Best Tips for Working with Your Builder

Building a home can be a complicated and frustrating experience. The reward, though, is a new home that is uniquely fit to meet your needs. While just about every home building process involves unexpected set backs or problems, it is essential that you have a good working relationship with your builder to resolve difficulties quickly and successfully. In fact, the way in which you interact with your builder may make a huge difference in how smooth the process proceeds and your satisfaction with the finished product.

Before you ever start the home building process, it is important to choose the person to build your home wisely. Don’t rush the decision even if you are feeling a time crunch to get the project completed. Make sure and get bids from at least 3 different companies and ask for references. Call each of the references and make sure that customers were completely satisfied with the company’s work. Don’t choose a Builders strictly on price as cheap, substandard work can end up costing you more money down the road. Make sure that the company you choose is fully licensed and insured. Additionally, make sure that you have a written contract with a set price for the project before the work ever commences.

Along the way, there are sure to be changes that you will want to include. Try to keep these to a minimum as they can slow the project and greatly increase the cost of the work. Spend the time that you are planning and preparing for the job to consider all of the little details involved in home building so that you will have as few surprises as possible once the work has started. Whenever you have a change request, make sure that it is submitted in writing. Keep a complete paper trail of your conversation and requests. Once a change has been approved, make sure that it is added to the contract with the agreed upon price included in writing.

While the project is under construction, make sure to visit the site regularly to inspect the progress. Some builders require that the supervisor is present when you inspect the site to make sure that no one is injured. If this is the case, call ahead and make regular appointments for inspection. It is much easier to fix a problem if it is caught early. It is especially important to inspect all of the HVAC, electrical, and plumbing systems before the drywall is installed when changes are much easier to complete. 

Once the home has been finished, perform a thorough final inspection. Send any repairs or concerns you may have to your contractor in writing. With a little work and preparation on your part, the finished product should be a beautiful home that you and your family can enjoy for years to come.Know more about the Builder and National Builders Association is a UK based consumer protection organisation and trade association.We aim to repair the broken reputation of the building industry by creating an honest, fair and transparent market for consumers.