10 Tips For Selecting the Right Home Builder
Tip 1: Create a Check List. Before you talk to your first builder, come up with a list of questions you will use to help you determine the right builder for you. For example, how much experience do they have? Can they show you a handful of completed projects? Are there any clients you can speak with? Are there any issues with the lot you plan to build on?
Tip 2: Ask for Referrals. Avoid selecting a builder only based on an advertisement or from a home show. Instead, ask around among friends and family for great recommendations. It’s during these candid conversations that you will tend to weed out the best from the rest.
Tip 3: Think Beyond the Bid. You should not select your builder based on their bid alone. Price is not equal to quality. The highest priced bid might be charging too much for labor or upgrades that other builders have standardized. Make your decision based on multiple factors, price being just one of them.
Tip 4: Work with a Lawyer. Once you have selected your builder, have a lawyer review the contract for you to ensure everything looks status quo. The money you spend on a lawyer could save you thousands later on, not to mention endless headaches.
Tip 5: Be Conservative. It is a bad idea to have the largest home on the block. Look around the neighborhood where you plan to build to get a sense on what others have done and aim to be conservative within that range. This will help ensure you get your money back when it comes time to sell.
Tip 6: Hire Locally. Building a home can be a long process and you should be hands-on with your builder. You want to hire someone who is close enough to the project to check on it regularly and one that can meet with you in person whenever needed. This means, a local builder is the only way to go.
Tip 7: Think Ahead. If you are building a new home, chances are you will be there for a while. Make sure you build a home that will suit you in years ahead. For example, if you have young children, consider a toy room that could one day convert easily to an extra bedroom.
Tip 8: Don’t Be Trendy. Avoid getting caught up in short-term trends. This may end up dating your home much sooner than later. Instead, consider building with classic features that have been time-tested.
Tip 9: Consider Advances in Technology. Do not get carried away with technology since it is constantly changes but do consider how today’s and tomorrow’s technology will impact your living spaces. For example, DVD players and disks will be a thing of the past in just a few more years so do not invest a lot of money in expensive built-in entertainment centers. All of your media can already be delivered over the Internet eliminating the need for space dedicated to many electronic devices.
Tip 10: One Last Check. Before you start digging, make sure this is the area where you really want to be. Are your kids happy with the choice of schools? Is there enough nearby shopping? Will you be the first or last to build on the street? Take one last look to make sure this is the place.
Tips When Choosing a Custom Home Builder
When you want to get a home built from a custom builder, there are various things to consider. You want to make sure you get a custom home builder that is going to do the job right and make the home that you will most likely spend the rest of your life in. To ensure you get what you want, you need to find a custom home builder and these are the things to consider when looking for a custom home builder.
1. The first thing you do is ask for references. References are very important because it allows you to talk to former customers and see the work of the custom builder first hand. You want to look at the homes the custom builder has made so you can see if their style matches what you are looking for. When you do talk to the references and home owners, make sure you ask them if they could finish on time and on budget. Ask them if there were any additional upgrade costs, minor changes and how were conflicts or problems resolved?
2. Get an estimate. Do not just choose a builder because they give you a low estimate. You want to take all the estimates you get, put them together and determine which of the home builders will give you the most for what you can afford.
3. When you are choosing a custom home builder, write down any questions you may want to ask. Some questions include whether or not the contractor is bonded and insured and if they are, what is the name and location of the insurance company.
4. You want to know about the crew of the custom home builder and that means you should ask questions about the experience of the builder’s crew. You should also talk to them about how often he/she will be at the work site. This is important because a crew works better when the boss is there and if the boss is never there, the speed of construction may dip. You should also ask about whether or not the crew is covered by worker’s compensation and how many members of the screw are unskilled workers.