How to Choose the Right Builder for Your New Home

Choosing a home builder is essential to making your new home experience go smoothly. Your builder is the glue that holds your project together.  From sourcing materials to coordinating various members of the construction team, your builder is the one who guides the process.  Think of them as your partner—a person who’s just as invested in building a beautiful home as you are.  Thus, you must choose someone who’s highly skilled and who will deliver results.

There’s a lot to consider when you decide to build a home—plumbing, electrical, lighting, the overall layout of the house.  However, before you really dig your heels into the design, you need to find the right builder.

“When choosing a home builder you should ALWAYS”:

Check out their work

The proof is in the pudding.  A great builder should be more than willing to show you recently completed homes.  When you can, take a visit to some of these properties and talk to their owners.  Do they love their homes?  Are they happy with the finished product?  This will give you insight into what you can expect, should you move forward with a particular builder.  Check out some of Lightyears’ work here.

Understand your needs

Though you haven’t designed your home from soup to nuts just yet, you should have a general idea of what you want.  Some projects require specialists while others only need a general builder.  If your home will include several custom structures like cabinets and staircases, you’ll need a builder that can work in tandem with specialists.

Don’t be afraid of bidding

Your budget is important, as it determines the scope of your project and what your builder will be able to produce.  Be sure to collect bids on your project before making a final choice.  You aren’t necessarily looking for the cheapest bid, but you are looking for a quality builder that can work with you within a reasonable range of your budget.  Request a bid from Lightyear here.

Ask for references

Choosing a home builder is an enormous decision, and your decision will affect you and your family, possibly for years to come.  Choosing a builder that can provide positive references will ensure that the experience will go smoothly.  When speaking with references, discuss items that might be concerning to you or that might be unique to your situation.  Refer a friend to Lightyear here.

Ask about sub-contractors

Consider finding out additional information about the sub-contractors that the builders are using.  How long have they been doing business together? (you’ll want to find a builder that develops long term relationships with sub-contractors as it demonstrates that other professionals trust your builder).  You may also want to do some research into caliber of companies the builder is associating with.  It might tell you more than you think.  See some of Lightyears’ Partners here.

“When choosing a home builder you should NEVER”:

Base decisions only on price

While price and budget are going to be very important in choosing a home builder, they aren’t the only things to consider.  Make certain that you have a clear understanding of what you’re buying.  If details are lacking, make certain that you clarify them before moving forward the builder.  Often, the best price isn’t the best value.

Feel pressured into buying

Nobody likes to feel pressured into making a decision.  If you’re feeling pressured to make a decision, and aren’t feeling comfortable with it, that may be a good indication that it may not be a good fit.  Finding a builder that understands your need is a critical step in choosing a home builder.  While many builders may do a good job, it’s important that the builder you select understands you.

Ignore telltale signs

When researching the builder that you’re thinking of choosing, make sure that everything adds up.  For example, if the price is far below other bids, then there may be issues that will arise later on during the process and you may want to consider doing a bit more research and talking with a few more past clients.

Building a new home is exciting, but take the time to choose the right builder so you maintain the same level of excitement throughout the entire project.