Choose the right contractor for your new home

What to consider and what to expect.

Building your new home is a huge undertaking, and selecting the right home builder, is one of the most important questions to ask yourself. Make the right choice and you will have a builder/partner that will bring your dreams to reality. They will ultimately build a home where you build memories. There are many decisions, but knowing how to choose the right contractor for your new home is one questions you should not take lightly. Just like your new home, no two home building companies are alike. While some build hundreds of homes, and new communities alike, others may only build a few custom homes each year. Your successful home buying experience should be tailored to your needs. Your builder should be able to cater to your specific dreams and needs. So, where do you start? Here’s your guide on how to choose the right contractor for your new home.

TRUST / QUALITY / COMMUNICATION – what’s important?

There are many considerations in finding the perfect home builder for your new home. Covering the following 5 tips will start you on the right path. 

Research.

Due diligence is very important and research on your own can not be stressed enough. A good starting point is reaching out to family and friends who have already build custom homes. Here you can get a good sense of the overall experience and start to narrow your search. Although narrowing your search may seem overwhelming, it’s important to start a short-list of potential builders to pursue, and those to pass over.

Most people begin searches on line and this can provide general insight into the company. Looking over public reviews and profiles can be helpful as well. Associations with a focus in the home building industry is a great resource as well. These associations generally focus on advocating for the homeowner and provide a good amount of additional information to arm yourself with. The CHBA (Canadian Home Builders Association) is one of these associations which will lead you to a list of your local area professionals. Reviewing builder portfolios and reputation can go a long way in your screening process as well. Word of mouth is always a good method to narrow your search, however connecting with builders in person and digging deep into their build quality is essential. This research with help you choose the right contractor for your new home.

Quality must be first.

A house is made up of thousands of components and products all crafted by hundreds of hands. Your home is not a temporary structure. In fact, it should out last each of us. It’s a place where you will build lasting memories with your family and children. Think of holiday gatherings, birthdays, and kids playing and laughing. All of these events happen in your home, and it’s important to consider quality first, so you can focus on these important times. The last thing you want, is to worry about costly repairs and living inconveniences that commonly come at the same time. 

So, when considering the quality a builder includes in their building practices, ask for visits through previous homes so you can see 1st hand the quality of their work. Check references, read reviews, and ask builders about materials used behind walls that you can’t see. Another question often overlooked is “What is the inspection process through the build?” Builders should have 3rd party home inspections carried out by their home warranty provider, and exceptional builders should provide transparency with additional inspections from 4th party inspections. Inspections should be conducted by affiliates like a Holmes Approved Home program. 

A key component to any structure, is the integrity of the foundation and framing process. Your builder should be transparent with you and select high quality products based on your budget and needs. Always ask questions like; what materials do they use, how is this product installed etc. Be sure that you are getting a quality-built home from the ground up.

Transparency.

Experienced and reputable builders have nothing to hide. Generally they have a strong following and clients waiting to work with them. From budgets to timelines a honest builder will be straightforward and provide details quickly. They will clearly share their philosophies and answer questions from products and sub-trade relationships and educate you on what you can expect in dealing with them. Contractors who have trouble answers these questions or beat-around-the-bush are serious red flags and you should steer clear. 

Questions.

The question here is how to choose the right contractor for your new home. Ask, ask, ask. Building a new home is not something you will do every day. It might be your first home or 5th. It’s still important to ask questions. Products are constantly evolving and like no 2 homes are the same, builders are different as well. Educating yourself is worth the time and could save you money in the long run. Builders who are passionate about what they do, will gladly answer your questions, regardless of how ridiculous you might think it is. Chances are pretty good someone has asked it before. 

Get the vibe.

What’s your gut telling you? Don’t rule it out on a decision like this. The relationship and chemistry is important too. It’s vital that communication, expectations and understandings are all in sync. Finding a builder and team that you connect with is hard to find but it’s no different than any other relationship, and well worth the energy spent. It’s gotta work! Communication is key and clearly connecting on needs and wants, budgets and timelines early in the process will be a major win to avoid frustrations later.

All things considered, the objective is to build a home that suits the needs of you and your family. Chances are very good that obstacles will come along the way, but your work in selecting a builder that you can work with, will help make the process as smooth as possible. It’s important to work with a builder that actually listens to you, and communicates with you.

While there is no manual for selecting the right builder for you, following these tips may help guide you through the daunting process on how to choose the right contractor for your new home. 

Once you’ve selected your builder, where do you go from here? Check out our proven “Roadmap to Home Ownership“

Delonix Homes is a Fraser Valley Home Builder, passionately building custom homes, custom dreams. They are the proud winners of such accolades that include: Best Customer Service, Best New Home, Best Design, Best Kitchen Renovation, and others. Delonix Homes is an approved Mike Holmes builder. They have carved a niche, building homes with exceptionally high quality for discerning home owners.