How to Choose a Builder - Building 101
Choosing a builder is one of the most important decisions to make when building a home. The relationship you have with that person will be key for the next year or more of your build. You'll want to choose carefully, and selectively. I have created this post to help you do just that, and I will lay it all out for you.
Where to start?
Do your research. Go online, search builders in your area. Look for ones that specialize in your type of home. Look for reviews, and testimonials.
Word of mouth. Ask around. Call your realtor, or anyone you know that has recently built. Word of mouth is the best way to get a real review. If it's positive than you know that person had a good experience with the builder.
After we did our research, we narrowed it down to three builders we wanted to meet and interview. We scheduled meetings with all three. Face to face meetings are so important. You can tell right away if someone is easy to talk to and this is key in having a good relationship with your builder.
Here are a few questions that will help in choosing a builder:
Can I tour one of your homes? Do you have a website?
How long have you been building homes?
What is your warranty like? Do you have one?
Who will be overseeing our build if we choose you?
How long will it take to build our home?
How many homes do you build a year?
When/how can upgrades or changes be made? Is there a change fee?
These are just a few questions to get you started, but I would recommend writing any you might have down and bring it to the meeting with you.
I would also recommend getting multiple bids from different builders. Some will come in high, while others will come in low, which isn't necessarily a good thing. That's why seeing the builders work in person is so important.
Another thing I recommend asking is "how do you plan on communicating?". Our builder was a great communicator. He was ok with texting, but also had an app he used for our build that kept everything organized and documented also, very important. That way things don't get lost along the way, or in the shuffle.
Choosing the right builder, will make or break your entire experience. Don't rush it and definitely take your time. My biggest advice would be to do your homework, and go see one of their completed homes. This way you can see the end result, and what the quality of work looks like. I hope this has been helpful, and as always drop your questions below.
