The importance of A Reliable Builder
You may have heard or read a horror story about someone whose builder won’t answer the phone, fell behind schedule, or abandoned a project altogether. Here are a few ways to help you avoid this problem and make sure you’re hiring a reliable builder!
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Online Reputation
Before hiring a builder for your custom home, it’s important for you to do your homework. First, you’ll want to check online to learn about your potential builder’s reputation. A good place to start is on social media platforms such as Facebook and Houzz. You should check their customer reviews to see what recent clients have to say. Nobody gets a perfect review every time, but if your builder has only negative reviews, you’ll know it’s time to look elsewhere. On the other side, if the builder you’re looking at has mostly positive reviews, you’ll know you’re on the right track!
What To Look For
Good signs that you’ve found a reliable builder can vary, but there are some good ways to check. One great option is checking the builder’s references. Any respectable builder will keep a list of past customers who can vouch for the builder’s work and character. You should try to speak with a couple references before choosing your builder. This will give you a good idea of what to expect going forward.
Know Your Costs
Once you’ve chosen your builder, before the building begins, you should ask for a detailed breakdown of the costs. Only pay the builder for items and construction that has been completely installed to your satisfaction. If you’ve hired a professional builder, this won’t be an issue. However, if you end up stuck with a builder who is behind schedule, you will have only paid for services completed, leaving you enough funds to hire another builder to complete the job. In order to do this, you’ll want to make sure there’s a paragraph in your contract allowing you to void the contract if no progress is made for a certain amount of time. You can discuss the details of this with your builder.
