Ask the Right Questions

When you talk to a custom home builder, make sure you ask the right questions. Most general contractors hire subcontractors for electrical, plumbing, flooring and roofing, among other tasks. Ask your home builder which contractors they use and how they are vetted. Ask how the price of a new home is determined and what’s included. If they do not list something you want, make sure they include it.

Ask who chooses the finishes. In some instances, the contractor may want you to purchase your own appliances and bathroom and kitchen fixtures and have them delivered. If this is not something you want to do, you’ll need to discuss it with the builder. Not discussing appliances, counter styles and other finishes could lead to builder-grade finishes inside your custom home. While builder-grade finishes do work, they are often not custom, and they may not be the quality or style you want for your new home. Instead of leaving this up in the air, make sure your builder knows the types and styles of finishes you want so they can be sourced prior to the build.

If you need to make changes to the design while the house is being built, ask how changes and alternations are performed. Ask your builder how familiar they are with building the type and style of home you desire. Ask how available the contractor is during the building process and get an estimate for the time it will take to build the home. You will also want to inquire about the home warranty and how they handle any problems with the new build. Most custom homeowners should offer at least a one year warranty, and they should be willing to fix problems for free, like badly installed bathroom counters, cracks in walls from settling and any repainting issues.