One of the most important things
when building a new home is
finding the right builder. This
person needs to fit many qualifications.
They need to be someone you
feel totally confident in and
can trust. You will need to
be able to consult with them
on the cost of materials that
you choose. You want someone
who will be very efficient and
professional. You will basically
be forming a partnership with
this person through the process
of building your home. This
is why finding the right one
is so important. It is best
to find someone who is very
experienced because they will
know all of the ins and outs
of the building process. You
must have confidence in them
because there are so many decisions
you will have to let your builder
make when you cannot be present.
Get references from any builders
you are considering to use
and check them out closely.
Make sure not only that he
or she is competent, but also
that your personalities mesh.
Building a home can get intense.
You and your builder will
have to have patience and
trust in each other. He or
she will have to understand
what it is you're wanting
to achieve and your budget.
Your builder will oversee
the construction of your new
home, will set deadlines for
the subcontractors, and will
coordinate everything from
the arrival of materials and
labor for every phase, to
digging the footings and painting
the house. He or she will
be the project manager for
your new home.
This project will evolve
around the weather and this
is why building often begins
in the spring and is best
to be complete by the fall.
There will be days when rain
will delay things so save
yourself aggravation by expecting
delays. Your builder is also
an expert on Government regulations.
These are often things you
would not know about. Make
a list and start looking for
a builder months before you
begin moving dirt. Make plenty
of notes! Contact the National
Association of Home Builders
(NAHB). You can also ask questions
of your local builders' association.
Get leads from friends and
family, especially people
that will give you real stories
about their experiences. Consult
people who are involved in
other areas of home building,
too. You will need to contact
a mortgage company that you
are familiar with, real estate
attorneys, and property appraisers.
If you know any realtors in
your area, they usually know
a lot about builders in your
area. They hear a lot being
that they are dealing with
customers buying and selling
homes everyday. If you know
the neighborhood you would
like to be in, drive through
it many times to see what
builders are building in there
and how efficiently they are
completing the homes. Ask
other people in the neighborhood
whose homes are complete,
who there builder was and
if they could recommend them.
A lot of builders do specialize
in certain types of neighborhoods
and within certain price ranges.
Find out who the most highly
recommended builders are and
what problems may have arose
from them. You should also
find out who the most unpopular
builders are so you are sure
to stay clear of them. Most
people are more than happy
to let you know exactly how
their experience was. Make
notes of any suggestions they
may give. All of your homework
will save you a lot of heartache
in the future.