Investing in the design and construction of a new home can be a big undertaking, something people do once or maybe twice in a lifetime. You need a home builder who is organized and can make the process as seamless as possible.
Why does this matter?
Homebuilding today is an increasingly complex endeavor, involving dozens of trade partners and materials suppliers. It requires compliance with ever-changing building codes and regulations. It demands financial savvy and tight management. It calls for keen attention to every detail. This environment demands a highly organized approach to the new home construction process. Mistakes along the way can have an impact on your home or they can be mitigated or avoided altogether. The difference between these vastly different scenarios depends on how organized your builder is.
But what does an organized builder look like, and how do you evaluate a builder’s ability?
There are several signs that indicate a professional builder’s organizational skills and business management ability that help ensure ultimate satisfaction with your new home and the building process as a whole.
1. Cleanliness.
A clean and organized jobsite can often reflect a builder’s overall organizational competency. Beyond its aesthetic appeal, a clean job site is safer for workers and visiting homeowners, reducing liability. In addition, materials that are properly stacked, staged and covered reflect a concern for quality construction and respect for the budget and schedule.
2. Responsiveness.
An organized builder understands the importance of being responsive from the first contact through completion and beyond. Often, professional builders develop a process for responding to calls or emails from potential and current clients, usually within 24 hrs. They communicate that policy up front and follow it through to establish and maintain reliable expectations.
3. Protection.
Professional builders don’t allow themselves or their clients to be at risk. To mitigate and prepare for hazards, they are fully insured and licensed. And if you ask about those protections, they’ll provide the necessary documentation.
In addition, an organized builder pays his subcontractors and materials suppliers on time and per his contracts with those partners. He then collects lien releases once those contracts are satisfied to protect you from any liens being placed against your property for unpaid services or products.
4. Warranty.
Organized builders work to make sure their clients know what to expect throughout the building process… including what happens after move-in and beyond the expiration of the builder’s warranty. They know how and when to pass the baton for care and maintenance of the home to homeowners. This is an incremental process that logically shifts responsibility over time rather than abandoning clients at the doorstep of their new home.
