So, you’ve made the decision to build a new home? What’s next? Building a new home is one of the most exciting adventures you can take, but it’s also a life-changing decision. You’ll want a professional and capable home builder, but how do you determine if a company holds these qualities? How will you avoid the pitfalls of choosing the wrong builder and make sure you end up with your dream home? The more you know, the better. Here are 5 tips to help get you started.
Photo courtesy of McKelvey Homes
1. Know What You Want
Before you contact any prospective builders, make sure you have taken the time to think about what YOU want. Once the process is finished you will be living with your decision for years to come. Decide the area and type of community that you want to build in, the type of home you want to build, and how much you intend to spend.
Many home builders specialize in certain areas and build specific types of homes and just having a good idea of what you hope to achieve can help narrow down your choices right away. Are you a first-time homeowner, upgrading to your next home, or are you building your custom dream home?
Understanding your own needs first is a great start on your new home construction project. Not only will this help you to choose a builder that will fit your specific needs but will also allow you to discuss time frames and overall pricing more accurately.
Start by doing a search for “new home builders” in the area you are looking to see which builders have active communities there. Next, visit their display homes to get a firsthand look at the designs and quality that you can expect.
Photo courtesy of McBride Homes
2. Experience Matters
When it comes down to it, you’re going to want a seasoned professional builder in your corner. Find out everything you can about prospective builders.
How long have they been in business? What is the accumulative skill and experience of their team? Will they be able to organize and manage the entire process and communicate with you throughout?
The answers to these questions are critical in your decision-making process.
Photo courtesy of Consort Homes
3. Quality
High-quality materials should be the standard for a home builder. The infrastructure in a home is just as critical as the components that can be seen. This delivers a home that is solid, serenely quiet and finely detailed.
Paired with high-quality materials is high-quality craftsmanship. It is critical that the builder you choose is choosing to hire the best in the business to build your new home!
Ask your builder representative about the qualifications of their materials and labor.
Photo courtesy of Fischer & Frichtel Homes
4. Warranties
Nearly every product you buy carries with it a warranty of some kind. Your biggest investment, your home, should come with a long-term warranty. A quality builder will have a comprehensive home warranty that delivers complete peace of mind to the homeowner.
This will give you, the homeowner, peace of mind knowing that any major repairs are years away and that you could expect prompt and quality service should a problem arise. Be sure to ask your builder representative about the terms of the warranty that is offered.
Photo courtesy of Lombardo Homes
5. Talk to the Experts
Is your prospective builder local? Speak to other local professionals. Builders’ associations, local union representatives, material suppliers, lenders, and real estate agents can all give you valuable insight and perspectives on builders in your area. Also, speak to the builder’s past customers. A referral for a builder from someone who has gone through the process already is very powerful.
By speaking to enough people who have some connection to the industry or builder, a pattern may emerge. You may learn that a specific company may have a great record of delivering high-quality homes, has an excellent relationship with suppliers and lenders, that real estate agents love to work with their properties due to their high resale value, and that past customers enjoy living in their new homes every day.
Take Your Time When Choosing a Home Builder
Building a new home is one of the major decisions in your life and will likely impact your life for years to come. Take your time and gather as much information as you can. Be ready, be informed, and the right builder for the job should become clear.