star of "Big Beach Builds," explains who should build — or buy — a house.

Marnie Oursler of "Big Beach Builds."

When you're ready to buy a home, you have to decide where, for how much ... and whether to build it from scratch.

Marnie Oursler, star of "Big Beach Builds," says it comes down to your lifestyle — not just the way you intend to live in the home, but the way you live now.

Marnie Homes, a custom building company in Bethany Beach, Delaware. She's been building since 2003, and she loves the challenge and the process of building. But that doesn't mean everyone will.

"If you're torn between building and buying, buying takes a lot less decisions, and you know upfront the exact cost and exactly what you're getting," she told Business Insider. "If you're the type of person who mentally needs to know that, then buying is probably right decision for you."

Building, on the other hand, "is more abstract. You're starting with a clean slate, the design is brand new, and the cost is unknown until you can price it out," she said.

She says "if you're OK with the abstract process," then building can help you "get exactly what you want."

But you're going to have to put in the time. "It's probably doing something for the new house every day," she said. "If you don't have the time to commit to it, then it's going to be a lot harder of a process. You need the time to commit, or the ability to make decisions quickly. I've had homeowners who were very busy but were able to make decisions quickly, and we could help them with that."

"Big Beach Builds" will premiere on DIY Network on , at .

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