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by Lauren Busser, The House Designers’ Editorial Director
You have made lists, spreadsheets, and you have found the perfect house plan for you. Congratulations, you have made one of the hardest decisions in the whole building process!
Now you need to find someone to build your home. The task might seem daunting, but we have a few tips to help you along the way. Here are five questions to ask your builder to make sure that you are picking the right person to build your dream home.
1. How Many Years Have You Been Building?
When you are interviewing your builder, think of it like interviewing a babysitter, a barber, or a doctor. You are making an important decision, so make sure that you don’t leave anything to chance. Try to look for a builder with a longstanding reputation.
Along the same line, you will also want to check the number of homes they usually build in a year and the price range in which they typically build.
2. What Types of Homes Do You Typically Build?
The type of home you want to build will be a factor for who you select as your builder. You want to make sure that your builder has experience building the same style home. If you are building a contemporary home and your builder specializes in two-story Craftsman homes, you might not have the best fit.
3. Are There Any Homes I Can Drive by to View Your Work?
Every builder serves a particular region, so there should be examples of their work within a couple of hours from your build site. This is a good chance to get a feel for their portfolio and see if it matches up with your expectations.
4. Will You Facilitate Acquiring the Necessary Building Permits?
Depending on the location of your build, your planning and zoning boards, banks, and other organizations will all have different permit requirements. Ask your builder if they will set the process in motion. Even if it seems like something you can do yourself, this part of building can get quite complicated and you should want a professional's expert experience to help guide the way!
5. Can You Supply Three Referrals from Recent Customers?
A builder with happy customers should have a few willing to share their opinions. Ask if any would be willing to discuss how their builds went and how they feel about their finished homes. Even if none are available for a one-on-one call, you might be able to find some in-depth reviews on sites like Yelp or the builder's own business Facebook page.
And As a Final Step
Check up on your builder’s references. You can check the Better Business Bureau (BBB), and the Home Builders Associations in your local area should also have a record of your builder. Examine the records and make sure that you are not selecting a builder with too many complaints.
Remember that organizations, like the BBB, won’t have records of every complaint because most builders issue a warranty and will honor it, so most disputes that arise will be resolved directly with the builder. Make sure to double and triple check your builder’s reputation and willingness to make repairs.
When you start to build your new home, ask questions in order to find the right builder for the job. Your home is your most valuable asset, so make sure that you select the best builder for your needs and stay organized with our Home Building Organizer. This useful tool can be used to track your home's budget, keep your estimates, and even get product ideas. These useful worksheets come shipped right to your door FREE with a house plan purchase, or you can purchase the binder by itself for $49.95.
