You have made your decision. You are going to build a custom home at River Landing. You are starting with a dream and a few napkin sketches. But where do you go from here? What is next? Now you need to decide which custom home builder you should choose. We are fortunate to work with four custom home companies that are incredible in each stage of the process and continually deliver beautiful results season after season.
Make no mistake though. This is an important decision you are facing. Your house will become your home and will be your family’s safe haven. To ensure you make the right decision you should not just ask a few questions of potential builders you should really take time to conduct a serious interview so you can find the right professional; one that fits your style, budget, and lifestyle. That said, here are 5 questions you might consider asking in order to help you make the right decision.
1) Have you ever built a home like ours before?
Some home builders will say that they can do “anything”, but that’s not a good enough response. You deserve concrete evidence that your project scope, cost, and other expectations can be met by the builder. Ask the home builder to speak to you directly about the outcome of those similar projects. Were there any stumbling blocks? Were the clients ultimately happy? How did the final product look?
2) What is your typical construction sequence?
This speaks to the workflow of the prospective builder. What is their process from start to finish?
3) Make I seek references from any of your former clients?
Builders should have client references and, while those clients are typically going to have only nice things to say, you should still consider their input. What did they like about working with the prospective home builder? What were some of the challenges? Was the home builder easy to contact? Did the prospective builder go over budget?
4) How will you determine the quote to build our house?
Custom home builders with a long-standing reputation will have no problem sharing their methods of determining the cost. They can list the factors they take into consideration and help you understand if you’re dreaming too big, or can have everything you want without going over budget.
5) How long will our project take?
This question will probably not get a definitive answer because there are always uncertainties that can arise. However, a good prospective builder should be able to give you a narrow time frame range at least.
Choosing a home builder is one that requires thought, preparation, and pointed execution. You aren’t asking for any house. You are asking for your home!
