Growing up, your family always lived in high-rise apartments or condos. You longed to have a private yard and a spacious, single-family home to relax in. When you landed your dream job, you vowed you’d build a custom home someday soon. Now, you’re finally ready to achieve this goal. Is hiring a custom home builder at the top of your to-do list? To increase your odds of finding happiness in a forever home, ask the following eight essential questions before hiring a custom home builder.
1. Can You Provide References?
Past clients can provide you with a wealth of information about the builder you’re considering. They’ve already experienced the process you’re about to undertake. When speaking with a custom home builder’s previous clients, ask them about
- Work quality
- Budget
- Timeliness
- Cleanliness
- Professionalism
- Safety
You should also determine if past clients’ goals and expectations were met or exceeded. Besides communicating with previous clients, you can also inquire with the businesses, such as materials vendors and contractors, that your potential custom home builder partners with.
2. How Does Your Building Process Work?
Before hiring someone to build your custom home, you’ll want to know how their process works. Will they be able to start construction immediately, or will they be delayed by several months? You may also wish to know who will be managing the project at your home site each day. Understanding what a typical work day looks like is imperative. Find out when workers will arrive at and depart from your home daily. Determine how often and by what method the builder communicates with clients throughout the process.
3. How Can You Help with Budgeting?
Building a custom home can be one of the largest expenditures of your life. Before hiring a builder, you’ll want to know how they can help you with budgeting and financing. Request itemized price estimates from every prospective custom home builder you talk with. Ask if they can provide you with a range of estimates based on different types of materials. For instance, you might want to know how much hardwood, laminate, and ceramic tile flooring costs. Find out how the builder works to keep clients within their desired budgets.
4. How Do You Inform Customers of Costs?
When speaking with prospective home builders, determine how they’ll inform you of costs. You’ll need to know how their billing cycle is set up and find out how any surprise expenses or potential change orders are added to your overall costs.
5. Are You Licensed?
Asking prospective custom home builders if they’re licensed is vital. Don’t be shy about requesting a copy of their licenses. If they can’t provide you with one, it’s wise to move in another direction.
6. Are You Insured?
Like a license, insurance is a must. Ask prospective contractors if they have both general liability coverage and workers’ compensation insurance. If a disaster occurs, general liability insurance will protect your home and property. Workers’ compensation coverage protects you from liability if someone gets injured while working at your home site.
7. How Many Projects Are You Working On Right Now?
While building your custom home, you want your contractor to be responsive to your needs. The number of projects a custom home builder is currently working on may reflect how effectively they’ve met deadlines in the past.
8. How Do You Stay on Top of Advances in Home Building?
Innovations are constantly being developed in home building. Ask prospective contractors how they stay knowledgeable about advancements. For instance, they might
- Attend conferences
- Take continuing education courses
- Subscribe to industry newsletters
- Read trade magazines
- Meet with sales reps
- Network with industry professionals
Building a custom home can be one of the most thrilling experiences of your life. To ensure you hire the right person to complete this life changing task, consider the above questions before choosing a builder. Contact Homes by Brill with any questions you have about building your custom home in or around Des Moines! To learn about our home building process, click the image below.
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