5 Tips for Working With Builders When Purchasing a New Construction Home

These days, purchasing a home can expensive. The housing market has finally awoken after a long slump following the financial crisis. This means that it may not be that easy to grab your dream home. Not only are prices rising, but you also have to contend with cash rich buyers who swoop in to make offers that are higher than the asking price. However, another option is to build your dream home yourself. Yes, building your own home can often be more affordable, especially if you work the construction costs and all the other expenses into a specific budget. And once you hire the right construction team and contractor, you want to make sure that you foster the right kind of working relationship. Here are five tips for working with builders when purchasing a new construction home.

  1. Make sure that the company you are working with is licensed and bonded. You will be amazed to learn about all the construction companies out there that are conducting business and building homes without licenses or regulatory papers. It is important that the company you are working with has proof of licensure documentation, because you could be the one fined if they aren’t.
  2. Make sure that you get a soil sample and reading before you build your home. A lot of construction companies won’t test soil, because if there is a negative reading, it means that they have to spend more money to reinforce the foundation. What happens if a home is built on unsteady soil? Well, if there is a rainstorm or if there is an earthquake, your home could literally fall off the foundation and become extremely damaged – maybe even unlivable. If you live near a hill or on a hillside, you could see your home tumble all the way to the bottom. So, make sure that your soil is tested thoroughly before you build.
  3. Make sure that you do your research on all the equipment and materials your builders are using to construct your home. What happens if they are trying to cut corners by using cheaper material? What if they aren’t taking a step to ensure that your home is built safely? You may even want to suggest to your builders that they use certain equipment, like cranes. You can very easily visit the Bigge Equipment Co. website to learn about renting some very high quality cranes.
  4. Make sure that your service and utility lines aren’t crossed. Some homebuilders will cross certain utility lines, like electricity and plumbing – just to save money. However, this can create a situation where you can have potential problems down the line. If you want to avoid these problems, you want to nip the issue in the bud during the construction process.
  5. Make sure to read the fine print on the warranty. A lot of homebuilders will give a homeowner a warranty for the work completed. However, many of these warranties have minimal coverage. So, you want to read the fine print before you sign and send the contractor away. In the end, you never can be too careful.