How to choose the right builder for your new home?
Choosing a builder is one of the biggest decisions in the home-building process, as they are responsible for creating the house your family will live in for years to come. Builders can be roughly divided into two categories Volume or Custom home builders. Volume builders are large companies that may construct hundreds of homes per year from a set catalogue of designs.
Custom builders are usually smaller companies that build homes specifically designed for the client, and might only complete a handful of projects in the same period.
Should you choose a volume or custom builder?
Volume builders offer significant savings over custom builders by standardising designs and maximising efficiency with materials and trades.
Most people the decision between volume and custom comes down to price, Savings come at the expense of flexibility.
With Volume Builder Buyers usually choose from a set range of fixtures and finishes, and there may be limitations on floorplan modifications. However, with custom Builder usually you can choose from a more range of fixtures and finishes, and have flexibility on floorplan modifications.
Volume builders may also offer house and land packages to buyers who don’t already own a block of land, which streamlines the process but limits buyers to specific suburbs, usually on the outskirts of major cities or in regional areas.
Different construction stages
This will guide you to understand when you invoice is due for every stage and what need to be done before you pay. Click below to learn More
Where to find a builder
Word of mouth is the best way to find the best builder. Display Homes can lead to misleading quality expectation. Many buyers were referred to a company by friends who had positive experiences building with them, while others were repeat customers.
How do you make an informed choice?
Always compare the contract inclusion very carefully before making a decision. It is hard to compare but as a buyer you have to do this job as building home is one of the biggest investment of your life.
Always get at least three quotes from registered builders and compare the inclusion.
While you can browse the work of volume builders in person, this can be trickier with smaller companies. Builders who rely on recommendations may not invest heavily in marketing, so a lack of online presence is common and shouldn’t necessarily be deal breaker.
Builder’s credentials can be checked on the website of the master builder’s association in each state, this is important if you have even .5% doubt.
Choosing a builder who understand your need is important, as is making sure their communication style matches the level of involvement you expect to have throughout the project.