By Mark J. Donovan
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The first and foremost critical decision you will need
to make when moving forward with building your dream home is to hire the
right building contractor. You will want to find a builder who has a
reputation for both quality and reliability, and that will also treat you
fairly in terms of pricing.
The best place to start when considering to hire a
builder is to look at his previous work. Make sure you get references from
the prospective builder and check them out.
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Note that when getting references;
make sure the builder gives you references that are similar in scope to your
project.
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Most homeowners are more than happy
to give you feedback on their experiences with a builder, and their home
building project. They will share not only their experiences with the particular
builder, but will more than likely also give you some other useful tips on
having your dream home built.
When meeting with the references, have a preset list of
questions to ask them. The list of questions should include:
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1) Did
the builder and you review and sign off on architectural drawings and budgets
prior to the start of work?
2)
Did the builder review with you the extent of work required of you, in
terms of selecting materials, such as cabinets, appliances and lighting.
3) Did
the builder provide you with a list of preferred vendors to choose from such
as flooring, lighting, etc.?
4) Did
the builder communicate with you regularly and through any type of formal
process?
5) Did
the builder explain a change order process, for the case where you wanted to
make changes during construction, and if so how did the process work out?
6) Was
the builder approachable and reachable? Did he always get back to you quickly?
7) Did
the builder give you regular updates on the status of the project, both in terms
of construction and keeping to the budget?
8) Were
the builder’s employees and subcontractors approachable and helpful?
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9) Was
the quality of the builders work to your satisfaction?
10) How
did the builder handle problems as they came up during the building of your
home?
11) Have
you had any problems with the builder’s workmanship since he completed the
project and if so did you contact him and did he correct the problems? |
12) Was
the over all experience with the builder a positive experience and would you
work with him again?
13) Did
the builder provide any financing to you during the construction and if so how
was that experience?
This list of questions is a key starting point in hiring
the right builder for building your dream home. To learn more about making sure
you hire the right builder for your dream home project see
HomeAdditionPlus.com’s Home Addition Bid sheets. They will make sure you get the
finished home or home addition built to your satisfaction.
Fill out our 3-5 minute quick and easy form, and receive a
free price quote on a home addition from one of our prescreened and licensed
home addition contractors. This process is free and there is no obligation to
continue once you receive your home addition price estimate.
