Choosing the Right Builder

Selecting the right builder is the next vital link to the success of your new home. Lacking experience, buyers typically base their home builder choice on reasons unrelated to the home's construction and builder qualifications. Based on past research, these are the most frequently used:

• Like the layout of the home
• Like the way the home is decorated
• Like the neighborhood or location
• Liking the builder (nice guy)
• Perceiving it as a good value.

These are not valid reasons for qualifying a builder . What are important are communications, organizational and problem solving skills, business ethics, employee turn over, etc. Our guidebook provides you with the right questions to ask and what builder office observations to make for choosing the right builder.

Before signing a home building contract, take into account that it's not your builder's job to determine your abilities:

• To enter into his/her home construction contract.
• To protect your transaction interests.
• To perform your role during construction.
• To accept your builder's trustworthiness.

STEP 6. MATCHING YOUR HOME BUILDER TO THE HOME

Types of home builder categories:

• "Select" or "Builder's Choice" Home Builder
• Custom Home Builder
• Volume or Track Home Builder
• High End or Luxury Home Builder.

"Select" or "Builder's Choice" Home Builder
This type is generally a small builder, constructing several to twenty-five homes per year. Note the term "generally," as there are some building a few hundred homes yearly. However, these companies may offer a larger selection of "choice homes". Here, changes can be made to the home plan, though they are often more cosmetic than structural.

This method permits the builder and subcontractors involved to become intimate with the design and structure of the plans. It starts at the lumber yard, where the same material makeup list is able to be used for bidding, to the carpenters and subcontractors. They, too, are familiar with the plans after doing the work repetitively.

This method increases proficiency and productivity, in turn reducing home construction time, costs, errors and waste. The results are a better value at a more competitive price than the custom home builder.

Custom Home Builder
The Custom home builder or sales representative often initiates the building process with each buyer, walking them through the entire process, beginning with the drafting of the house blueprints.

Here each home is unique; consequently each step in the building process is new. This includes the lumberyard's material makeup list and price bidding, to contractors and subcontractors. This consumes time and increases exposure to errors and waste, thus, adding to cost of the home.

On the other hand, you are getting exactly the home you want built to your specifications. The higher cost over the "builder's choice" home will vary from a small amount to something substantially higher. Changes can be made during construction, adding costs. Note: Every change should be in writing, without exception. Many consumers made costly mistakes by choosing "nice guy" builder.

Track or Volume Home Builder
The "Track"or "Volume" home builders are those that construct hundreds or even thousands of homes annually. A common term used is a "cookie cutter" builder. They construct a number of model home designs at a specific location for viewing. It's a "what you see is what you get" type of home purchase. Some hold this rule so tightly that the only options offered are color choices and a reverse house plan.

Luxury Home Builder
"Luxury Home"Builders are for those where price is not the deciding factor. This type of home requires highly skilled tradespeople due to complex construction and the use of high end materials and products. The home cost per square foot will be substantially higher.

Changes are expected and are part of the building process. The builder or his/her representative is readily available throughout the entire building process. Because of the higher cost and potential for error, it is paramount that an architect draws home plans and the right builder is chosen.

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