Veranda Designer Homes

Do some snooping. Ask your friends and family what they’ve heard about the builder(s) you’re considering. Check with area realtors, homeowners associations, homebuilders associations and the Better Business Bureau to be sure the company is in good standing.

Call references provided by the builder – especially previous customers who’ve recently been through the construction process – to inquire about their experience and the service they received. Google the builder and its owner(s). You might be surprised what you can learn when you surf the web.

Will be you dealing with the owner(s) of the company, or do they disappear after the sale and leave you to deal with a junior staffer or on-site foreman? Who handles customer service issues? Be wary if you won’t get the owner’s attention, because decisions must be made at every stage of the construction process, and it can be very frustrating to deal with individuals who aren’t familiar with the entire project or must seek approvals from above.

Like it or not, your builder will be one of the most important, and visible, people in your life for a year or more. Does s/he have a good sense of humor, or is s/he a world-class snooze? Do they act like they’re doing you a favor, or treat you as if you’re the most important customer they’ve ever had?

Here’s the truth: If you don’t enjoy spending time with your builder, it could prove to be the longest year of your life!

The best way to know if you’re going to get the quality and attention-to-detail you expect is to see what the builder has already created. Have they built exceptional homes in your price range? Do you share their taste in interior and exterior design and construction? If not, chances are they’re not right for you.

Builders that flip frequently between vendors should raise red flags. For starters, you want your builder and its subcontractors to share a common vision for your home as well as a comfort level with each other. Constant turnover among vendors can be as disruptive as employee turnover. Vendor flipping is also a common sign that the builder isn’t paying all its bills. You don’t want them “lien-ing” on you…

Ideally, the builder and designer are a package deal, and all design fees are incorporated into the construction budget. If the designer bills separately, or their time is capped at a certain number of hours, your costs could escalate quickly.

The difference between a great luxury home and an extraordinary one is all in the details. Does your builder take pride in the little things that will make your home as livable as it is unique? Are they more demanding than you are? Do they put as much effort into the areas you won’t see as they put into the front door?

Some builders talk a good game about being “green.” Maybe they install an energy-saving refrigerator, or lay an extra inch or two of insulation in the attic. Only a few builders are BS* experts. Building Science is a cutting-edge discipline that encompasses every aspect of a building’s design, architecture, engineering, materials and construction to most efficiently balance energy consumption with the climate, human physiology and other factors. So if you hear someone say Betty Baker is full of BS, you’ll be oddly impressed.

Few things are more frustrating in the construction process than being presented with a bill for unanticipated building expenses, or being told that “it will be a few more weeks until we’re finished. If we’re lucky.” Know who’s responsible if construction is delayed. And make sure your bid incorporates all of the costs that can conceivably be incurred – including any rates you’ll be charged for late changes to design.

Ask to see the builder’s insurance policy, to be certain your home is protected from any disaster that may occur during the construction phase.

You should have at least a 10-year structural warranty and 2-year mechanical warranty on your new home and its various components.