Questions You Should be Asking Your Home Builder
Before you build the home of your dreams, you need to find a quality home builder that is the right fit for your project. Asking important and crucial questions will establish if they are the right builder for you and it’ll give you confidence in their abilities. Get started by asking these ten essential questions to help you select the right partner.
1. Are you licensed and insured in my state?
Start by asking the builder if they are licensed and insured in the state you are planning on building in. Proper licensing and insurance will ease your mind that they are qualified for the job, and you are covered if anything should happen while they are building your home.
2. Can you build my dream home within my budget?
It’s important to set clear expectations upfront. Discuss with them what style of home you are envisioning and let them know where your budget needs to be. You want to make sure you will receive the home of your dreams in a price range you can afford.
3. Do you have references and a portfolio?
Don’t just take their word for it, ask to speak with references that can give you a clear understanding of what you might experience with this builder. If they are a reputable builder, they should be eager to provide references that can speak volumes about their quality workmanship and customer service. Ask the references, if issues arose during the build, how did the builder handle the setback?
4. What is your experience?
It’s important to know the builder’s experience. How long have they been in business? Are they someone that is tied to the communities they build in which means they want to maintain their healthy reputation. Ask about their areas of expertise. Are they used to building commercial projects or do they specialize in residential construction?
5. What type of warranty do you offer?
While repairs may be minimal in a new construction home, it’s still important to make sure your builder offers a home warranty to protect you from repair costs. Discuss coverage of materials and workmanship as well as how long the warranty lasts.
6. Do you have any models or homes under construction I can visit?
While portfolios are great tools to see a variety of homes the builder has constructed, models or under construction homes will provide you with real-time knowledge of the quality of work they provide. You may even run into the homeowners at the jobsite and can ask questions about their experience.
7. What type of updates will you receive and when?
Communication is essential to a stress-free build. It’s important the builder offers updates throughout the construction of the home. If there isn’t a formal process for updates, establish critical check points where updates would be important. Ask how they will handle and communicate delays.
8. Are your builds turnkey?
Believe it or not, not all on your land home builders provide a turnkey service as part of their standard scope of work. Things not included could be excavation and backfilling, utility trenching, permit submissions, concrete work, or jobsite trash removal. These are essential to the building process and if the builder isn’t performing those duties, then the burden with fall on you as the homeowner. Or you will have to pay an additional fee for the builder to provide these services.
9. What is the anticipated completion date?
It’s key to set realistic expectations when it comes to how long your build will take. Ask them to provide an estimated completion date and ask to see a detailed construction schedule that highlights important milestones in the process.
10. What makes you different from other builders?
Ask them what makes them unique and different from other builders. This should be their time to shine. Most builders will be happy to share with you what sets them apart from the competition. The builder should be able to go into more detail as to what they specialize in or what they offer above and beyond.
Remember to do your research and take your time when selecting your builder. Building a home is a big financial decision, so you want to make sure you have a quality and reliable builder working on your home. After you’ve gotten the answers to these important questions, you should have a good sense if they are the right builder for you. If you’d like to ask our team at Tailored by Woodhill Homes these questions and any others, we’d be happy to discuss your project.