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You are here: Home / Building a home / How to choose a custom home builder to help you build your dream home

August 1, 2011 By Rob Myers 24 Comments

How to choose a custom home builder to help you build your dream home

Custom Home BuilderIf  you are building a home or an addition, here are 10 questions you should ask your prospective custom home builder to keep your home-building experience from becoming a nightmare

What you don’t know can really hurt you:  Don’t assume anything.

Before we begin, we have to state our first assumption-You are looking to build a new home or addition and would want and appreciate a good experience doing it. What defines a “good experience” for you? Is it that the cost is aligned with the budget you set for the project? Is it that the quality of the work is exemplary? Is it that the timeframe given at the beginning is actually achieved?  There’s an old saying that between Cost, Speed and Quality you can get any two-but not the third! I would suggest that a “good experience” would be where you have those attributes (high quality, fair cost, and reasonable timeframe) along with a feeling that the people that you’ve selected to work with you share your values and concerns, and will use their expertise for your benefit-not to game you. Unfortunately, the traditional form of contracting leaves the purchaser of contracting services  more or less in a “Buyer Beware” situation. You aren’t expert in the intricacies of construction- you don’t know the difference between PVC and PEX pipe, or ABS vs. PVC, and can’t visualize what a fly rafter is. As the Buyer of these services you are at a huge disadvantage in terms of knowledge base to be able to discern the differences between companies that are going to deliver the “good experience” you are looking for and the companies that are a virtual lock for the bad experience you hear about at cocktail parties. Price, something you think you know about, is NOT a good way to start to distinguish Company A from Company B- differences in bids or costs that you perceive are almost always differences in what each Company is willing to deliver to YOU-what YOU  get- not the profits from builder to builder! Our handbook is our attempt to give you a few easy to understand tools that you can use to find the company that will give you a “good experience”. It would be disingenuous for us not to remind you that we think that we DO deliver a good experience to our customers, but how can you know?

First of all, we have never heard of a custom home builder that starts off by telling you that they are going to steal from you and deliver the most minimal quality product they can get you  to accept-so we start with rule #1: “Bad builders always lie” It’s not even lying to them, really-it’s how they operate. They will lie about things you need, things you don’t need, what things will cost, what things do cost, whether something is good or bad, or whether something is reasonable or not. Often, they aren’t even really lying so much as they are making something up because they simply don’t know the right or wrong way to do something and don’t want you to know. Yet, when it doesn’t work out, it’s still your house, and your problem. So how can you tell if they are lying or not?  How can you, with only minimal knowledge of the arcane world of “construction” possibly navigate the selection of the most critical piece of your building team? By asking a few specific questions, you should be able to start to gauge the differences between companies that are going to try to help you, and those that are likely to hose you.

Question #1:  Get  References. 

We think this is the most important area and so we are going to spend a little more time here.  In regard to references, we’re not only talking about customer references; companies will only give you their good ones, and they avoid the bad ones.  What you want to do is submit a questionnaire (see ex. 1) to each company you are considering hiring. The questionnaire should ask where they build, who they buy from, who they borrow from, and who they subcontract to, along with phone numbers and contact names.

Next, CALL THEM ALL! It is hard to understand when people have a list like this, then blow off using it and wind up having a problem anyway. You are going to ask each what their relationship to the company is, would they use them personally. For the Inspectors, they probably won’t come out and say anything negative, so be attentive to what they don’t say as much as what they do say. For the suppliers- does the company pay well, within terms, or do they have to periodically call to remind them about late payments? For trades, we call these firms our “internal customers” the same thing- plus “do you enjoy working with the company,” “would you use them yourself,” “how long have you worked with them”? This last question is important-companies that are going to disappoint you will usually disappoint others around them, and so will have relatively short term trade relationships. Companies that will care about you generally also care about their trade and supplier relationships as well, and so will have longer histories with their vendors. You don’t need to be an expert in construction techniques, laws or accounting to get a very quick read on the companies you are vetting, as long as you follow through on your calls, the differences in the companies, and the experience you are likely to have, will become very obvious.

Question # 2 – Dry Basements.

Again, you don’t need to be a construction expert to want a dry basement. Ask what the company’s standard guarantee for a dry basement is.  Is there one? In writing? A company looking to give you a “good experience” will do things to ensure a basement is dry for 20 years or more.  Now, here’s a clue- the building code does not require this! So, a builder can build thousands of homes, pass thousands of inspections, and still deliver damp basements!  So a builder looking to deliver a better experience is going to spend a little more money here than a builder looking just to meet the code minimums- and remember the code-writers don’t care what kind of experience YOU are about to have! If you really want a good experience, you need to make sure that the companies you are looking at share your values and I doubt that you are looking for basement problems!

