There isn’t much more of an important decision in life than choosing a builder for your home. This is the place you are going to raise your family and you are investing your family’s money into this property. This means that you want the absolute best build you can get and you want to be proud of the work that was done.
When you’re inexperienced in the custom home building process, it’s important to know what to look for in your decision for the best property builder. Take a look at the things you’ll want to look for when choosing your builder.
Are they licensed?
First, find out about their licensing and insurance. Any property builder should be licensed, registered, and insured, and they should be able to make that clear upfront with you. If it turns out that anything has expired or any licensing was revoked, this could mean they were a shady builder.
If they are licensed and insured and can quickly prove this, you’ll be in good hands. They will have some sort of liability insurance, home warranty insurance, and/or building insurance.
Look for project quality
Next, you’ll want to get to know the quality of work they do. What types of brands is this builder using to build with and are the brands known for a good reputation? What areas do you see the attention to detail when visiting a home that’s been built?
What signs do you see of good quality construction? If you can tour past projects with a walkthrough and ask questions about materials used from the foundation they built to the countertops they chose.
Talk to references
While you’re doing a walk-through, make sure to talk to clients to see how their experience was. You’ll want to talk to clients that are currently having a build done and a few past clients. Be sure to also conduct a background check and find out about their reputation by searching projects the builder has completed and a list of future and ongoing projects. You can find builders in an area from looking online or looking in the local newspaper.
Transparency and asking questions
How well does this builder communicate? A builder that is transparent and happy to answer questions from the start is likely a good choice. They should be able to give you a timeline, an estimate, discuss their relationship with their contractors, and who would be helping to build your home.
Do they use confusing industry jargon or do they explain everything well so that you understand what to expect? Do they spell out exactly what work they are doing for you and include details like lighting fittings, window locks, garage doors, and fencing? Make sure to work with someone transparent and will quickly answer any questions.
Warranties and service
Talk to your builder about the warranty you can expect with your home build. You should always have some sort of warranty especially since this is your biggest investment and it should be a long-term one that is written and insured by a third party warranty. If your builder is simply promising to perform, this is not going to be enough seeing that a builder could always go out of business or not stand by their word. You’ll need your warranty in writing.
Resale value
Lastly, it’s time to take a closer look at the resale value that you are seeing among the projects they’ve already done. If you’re seeing that homes this builder has completed tend to maintain their value, this is a great sign. Look for builder ads that mention the name of a builder on a home that’s for sale and is around 5 years old. If your builder is listed, this means that the realtor trusts their work to market them on the listing.
When it comes to choosing a home builder, this is a decision to take very seriously. Use these tips to make sure you’ve done your homework and can count on your builder to be the ones to create the space that will be responsible for all of your dearest family memories! Powell Custom Homes fits the bill and can help - contact us today!