When it comes to choosing a homebuilder for your new construction home, Richmond American Homes and Lennar Homes are two of the biggest names in the industry.
As national builders with thousands of homes constructed each year across multiple states, Richmond American and Lennar have established reputations for quality and value.
But while they share similarities as large production homebuilders, Richmond American and Lennar each have unique features, floor plans, and design options to fit different lifestyles and budgets. So how do you decide which is a better fit for your needs?
This comprehensive guide comparing Richmond American Homes vs. Lennar Homes dives into the key differences between these two homebuilding giants. We’ll look at how they compare in terms of:
- Home design styles and floor plans
- Quality of construction and materials
- Customization options and upgrades
- Smart home technology integration
- Warranties and customer service
- Reviews and reputations
- Average pricing and value
By the end, you’ll have a clear sense of Richmond American vs. Lennar’s strengths and weaknesses so you can make the right choice for your new dream home. Let’s start with a quick side-by-side overview:
At A Glance Comparison Table
| Category | Richmond American Homes | Lennar Homes |
| Overview | National homebuilder founded in 1977, building homes across 30 states | Founded in 1954, largest homebuilder by volume in the United States |
| Home Types | Mostly single-family homes across a variety of styles | Single-family, townhomes, condos, active adult/55+ communities |
| House Sizes | Varies, approx. 1,300 to 4,500+ sq ft | Approx. 1,200 to 5,000+ sq ft |
| Number of Floor Plans | Hundreds of designs across markets | Varies, typically 8-15 per community |
| Lots and Locations | Suburban neighborhoods, master-planned communities | Diverse range of urban, suburban and rural locations |
| Customization | Very flexible options to personalize homes | More limited changes from base designs |
| Quality Reputation | High-quality materials, good attention to detail | Cost-conscious, production builder approach |
| Price Range | $300,000 to $1 million+ | $200,000 to $1 million+ |
| Warranty | 2-10 homebuyer warranty | 1-2-10 limited warranty |
Now let’s take a deeper dive into how Richmond American and Lennar compare across the key categories homebuyers should consider.
Home Design Styles and Floor Plans Comparison of Richmond American And Lennar
The types of homes and floor plans each builder offers can make a big impact on whether or not they’re a good match for your lifestyle needs.
Richmond American Homes
Richmond American constructs homes across a variety of the most popular architectural styles:
- Traditional and craftsman exteriors with gabled roofs
- Farmhouse inspired designs with metal roofs and wrap around porches
- Colonials and cottages with brick and stone accents
- Mediterranean villas and haciendas with stucco exteriors
- Modern and contemporary styles with more glass and clean lines
This flexible range of exterior looks allows buyers to choose a home design that fits the neighborhood or their personal taste.
Inside, Richmond American Homes floor plans focus on open concept layouts and family-friendly features like spacious kitchens, flex rooms, and owner’s suites. Their homes typically range from around 1,300 sq ft up to over 4,500 sq ft.
Each community offers 4-5 well designed one and two-story floor plans with 3-6 bedrooms to suit move-up buyers and growing families.
Lennar Homes
Lennar constructs homes in traditional American styles you’d find in suburban subdivisions across the country:
- Cape Cod, colonial, farmhouse exteriors in brick, stone, and siding
- Ranch style one-story homes ideal for retirees
- Craftsman bungalows with front porches
- Prairie-style houses with flat roofs
Their exterior styles tend to be more simple and cost-effective. Unique architectural details are less common compared to Richmond American.
Inside, Lennar’s floor plans also focus on open layouts and dual master suites. Their homes range from around 1,200 sq ft to over 5,000 sq ft on larger lots.
Lennar communities typically offer 8-15 floor plans consisting of 3-5 bedrooms. Plans are more limited compared to Richmond American but provide all of the expected basics.
Quality of Construction and Materials Comparison of Lennar And Richmond American Homes
The quality of materials and workmanship that go into your home make a major difference in its long-term durability and performance.
Richmond American Homes
Richmond American has a reputation for building high-quality homes, especially relative to other large national production builders in its price range.
