Questions To Ask A Custom Home Builder

Your dream home is about to become a reality. You have selected the perfect lot and are now in the process of selecting the perfect custom home builder for this much-anticipated project. You have considered a couple of options and think that you may be closing in on the best candidate for the job. Obviously, you have made sure that the home builder you are about to hire is an outfit with plenty of experience, particularly in building homes similar to the one you want. Once that requirement has been satisfied, here are some more important questions you should ask before getting started:

Who will be responsible for the project?

You want to know whether the home builder as such will be in charge of the project or whether the job of General Contractor will be outsourced and performed by somebody else. If that is the case, who will this person be? What are their qualifications? You have to be satisfied with this answer before proceeding.

What licenses and accreditations does this custom home builder have?

In Colorado, general contractors must be licensed by the municipality where they work and, although they do not need a state license, they do need a business license. Make sure the firm you are hiring meets all these requirements. It may also be a good idea for them to be accredited members of the National Association of Home Builders.

Can you tour some of the homes they have recently built?

It may not be possible for you to visit all the new construction, since the homes may now be inhabited. But they will probably be able to show you blueprints or also even high-definition pictures of a selection of homes they have built. Pay attention to comments regarding the finishes and other details of those homes, they may serve as inspiration for your own project.

Let’s talk about insurance: Do they carry liability insurance? What about Worker’s Comp?

You definitely don’t want anybody breaking into the construction site and getting away with your tiles or plumbing supplies. Their general liability insurance for construction workers should be enough to cover damages caused by break-ins or things that break during installation.

Worker’s compensation is also an essential component of insurance should any accidents occur during construction.

Let’s talk about timelines: How much time will this project take? How often do you finish ahead of schedule?

There are many factors involved in this answer. Obviously, the weather plays an important part in any project completion. Other hurdles might be the type of finishes you have selected since some imported kitchen cabinets or tiles, among many other decorating materials, may take weeks or even months to become available. It’s much more realistic for your home builder to provide you with an estimated completion time, and you may also have to adopt some flexible standards in order to avoid feeling frustrated. It may be a good idea for your home builder to provide you with periodic updates of the progress.

When the time comes for you to select the home builder for your new home, take the time to interview your possible choices, and make sure you feel comfortable with the answers. After all, this is a project where you definitely want the best possible results.