What to talk to your contractor about
While it's true that building a home is ultimately a fabrication of bricks, mortar, wood and other materials, the most important part of the process itself can be the relationship you develop with your builder. If you are building a new home you may be overwhelmed with all the decisions (and subsequent questions) that can arise during the home building process. You may be unsure of how you will talk to a contractor about the building process and gather the information you need to know.
If you are hesitant about what you need to be saying to your contractor here is a guide of what to talk to your contractor about:
- Perhaps the most important question you should ask any potential contractor is: How much experience do you have building homes in my price range? A 250,000 dollar home needs a different expertise than a 2 million dollar home. You will want your contractor to be able to describe in detail what he can do specifically to get the home of your dreams built well, quickly and still stay in your price range.
- It is important to ask if your builder works with a realtor. This is especially important if you are already working with a realtor and do not want to disrupt that relationship. A realtor can work with your builder to help guide you through the paperwork and financing that will need to be done before you move into that dream home.
- It will be important to determine if you can work directly with your builder or if you will have to go through a middleman. If the builder has a facilitator make sure that you meet him or her and determine if this is someone that you can work with and feel comfortable asking questions to. Keep in mind that even if your builder has a construction manager you still should be able to reach him or her should a need or problem arise. If your builder is constantly unavailable or is hesitant to make himself available to you that is a red flag that should prompt you to move on to someone else.
- If you are looking to purchase your own land or have done so already than it is crucial to know if your builder can build your home "off-site". Many builders will not build off of their lands and this is critical to know before proceeding with your plans for your new home.
- It can be helpful to ask your contractor if he can help you find a lender for your mortgage. Many builders have long-standing relationships with financers and they can help with the entire lending process. In addition when builders consistently work with specific lenders they in turn can often offer better rates and discounts to that contractor's client.
- It is important to know if you can customize your builder's plans. When builders are reluctant to have their plans customized this should also serve as red flag that indicates that the contractor does not have extensive experience in building. You will want to find a contractor who will build the home you want whether it is one of his plans or something entirely new.
- It is important to know what the builder typically provides as far as amenities inside the home. If you are looking for things like elegant moldings, large closets, and high end appliances in your kitchen you will want to know upfront if that is something your contractor can provide.
- Finally it is crucial to ask your builder if he can provide references. This is important for two reasons. You will want to be able to speak with other clients to determine how happy they were with the building process and give yourself a chance to see the finished product of your potential contractor.
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Tags: homes home building contractors builders talking to your contractor