Their homes feature details like:
- Engineered floor joists, rafters, and roof trusses
- Granite or quartz kitchen countertops
- Stainless kitchen appliances
- Tile backsplashes and bath surrounds
- Hardwood, engineered vinyl, or tile flooring
- 2×6” exterior wall framing (vs. 2×4” typical)
While not fully custom, Richmond American includes higher-end finishes, fixtures, and construction techniques compared to other major national builders. Their homes are built to last rather than built as cheaply as possible.
Lennar Homes
As the largest homebuilder in the country, Lennar takes a cost-conscious production approach to home construction.
Their homes include standard details such as:
- OSB floor sheathing instead of plywood
- Formica or laminate countertops in lower priced homes
- Vinyl flooring throughout entry level homes
- Carpeted bedrooms
- Fiberglass bathtub/shower inserts
Lennar aims to keep base prices low by limiting costly materials and labor. But the tradeoff can be lower quality and durability down the road.
While livable, Lennar’s base home finishes tend to be more basic and cheaply built compared to Richmond American’s standards.
Customization Options and Upgrades Comparison
The ability to personalize and upgrade your home during construction is key for many buyers.
Richmond American Homes
One advantage of Richmond American is that they offer extensive customization on most of their floor plans.
Some popular options include:
- Adding or removing bedrooms
- Expanding the garage to 3 or 4 bays
- Finishing the basement with a rec room, wet bar, theater, etc.
- Upgrading kitchen, bath and flooring materials
- Adding exterior stone or brick details
- Enhancing landscaping and hardscaping
- Outdoor living upgrades like covered patios
Richmond American makes it easy to personalize their stock plans to match your wish list through one-on-one selections appointments.
Lennar Homes
Lennar takes a more restrictive approach when it comes to homebuyer modifications.
To keep their construction process efficient, Lennar prefers buyers select one of their stock home designs as-is with only minor cosmetic changes.
Typical Lennar customizations include:
- Cabinet door styles and paint colors
- Countertop, tile and vinyl flooring grades
- Appliance and lighting packages
- Faucet and plumbing fixture finishes
- Minor floor plan tweaks like wall removal
More significant structural changes tend to be discouraged or impossible. Lennar offers less flexibility vs. Richmond American.
Smart Home Technology Integration
In today’s digital world, integrated smart home tech can be a major selling point.
Richmond American Homes
Depending on the community, Richmond American offers optional smart home packages through partners like Amazon Alexa, Google Nest, and Ring.
Upgrade options include:
- Video doorbells
- Smart thermostats
- Integrated voice assistants
- Lighting controls
- Home security sensors and cameras
- Garage door automation
All of these smart systems can be controlled from your smartphone and voice commands for added convenience. Richmond American’s tech integration is on par with competitors.
Lennar Homes
Lennar has partnered with Apple for exclusive integration of their HomeKit smart home platform in new construction communities.
As an Apple-only tech ecosystem, options are more limited but include:
- Control4 home automation system
- iPhone/iPad control and voice command via Siri
- Smart LED lighting
- Smart thermostats
- Video doorbells
- Garage door openers
Lennar’s Apple-centric tech suites the needs of buyers already bought into the Apple smart device environment.
Warranties and Customer Service
The warranty coverage and customer service you get from a homebuilder after closing plays a crucial role in long-term satisfaction.
Richmond American Homes
Richmond American provides strong warranty protection for homebuyers after move-in:
- 1-year material and workmanship warranty
- 2-year major mechanical systems warranty
- 10-year structural defect warranty
They also operate their own in-house customer care team, rather than outsourcing post-sale service and repairs.
Online, Richmond American homebuyers can access an Owner’s Portal with info on warranty claims, product manuals, and community resources.
Overall, their warranties and support provide peace of mind to buyers.
Lennar Homes
Lennar provides the following limited warranty coverage:
- 1 year coverage for workmanship/materials
- 2 years for electrical, plumbing, and mechanical systems
- 10 years for major structural defects
Warranty requests are submitted online and handled by third-party service providers, rather than Lennar’s own staff.