A pet peeve of ours is Downspout Drains. Believe it or not, there are builders that will charge over $500,000 and won’t even connect the downspouts to underground drains!  They leave you with the situation that the rainwater dumps right onto the lawn and garden, blowing out your mulch and where, eventually, it will seep back into the basement.  Typically, these builders do not guarantee the basements to be dry. If you ask them, they’ll tell you that the landscaper will tie the downspouts into the drains, but I’ve never yet seen a landscaper qualified to lay plumbing pipe, or ever dig up a foundation to make sure the pipes are installed below the frost level. Every time I see this, I know that eventually the basement will be wet, and the people upset. The builder will blame the landscaper, and the landscaper will blame the builder. You will be in the middle-right where you don’t want to be- and the proud owner of a wet basement! So, when you’re asking about basement waterproofing, ask about the downspout drains, too!

Question #3: Your Options and Allowances.

During the building cycle, many bad experiences are created when the Allowances given for things like cabinets and flooring don’t bear any relationship to actual selections made by the customer. Why? You have to pay the difference out of cash! SO, unless you have tens of thousands of dollars set aside for this, you want know that the builder will set the Allowances at a price-point commensurate with what you are likely to spend (then the cost is covered in your construction loan). So, another question to ask your prospective building companies is, “If we build with you, how do you figure allowances?” Be careful if they tell you they know based on experience what to set the Allowances, and don’t care where you go to buy the items! Or restricts you too much to what’s in their showroom. This is such a huge source of conflict, a Company that is interested in ensuring your “good experience” is going to exert a lot of control here-hopefully not too much-The others don’t’ care and will tell you that you can go anywhere you want and “just” pay the difference.

Question #4: Engineered Floors.

Ask them if they use engineered floor systems as a standard. If yes, then why? If no, then why not?

You don’t need to know anything more than that.  How they answer that question will give you guidance into their perspective of their philosophy on building a solid home. You should know that different wood species have different strengths, and so can be used for different spans for floors and rafters. This becomes important to you if you aren’t looking for bouncy floors or a saggy roof in your new home. Ask the prospective builder what species they prefer to use for floors or rafters. You will find out right away if they are into the “science” of building, or just trying to turn dollars over.

Question # 5: Plumbing. Copper or Plastic?

Ask if they use copper or plastic pipes.  Whatever they answer ask them why they chose that material. Listen to the answer. Again, you don’t need to be an expert here, but you are looking to see what drives the different companies, is it only a matter of cost?

Question # 6: Windows Casings.

The window casings are what the builder puts around the window on the inside and it includes the window sill. Ask the builder, “How do you case your windows?-  Is an extended windowsill a standard part of your window trim package? Why or why not?” Why ask this? If you are reading this brochure, then you are at least interested in the benefits of having YOUR home built (not just anyone’s) and so you are looking for the finishes to be nicely designed and installed-this question will give you a window (no pun intended) into whether the company you are talking to cares about what things look like when they’re done and down the road or they just do things that you would consider standard and ordinary. Again-you have to decide what makes an experience a “good experience” for you.

Sample Pic of window with no trim: This is a sample of the ‘flat’ or unfinished window casings.  You recognize that the room looks and feels ‘flat’ when you walk in.

Question # 7: I-Beams

Ask the companies you are considering, “How do you size your steel beams? If we want fewer posts in the basement, can we have that?” Listen to their answers- are they dancing or do they really know what they’re talking about. Was their answer acceptable to you? You have to decide!

Question # 8: Garages

Today, the technology exists to make garages much better than they used to be, so companies that are looking to deliver you that good experience will not blow off the garage as unimportant. Ask the companies that you’re talking to “Do you suggest we heat our garages?” (listen closely to the answer-why or why not?)  “Do you insulate your garages as part of your standard insulation package?” “Do you have hot and cold water in your garages?” “How big is your garage drain?”  “Have you ever had to tell a customer that they had to have a post in the garage because the engineer required it?”  And ask, “Have you ever built a 3 – car garage with a post in it?” Unless you like opening your car door into a post, designing the structure to avoid that post is a matter of care and cost and so another window into the thinking of the companies you are talking to.

Question #9: Bathroom Showers:

Ask the builder, “Will you do a tile shower with a tile floor?”  “Who will do that for you?” “Do you do that often?” And ask, “When you do a tile floor in the shower, what is your standard drain?”- So you know-the drains for tile showers are different than the drains for shower inserts-Listen again to the answers! Especially if they tell you that they leave that to the plumbers and don’t know, or, worse-that the tile setters install the shower drain! Tile showers installed properly don’t leak- hear what they have to say on the subject.

