How to choose a home builder?

If you’re looking to build a new home you should spend some time looking into the various builders that construct homes in your area. First, you should figure out what type of house you want to build. For example, if you want to build a log home in West Michigan there are only a handful of specialized builders in log construction. Log and timber frame houses should be built by a builder who is experienced in their construction as it is different from a stick-built house. 

Choosing a builder for a finished new construction

If you’re looking to buy a new home that is already completed or near completion, this information will still be helpful to you. There are some benefits you get with buying a finished new construction, such as, being able to inspect the quality of the home before you buy. Instead of seeing a model home or a builder's previous construction, you get to see the actual house you might purchase. The ability to inspect the cabinets, trim and other finishes will help you determine the overall quality of the house. If there is questionable quality on the things most visible to people, there is very likely questionable quality with the things you can’t see.

Choosing a custom home builder to build your house

Depending on if you’re going to be building a new home or buying an existing home the process of interviewing builders will be different. For example, if you’re buying an existing house you won’t be working with the builder for a significant amount of time so you don’t need to fit with them personality-wise. However, this is something that you should consider if you’re going to be working with a builder for months if not a year or longer on big projects. If you and your builder don’t get along it could make this time even more challenging and cause added stress. 

Once you know the type of house you want to build or buy, do your research and make a list of all the potential builders in your area. Some ways to get a good list include: reaching out to the Home Builders Association in your area, searching on Google, asking friends, family, and acquaintances who they have worked with. This should get you a good list, then from there, you can start talking to the different builders. It is a good idea to create a list of questions to ask the builders, this will give you a good way to compare the builders answers later on.

Once you know the type of house you want to build or buy, do your research and make a list of all the potential builders in your area. Some ways to get a good list include: reaching out to the Home Builders Association in your area, searching on Google, asking friends, family, and acquaintances who they have worked with. You can also use industry sites such as Houzz. Learn more about the builders, you should spend some time learning about them, how long they have been in business, how many projects they do. You can check out their website or even call them to ask questions and see if you feel comfortable with the information that is provided. This should get you a good list, then from there, you can start talking to and interviewing the different builders. It is a good idea to create a list of questions to ask the builders, as this will give you a good way to compare the builders answers later on.

What questions to ask a home builder?

Do you need help with some questions to ask a builder? Here's some starters that we recommend:

• What is your process of building a house like?
• What is your average square-foot cost?
• Do you have a portfolio of the finished custom homes you've built?
• Do you use sub-contractors?
• Do you include a contingency? 
• Do you have a warranty period?
• How much time does it take to build one home from start to finish?
• Who will be my go-to person throughout this whole process and how can they answer questions about construction or design elements?

What to do next?

Give the builders a call and set up an appointment with them to discuss building or buying one of their homes. You should come prepared with questions to ask and record their answers so you can compare them with the other builders you interviewed. As mentioned before you should also take into account how you think you would get along with the builder. You will find some builders are very direct and to the point, while others will tell you stories about their past projects. If you have a specific style of communication it is important that both parties can communicate effectively with each other throughout this process.

At the time of writing this many home builders are very busy and may even be scheduled out through the next year.  This can make it difficult to find a builder that is available for your home project. If the timeline of your build doesn’t work with one of these builders you should consider whether or not they are worth waiting on and if their process fits within what you need. 

Final Thoughts

You should know what you want your timeline to be and understand the factors that affect it. Your builder will want to know if you already have a lot purchased. If you don't have a lot already selected and you aren't in a rush to get a home built, it will give you more options and flexibility with the home builders you can work with. Homestead Timbers would love to work with you on your project, if you have any questions reach out at 616-677-5262 or submit a contact form Here.