Twelve questions to ask a custom home builder before you sign
Hiring a builder · The short answer
Ask a builder how the price is built, who will be on your site every day, how changes and selections are handled, and what happens after you move in. The answers tell you more than the number at the bottom of a proposal, because two prices for the same house rarely cover the same things.
How is the price put together?
One: is this a fixed price or cost plus a fee? Two: what are the allowances, and are they realistic for the finishes we have described? Three: what is not included?
An allowance is a placeholder for something not yet chosen, such as tile or light fixtures. Low allowances make a proposal look cheaper and move the cost into change orders.
Who will build my house?
Four: who is the project manager, and who is on site each day? Five: how many houses does that person run at once? Six: which trades do you use, and how long have they worked with you?
A custom home is built by a superintendent and a group of trades who know each other. Ask to meet the superintendent.
How are design and selections handled?
Seven: do you design and build, or do you build from another firm’s drawings? Eight: when do I have to make each selection, and who helps me make it?
As design-builders, we price the house while it is being drawn, so the design and the budget stay together. We also work with an owner’s own architect when one is already engaged.
How will I know where things stand?
Nine: how often will I get a schedule and budget update? Ten: how is a change priced and approved before the work is done?
You should never learn about a cost after it has been spent.
What protects me?
Eleven: are you licensed by the Alabama Home Builders Licensure Board, and what insurance do you carry? Twelve: what does the warranty cover, and who do I call?
Then ask for two or three homes you can walk through, and for the owners’ phone numbers.
Common questions
Is the lowest price the best choice?
Only when the proposals cover the same house. Compare the allowances and exclusions before you compare the totals.
Should I choose the builder or the architect first?
Either order can work. Bringing the builder in while the house is being designed keeps the drawings inside the budget.
How many builders should I interview?
Two or three. Spend the time walking their finished houses instead of collecting more proposals.
The project behind this post
Custom Home — Contemporary
