With more than a million new housing units being built every single month in this country, there are lots of different kinds of home builders out there. Finding the right home builder takes a savvy homebuyer who knows what they want and who knows what to expect. Feeling secure in your decision is the most important hurdle to overcome, so using some basic criteria is important to guide your decision.
Here are the most important things to consider when choosing from the many home builders out there.
Check Their Record
While most of us love and appreciate small businesses and entrepreneurs, there are certain times when we want a steady hand on the wheel. When hiring a home builder, few of us want to be the first homeowners ever to hire the builder. We want to see a strong track record of quality homes built by an experienced builder.
See how long the home builder has been in operation. You might be surprised to find that, while their own business isn’t very old, they might have been building with someone else for many years. Ask for examples and evidence of what they’ve built.
Ask to talk to some of their previous clients. A good builder will be happy to send along recommendations from their happy customers. Talking to previous clients can be a great way to get some of your most personal questions answered.
Get Someone To Walk You Through
The process of building a home can take a long time and leave homeowners guessing. Even though you may have hammered out every detail and fixture of your dream home, homeowners could be in the dark for a while before seeing results.
If you’ve never built a home before, it’s hard to know what to expect. Finding a builder who privileges transparency and walking you through the process is vital. It helps you feel comfortable investing in such a massive project and builds trust with your builder.
A contract and a full team should be in place before you begin. An expert builder will introduce you to their team and walk you through the contract and every vital detail therein. You should feel comfortable with the contract that they put together and understand the timetables.
Make sure the contract contains a concrete timetable, otherwise the project could unnecessarily drag on.
What Custom Services Do They Offer?
While everyone who builds a home with customization wants something unique, there are going to be commonalities. Most homes will have a kitchen, living space, bedrooms, and bathrooms. Looking at what a builder has done before can give homebuyers an idea of what’s possible and what the builder can do well.
Some builders have customizable templates or a gallery of plans to look through. Find one who is flexible within those limits. That way, you end up choosing something that the builder feels comfortable creating while also getting something unique.
Make sure that the builder is open to listening to your wants and needs. You need to find out how amenable they are to your needs as soon as possible. Make a list of things that you hope your new home contains so that you can start the conversation on substantial terms.
Check Licensing and Insurance
Building a home can be risky, even for the most experienced home builder around. Your home builder should be well insured, covering not only themselves but also everyone who works for them.
There should also be insurance that covers your property. If damage to a tree or a pipeline occurs with their equipment, you should be adequately compensated to perform the repair.
On top of that, every single region in the country has its own special laws and rules regulating builders. Your builder needs to be licensed to build in your region. Even if they’re licensed to build in the state, they might not be licensed to build in your city.
How Do They Make You Feel?
When working with a home builder, you’re getting into a serious commitment with someone who might otherwise begin as a stranger. While you don’t need to know their entire life story, they should make you feel good. They should make you feel like you’re being listened to, that your home will be built to your specifications, and that your project is important to them.
Your designer needs to have great ideas and lots of creativity. However, their creativity shouldn’t get in the way of what you need to get from your home. You could be working with them for several months or longer, so make sure you feel comfortable around them.
They should always come to the table with good ideas and be a problem-solver who takes your wants and needs and turns them into a reality. Rather than telling you something can’t be done, they should be showing you compromises to get what you want.
Use Your Resources to Choose The Right Home Builder
The right home builder for you will be one who has a history of building the type of home you’re looking for consistently and well, and will be someone who is attentive and listens to your needs, making sure you’re engaged and informed every step of the way.
After you complete your dream home, and want your design to match your decor, follow our guide to decorating your home.