Some buyers report frustrating experiences getting warranty issues addressed within Lennar’s bureaucracy. But their coverage mirrors industry standards.
Reviews and Reputations
Third-party homeowner reviews provide the best look at builders’ reputations after the sale.
Richmond American Homes
Richmond American scores an A rating with the Better Business Bureau, indicating a strong reputation.
On other sites like Zillow and Google Business, Richmond American averages around 3.5 stars out of 5 based on hundreds of buyer reviews.
Positive feedback mentions Richmond American’s:
- Quality construction and materials
- Customization process and options
- Warranty responsiveness
- Helpful and professional sales staff
top negative critiques cite issues like uncompleted punch list items at closing and poor trades work requiring multiple warranty claims. But overall, most buyers are happy with Richmond American’s homes and service.
Lennar Homes
Lennar also earns an A+ BBB rating for their efforts to resolve customer complaints.
However, their Zillow and Google Business ratings average slightly lower at around 3 stars.
Favorable Lennar reviews praise:
- Smooth homebuying process
- Good value and as-advertised pricing
- Quality neighborhood locations
Critical feedback calls out:
- Cheaply built cookie-cutter homes
- Numerous flaws needing repair at closing
- Unresponsive warranty process
Reviews indicate Lennar provides an acceptable but not outstanding homebuying experience.
Average Pricing and Value
Even in today’s hot market, price remains a concern for most buyers. Here’s how Richmond American and Lennar homes typically compare:
Richmond American Homes
Richmond American builds homes across a wide price spectrum, but mostly caters to the move-up segment:
- Entry-level homes: Around $300,000 to $400,000
- Mid-range homes: From $400,000 to $700,000
- Move-up luxury homes: From $700,000 up to over $1,000,000
Their sweet spot is the mid-range price point where buyers want higher-end finishes but maximum bang for buck.
Overall, Richmond American offers excellent value, providing quality construction and details above other national builders charging similar prices. Homes feel worth the price paid.
Lennar Homes
As America’s largest homebuilder, Lennar specializes in high volume at lower price points:
- Entry-level homes: From around $200,000 to $350,000
- Mid-range homes: Around $350,000 to $500,000
- Move-up luxury homes: $500,000+
Lennar excels at squeezing as much home as possible into lower price tags to attract first-time and move-up buyers.
But the tradeoff can be cheaper materials and workmanship quality to control costs. Value-focused buyers are the best fit for Lennar’s affordable approach.
Which Builder Is Right For You?
So when it comes to choosing between Richmond American vs. Lennar, which builder is the better choice?
Here are a few key factors to consider:
If customization is important: Richmond American wins. They offer greater flexibility to personalize homes.
If technology integration is a priority: Lennar’s Apple HomeKit ecosystems gives them an edge.
If quality and durability are concerns: Richmond American uses better materials and construction.
If affordability is critical: Lennar provides more home for the money.
If great service is a must: Richmond American’s in-house warranty support outshines.
Whichever builder has more strengths matching your top priorities is likely the ideal choice. Analyze the tradeoffs and decide whether quality/service or maximum affordability matters most.
Tour model homes from both builders to see differences first-hand. Read local reviews focused on the metro area you’re buying in. Get quotes on comparable homes to compare pricing.
Considering your needs and finances thoroughly when choosing between Richmond American and Lennar will lead to long-term satisfaction and great value in your new dream home.
In Conclusion
When shopping for a new construction home from a national builder, Richmond American and Lennar both offer quality options with the pros and cons covered in this guide.
Keep your budget, lifestyle needs, and priorities in mind when weighing each builder’s strengths and weaknesses. Touring model homes and reading local homeowner reviews are great next steps to take if still undecided between Richmond American and Lennar.
But whichever you choose, consult an experienced real estate agent to negotiate the best deal and guide you through the process of building and buying your ideal home. Their expertise can prove invaluable to make your project a success.