Question #10: Warranty:

Ask what the warranty is. Is it written? Can you have a copy? What is the term? It is normal for the warranty to only be a year, but what is covered? How specific is it? In our area, the BIA has an association-approved warranty form. If the builder is a member, he’s supposed to be using it or some version of it, and it has comprehensive standards and action triggers for things that sometimes are issues in homes-is that what you’re being offered? What kind of claims does the company usually see and what kind of response time is typical. When you contact a former customer (remember the references?) ask what their experience with call-backs, warranty issues, and service has been.

ONE LAST THING: Be careful of a custom home builder offering ‘discounts’.  In reality, there are very few, if any, true discounts.  Make sure you get everything in writing and then have someone you trust check it over.  I hope this little booklet has been helpful to you, and my hope is that you will have a good building experience.  Feel free to call me most anytime for some free advice on your next remodeling or home-building project.

If you’re looking for a custom home builder contact us for a free consultation today.

 

Filed Under: Building a home, Home Values, Maintenance, Remodeling

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Comments

  1. Jasper Jones says

    October 6, 2013 at 3:08 am

    Excellent article. In the discussion about question #1, you refer to a sample survey (see Ex 1). I could not find a link to this resource. Can you point me in the right direction?

    Under question #6, the article mentions a sample picture of a window with no trim. I could not find this picture.

    Reply
  2. JT says

    February 2, 2014 at 4:23 pm

    Fantastic article. Some of the following includes points you raised, but I want to see where you stand. What do you think of poured concrete vs block for basements? Type of subflooring – Advantech, osb, plywood, vs Plytanium? Type of piping — copper, pex, vs cPVC? Preferred type of roofing and underlayment? Building over a garage? I think all your readers would benefit from your insight.Thanks.

    Reply
    • Rob Myers says

      February 3, 2014 at 3:41 pm

      JT- great questions! Let’s start with your first question- concrete vs. block walls. There’s definitely advantages to well made poured walls- the time to construct is condensed and the strength can be greater. The downfalls are when something goes wrong- it’s devilishly hard to fix problems. Most of the problems can be found in either wall-bad backfill, out of square/out of level conditions, etc., but block walls are easier to fix. That said, if you’ve got a good contractor, there can be great advantages to the poured walls. We still use block walls as it gives me greater control over the finished product-at least it seems like that to me.

      Reply
  3. Shad Morris says

    November 16, 2016 at 11:00 am

    A friend of mine really wants to get a custom home built for his family, and they weren’t sure who to choose. I really like that you say to get references from customers. That way, you can see how they did on the house, and if they were satisfied.

    Reply
  4. John Mahoney says

    April 14, 2017 at 3:55 pm

    Thank you for talking about the importance of asking about warranties when looking for a home builder. It makes sense that asking about this can help you be protected and make sure you find someone you can rely on. I can see how anyone looking into this would want to make sure they plan ahead and set appropriate budgets in order to avoid spending too much money on this.

    Reply
  5. John Mahoney says

    May 12, 2017 at 3:35 pm

    Thank you for talking about how it is important to ask a custom builder about how they plan to keep your basement from flooding. It makes sense that knowing this can help you rest assured you will be taken cared of and avoid floodings. We are planning on getting our house custom built so I wanted to do some research and I’m glad I found your post.

    Reply
  6. Kayla says

    December 20, 2017 at 1:44 am

    I agree that we should ask where they build, who they buy from, who they borrow from, and who they subcontract to, along with phone numbers and contact names. My parents are planning to have their new house that will suit them. My brother suggested having a new custom new home and shared this article with them. It says that when you’re asking about basement waterproofing, ask about the downspout drains.

    Reply
  7. Marc says

    December 26, 2017 at 7:42 pm

    I loved when you mentioned how you should consider asking a home builder who their supplier are before hiring them. It makes sense to think that doing this can help you understand how they work and the quality of the materials they use. We are finally ready to build our custom house and want to make sure it gets built by a professional we trust, so I’m glad I found your page.

    Reply
  8. Ashley Turns says

    December 28, 2017 at 8:28 pm

    My husband and I have decided to start constructing our own home and we are wondering how to find a good builder to help us. So I like your advice to ask the contractors you are considering about things like who there vendors and subcontractors are so that you can call them. We will definitely be asking each home construction company we consider about who they work with so that we can call them as references.

    Reply
  9. Ashley Turns says

    February 27, 2018 at 9:54 pm

    Thanks for suggesting that we get some references from the builders we are considering and call them to ask about the contractor we are considering. My husband and I are planning on creating a new home for ourselves, so we are wondering how to find the best contractor to help us. We will definitely have to ask each new home builder we consider for references so that we can ask their past customers about them.

