There is nothing quite as exciting as moving into your dream home. After all the nights you stayed up picturing what it would be like, seeing it become an actual reality is truly something special. For some, finding their dream home involves a few months of house hunting, but for others, the vision is a bit more specific.
Custom home building is a process that involves bringing out the client’s vision of the perfect home to fruition from the design phase to its construction and completion. This is what Leenan Homes specializes in: we work with our clients through every step to make your dream home a reality.
Perhaps you have considered having a custom home built, but you don’t exactly know where to start with picking a builder. It may seem overwhelming at first, but here are a few tips to make the whole process easier!
When To Choose Your Preferred Builder
First and foremost, you need to know the right time to consider choosing a custom home builder for the task. The best time to engage a builder is during the design phase. The main reason for involving the builder so early in the process is so that they can get a clear picture of what your requirements are and possibly provide some input on how to proceed.
You may want to seek the services of a custom builder when you consult with an architect or right after. Doing so may be beneficial to your project for a few reasons, some of which include:
- The builder may provide a unique perspective of what is needed during construction
- The architect and the builder would be in a better position to collaborate to bring out the best possible result
- Understanding what is required from the onset allows the builder to adhere to the set timelines
- The builder would be able to provide insight on the best materials to use for that particular project
- The builder may be able to provide an estimate based on the preliminary designs and suggest some solutions to make the project more cost-effective
Involving a custom builder early on in the project significantly improves its chances of being completed on time and the building turning out how you envisioned it.
In fact, with Leenan Homes, you won’t need to worry about coordinating between designers, builders, and architects! Leenan Homes does every step of the custom home building process internally to make it run smoother. It’s a big advantage to choose a custom home builder like us that can handle the full project. It can save you both time and money.
Searching for the Right Builders
The best place to begin your search is by reaching out to people close to you. Your friends and family members might know some custom builders in your area based on their reputation. If they don’t, chances are they might know of other people in their network who had a custom home built and may perhaps provide you with a referral.
To help you narrow down your search, you can look them up online. Start with the names of the builders you managed to get. If you weren’t successful in getting referrals, you can look up a few custom builders who operate in your area. In your search, make sure you specify the type of building you’d like constructed.
As you compile your list of potential builders, go through their online reviews. Having a high star rating is good, but reviews provide you with a sense of what to expect by reading the experiences of real people. At Leenan Homes, we are proud of our excellent client satisfaction rate! We come highly recommended, thanks to the quality of our work.
Experience Matters
When it comes to construction, experience can make a world of difference in how the project is carried out. Builders with years of experience have likely seen it all while on the job. They are more likely to avoid the small mistakes that would make a construction project go beyond its projected timeline.
You may be tempted to go for builders with less experience because their charges are lower. While that’s understandable, consider this: less experience means builders cannot predict timelines as accurately.
Unexpected things come up, and they may be new to these issues. A construction project that goes beyond its projected timeline is likely to have cost overruns, causing you to spend more than you initially anticipated.
It’s also best to seek out custom builders with experience in constructing the type of home you want. Some custom builders may specialize in specific homes such as contemporary homes. Try to find the ones that best suit your project.
Leenan Homes has years of experience in the custom home building industry. When you hire us, you can be sure of having a reliable team to build the home of your dreams!
Check Their Insurance and Licenses
At this point, you may have narrowed down who you may want to undertake the project. It’s important that you ensure they have the necessary licenses to fulfill the task. Licenses are granted when the builders meet the necessary qualifications and are an indicator that they can get the job done.
An insurance policy is also useful as it protects the workers and your project. A comprehensive policy would cover liability if your project gets damaged and compensate the workers in case of injuries on the job.
Review the Terms of Their Contract
Request a standard contract from the builders you’ve selected. Reading the fine print can let you know what to expect in terms of the predefined roles and the payment to be made. They may provide fixed-price or cost-plus contracts.
Fixed-price contracts are where the builders charge you a single amount for the entire process. In cost-plus contracts, however, the builders would charge you based on the cost of materials and a fee for labor.
Before entering into an agreement with potential builders, make sure you understand the terms. This will put you in a better position to undertake the project.
Bottom Line
Finding the right custom home builders may seem like a daunting task at first, but following these steps can make things easier. Finding the right builders with enough experience plays a crucial part in making your vision a reality.
If you’re looking for the right people to make this happen, reach out to us! Leenan Homes can build the home of your dreams from start to finish.