So you have decided to build a house. You have weighed out the pros and cons of it. You have saved money and have talked with your bank and even decided where you would be building. The next step is finding out who’s going to be the builder?

The builder you use for your custom home is a big deal. He will be your go-to, your leader, the captain, the manager, the director, the problem solver and the guy you’ll want to hug after it’s all done! Picking the wrong one can lead to a lot of stress and disappointment, to say the least. It’s tricky, as picking a contractor needs to happen early in the process.

This is always an intimidating process and one that isn’t always the easiest. Which ones are inferior? Which ones are good? Which ones say they are good but are really inadequate? And beyond all that how much do they charge? Is my builder going to bring me the best value for my investment?

These are all valid questions and if you aren’t asking them now, you will be in a short while. Choosing a builder is difficult and once you pick one, you must gain their trust and they must gain your trust. After all, they are building your dream home!

3 Givens

Get Him Involved:

“Pursuit is the proof of desire…”

Ask the builders you choose, if they will be involved in the design process. This is essential. Many builders won’t have any input into the design process and therefore won’t get to know you and your lifestyle. This can leave you frustrated with the type of quality that you may not want. If you really want your dream home, then its best to get a builder who will work with you from the get go. This will also build trust between your builder and you as the client. Spending the next 10-24 months with your builder will require that you communicate. Did you know, over 80% of blueprints don’t go to construction? Why? Because the home owner chooses to not involve the builder in the design stage and communicate budget all the way through design.

Not the cheapest:

“Good work ain’t cheap and cheap work ain’t good…”

Asking the builder how much he charges per square foot will end in huge disappointment. Alot of people think the builder who is the cheapest is the best, and they choose them with them. Nine times out of ten that builder has forgotten some type of material, or an extra step in your build, and therefore you will get a change order. Change orders will cost you more money than you want to spend and take longer for the completion of your home.

In our experience the better builders cost a little more. It makes perfect sense. A good contractor is going to put more time, effort and attention into your home, and their compensation should reflect that. I’m not saying that you’re only safe with the most expensive contractor, just know that the added level of care and quality is typically worth paying more.

Ask the right questions:

“You have not because you ask not”

It’s very important to interview your builder. He should be doing the same to you. Some great questions are “Have you built custom homes before?”, “How long have you been in business?”, “Do you specialize in the type of home I want?”, “How does your process work?”, “How does design-build work?”, “What type of materials will you use to build my house?”, “Do you have a schedule?”, “Can you guarantee my move in date?”, “Is your price a fixed price contract?” “Is your fixed price contracts detailed out so I will know exactly what I’m getting?” “If we sign a contract are we committed to those selections?” Can we have a tour of the projects you have done?”

As he should be asking you… “Your family size?”, “What type of lifestyle do you live?”, “Do you like to entertain?” or “Are you more family geared?”, “What’s your budget?”, “Do you have land?”, “What type of home do you want to build?”

As these are all great questions to start with, and will help you build trust with your builder.

Choosing Us

Contegrity Contracting has been in the construction industry for over 7 years, and has over 40 years of team experience. We know the ups and downs of building custom homes, and we have found that our process has been the most successful. As a design-build company we work towards building your dream home with great foresight and an indispensable amount of knowledge in the industry. If you’d like to learn more from us contact us.