    Reply
  10. Ashley Turns says

    March 6, 2018 at 10:18 pm

    I like your advice to find a custom home builder who is able to offer you a written warranty that covers quite a bit for a long time. My husband and I have been wanting to have our dream house constructed for a while now, so we are wondering how to find the best contractors to help us. We will definitely have to find a custom home builder with a good warranty so that we can be sure our house is covered.

    Reply
  11. Gary Puntman says

    April 26, 2018 at 3:46 pm

    I agree that you should first get references when you are choosing a home builder. You want to make sure that people have been happy with the past work they’ve done for them. I agree that you should call them after that. Once you have a list of good companies, you should weed through them by calling and asking them specific questions.

    Reply
  12. Bethany Birchridge says

    May 18, 2018 at 11:55 am

    I really liked the tip to submit a questionnaire to each custom home building firm your area considering, and how it can get your different references. Another tip I’ve heard is to check the Better Business Bureau, as they will have ratings and reviews from all customers. I’ve also heard they list some of the contractor’s credentials, so this can help you make sure they are insured and licensed. Thanks for sharing these great tips for hiring a custom home contractor!

    Reply
  13. Joy Butler says

    June 4, 2018 at 3:56 am

    It’s awesome that this article talked about hiring a home contractor. My son and his wife want to build their own home. They’ve been living with us for quite some time, however, they want to start raising their own family. This information will surely serve as their guide, I have just forwarded this link already, cheers!

    Reply
  14. Frank Delaware says

    July 31, 2018 at 1:28 pm

    I would love to have a custom home, but I wasn’t sure how to find the right builder. One thing that I really like is that you say to find out hoe much experience they have with your options. It would be nice to know they are going to get you the right options.

    Reply
  15. Harry Clarke says

    June 1, 2019 at 2:16 am

    These tips are helpful for those who are going to build a new custom home. Thanks for sharing this informative blog.

    Reply
  16. Ashley Johnson says

    June 25, 2019 at 2:09 pm

    I liked that you said that one important thing to look for when hiring a contractor is that you have enough budget. I would imagine that this would be important so that you would be able to afford it. I would be sure that I could afford to build a home before hiring a contractor so that I wouldn’t go into debt.

    Reply
  17. Daphne Gilpin says

    July 10, 2019 at 2:53 pm

    Thanks for the tip to ask potential builders what type of wood they prefer to use for rafters or floors to make sure they understand the science of building. My husband and I have always wanted to have a custom home built, and we’re finally in a financial position to start the process, if we can find the right builder! I’m glad I read your article because I was feeling pretty overwhelmed about choosing a builder before, but following your tips will really simplify the process of finding the right one to work with.

    Reply
  18. Randy Chorvack says

    July 10, 2019 at 4:04 pm

    I’m glad you mentioned allowances to save us money! It would be just awful if you pay for a dream house you thought you could afford only to have it be way more than you thought! I will definitely have to be careful about that.

    Reply
  19. Shayla Cademis says

    July 29, 2019 at 11:23 am

    Thanks for the suggestion to get references for contractors to ensure hiring a great, reliable company. My husband and I are wanting to build our first home next year. Hopefully we can find a great contractor in our area; we’ll have to start looking for great companies who have great customer reviews.

    Reply
  20. Eileen Benson says

    December 16, 2019 at 3:12 pm

    I like your suggestion to talk to potential home builders about their experience with garages to make sure they have good recommendations about things like heating and insulation. My husband and I want to have a custom home built on the rural land plot we purchased last month. Thanks for teaching me how to to find a home building contractor that’s reliable!

    Reply
  21. Eli Richardson says

    December 17, 2019 at 2:40 pm

    It’s great that this article mentions that references are a great way to locate a trusty home builder. When choosing one, it might be a good idea to research the various companies online. This could help you find local builders and learn about the custom homes they offer to make sure you find one that can provide the design and quality you want for your house.

    Reply
  22. David Johnson says

    January 10, 2020 at 3:15 pm

    That’s interesting that companies will have guarantees for dry basements. To me, this would be really important because you want to know that your investment will be worth it, so if you’re safe from flooding, that’s a good sign. I’ll have to find the right custom home builder.

    Reply
  23. Greta James says

    January 13, 2020 at 10:26 pm

    Thank you for your point to ask about allowances and how those could affect the final price so that you understand their policy. Yesterday, I was talking to my godfather, and he mentioned that he is thinking of building a home on top of a beautiful hill. He has a very specific style so I hope he looks into various custom home builders to see who will meet his needs.

    Reply

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