Constructing your own home, or renovating your current property or one recently purchased, could end up being the largest and most time consuming project you take on over the course of your lifetime. And while your dream property may be quite clearly defined in your head, it takes the expertise and skill of a good deal of people, including architects, builders and various other subcontractors, to make your vision a reality.
As the physical layer of the bricks and mortar that will be the basis of your new home, it will be important for you to approach the hiring of your builder quite carefully. Ideally, the person or company you choose should be one with a solid reputation, excellent credentials and a good team, who you are convinced will construct your project in a high-quality, timely fashion.
So how do you go about determining which builder is best for your project?
Once you have formed your shortlist of potential candidates an excellent place to start in establishing their suitability for your project is to talk to their previous clients.
Questions to ask should look at the finished product, covering levels of happiness with the way the property turned out upon completion of the project, how it has stood the test of time, the quality of materials used in its construction and whether or not the deadline was satisfied.
It can also be helpful to ask previous clients about the behaviour of the builder personally and his or her work style, as well as how the construction team behaved on the site during the course of the project. It is important to remember that while you want the best builder possible, you may also have to live with a construction team being in your home on a daily basis for an extended period of time – you should try to choose someone with whom you will feel comfortable.
Try to find a builder who has prior experience with a property similar to yours. This will become particularly important when working with a specific style of home or an individual property restoration.
The financial stability of the builder is also a significant consideration. Not only do you want to be assured that construction of your project will be completed, it is also important that if any problems arise after building has finished, your builder will be around and financially able to satisfy their warranty obligations.
Identifying and working with the right builder for you should help to make the construction of an entirely new home or renovations a much smoother process. Try to take the time necessary to determine the best builder for your project and in doing so avoid the problems that could have otherwise occurred.