When buying a house, the choice between an existing home and a brand-new one typically hinges on personal preferences. You either like the charm and character (and challenges) associated with older houses or you prefer the built-in convenience, energy efficiency and flexible layouts of new construction.

If new is for you, there are plenty of choices. The Builders Association of Metropolitan Pittsburgh includes nearly 300 custom and production builders -- one or more for every price point, location and architectural style.

One of the most popular price ranges these days is $260,000 to $300,000. We decided to compare three new developments in the North Hills by three of the area's most prolific builders: Heartland, Ryan and Maronda homes.

To make the comparison as fair as possible, we chose homes with a similar look (Colonial) built in comparable school districts -- two in the North Allegheny School District and the third in Pine-Richland. Each home features no fewer than four bedrooms, 2-car garages and at least 2,000 square feet of living space. Here's what we found:

Heritage Estates, Heartland Homes

Lake Fong, Post-Gazette Homes in Heartland Homes' Heritage Estates development start at $260,000. But the Stanford Georgian model in Franklin Park would go for at least $530,000 with its upgrades, including brick rather than vinyl siding. Click photo for larger image. More information The model home at Heritage Estates, 1601 Heritage Drive, Franklin Park, is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Friday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays and evenings by appointment. Information: www.loveheartland.com or 412-364-1020.

The home sites in this new development along Reis Run Road range between a  1/4 and  1/2 acre. Eleven of its 84 single-family homes, which range in size from 1,900 to 4,000 square feet and take about five months to build, are in Franklin Park; the rest are in Ohio Township.

Prices start at about $260,000 for the 2,000-square-foot Arlington model, which has four bedrooms and 2 1/2 baths. But looking at the Stanford Georgian model, you would need to be good at mental deconstruction to figure out what you would get for $260,000.

This luxuriously appointed model home measures about 3,800 square feet and boasts countless upgrades, including a cherry-and-granite kitchen with oak hardwood floors and an adjoining sunroom, a finished basement, several gas fireplaces and optional 9-foot ceilings. As is, it would probably sell for somewhere in the $530,000s.

Why so many upgrades?

"We consider it a walking catalog of all the different options and floors plans," says sales manager Angela Walker.

So what comes with the base price? You get laminate counter tops instead of granite, oak cabinetry instead of cherry, and vinyl floors and/or carpeting instead of hardwood. Standard homes also come with a vinyl exterior minus the brick siding and a basic tree and shrub package.

What sets this development apart from its competitors, Ms. Walker says, is the quality of its materials. Every house has Andersen double-hung windows, copper plumbing, Kohler fixtures, Whirlpool appliances, high-efficiency Trane furnaces and air conditioning, 30-year dimensional shingles and a 25-year foundation waterproofing system.

The fact that Heartland Homes, which built more than 300 homes in Butler, Allegheny and Washington counties last year, is locally owned is another benefit, says Ms. Walker, because it allows the builder to be more "attentive" than a national company. And because the homes are stick-built instead of prefab, there's a lot more flexibility in the building process than with some other builders.

"We're more like a custom builder in that we can make all kinds of changes, as long as it's structurally possible," she says.

Settlers Walk, The Glens Ryan Homes

Bob Donaldson, Post-Gazette In Ryan Homes' Settlers Walk, The Glens, the base price of the Jefferson model is $290,000. A vinyl exterior comes with the basic package but if you want the windowed morning room off the kitchen, brick siding and other upgrades in this Franklin Park model, you'll pay closer to $380,000. cutline Click photos for larger image. More information The model home at Settlers Walk, The Glens, 1603 Settlers Drive, Franklin Park, is open from noon to 7 p.m. Monday-Thursday, and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday-Sunday. Information: www.ryanhomes.com or 412- 369-0606.

Settlers Walk in Franklin Park is among the newest developments by Ryan Homes, which expects to build about 400 homes this year in the northern suburbs alone.

When completed, this community off Rochester Road will feature more than 150 single-family homes of varying prices and styles in three distinct neighborhoods. The two-story, four-bedroom Jefferson model, with a base price of $290,000, represents the middle price range in the development.

Like the Heartland model, this professionally decorated house is loaded with upgrades, driving the sticker price up to about $380,000. It has the same basic footprint as the starter-priced version, if you discount the sitting room in the master bedroom and the windowed morning room off the kitchen, which also boosts the size of the family room.

Standard features include laminated kitchen counters, cultured marble vanity tops and oak-front cabinets. All homes have Closet Maid shelving systems and GE appliances. Also standard in the Jefferson model, which is designed for an "active" family, is a center kitchen with a large dinette area and a first-floor study off the front door. The vinyl exterior is also included in the base price.

But sorry, you'll have to pay extra for the soaking tub and ceramic floor in the master bath, the bay windows in the living and dining rooms, and the elegant raised paneling in the foyer. Ditto with the gas fireplace in the family room and decorative picture frame molding on the two-story landing.

Ryan has been in business since 1948. Its reputation is what sets it apart from other major builders, says division manager and company vice president, Steve Caprarola.

"You can't be in business for more than 50 years without delivering a quality-built home people can be proud of," he says.

Richland Highlands, Maronda Homes

Tony Tye, Post-Gazette The Winchester A model in Maronda Homes' Richland Highlands development is priced at $290,000. It has 4,400 square feet of living space and standard amenities including two gas log fireplaces, in-wall speakers for home theater surround sound and a brick front with quoined corners. Click photo for larger image. More information The model home at Richland Highlands, 103 Tartan Road, Richland, is open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday-Wednesday. Information: www.maronda.com or 724-444-4593.

If you're someone who wants to see the basic home without all the bells and whistles, Maronda Homes is right up your alley. The company has built more than 20,000 homes in four states since 1972.

As in all of its developments, the new Richland Highlands community in Richland features only off-the-shelf, "standardized" homes. What you see is what you get.

Buyers can choose between 13 designs ranging in size from about 2,886 to 6,508 square feet. Once they choose a particular model, they have to accept every detail in it because Maronda allows absolutely no changes. That includes modifying the cabinetry or upgrading from carpeting to hardwood.

That might sound a bit strict to some, but it's really just good economics, insists sales manager Scott Butler. Because every home is standardized, there are never any "hiccups" or change orders to delay construction or unexpectedly drive up the price. As a result, Maronda is able to sell a larger house with more options for a lower price.

"We have it down to a science," says Mr. Butler. "We're the only builder to do it this way."

The Winchester A model, which is priced at $290,000, boasts more than 4,400 square feet of living space, including four bedrooms, a second-floor loft overlooking the foyer and a finished basement with a full kitchen. The Williamsburg E model, the least expensive, has 2,886 square feet and costs $255,900.

Most new construction offers upgrades on an a la carte basis, but this two-story house has many amenities as part of the package. Standard features include two gas log fireplaces, upgraded oak cabinets and center island in the kitchen, hardwood floors, crown molding and chair rail in the dining room, and in-wall speakers for home theater surround sound. There's also a cathedral ceiling that slopes up 12 feet in the master bedroom and a whirlpool tub in the master bath.

The price also includes a brick front with quoined corners, a two-car integral garage and a paved driveway with an electric lamp post.

When it's finished, Richland Highlands will feature 59 single-family homes, all of which will sit on lots averaging  1/4 acre. Homes take about five months using a combination of stick and panelized construction.