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Hiring a Home Builder
Before you start interviewing builders and contractors:
Set a budget - Your new house will be the biggest investment
you ever make. How much can you spare for a down payment? What monthly
payments can you afford? How much can you borrow, and is your borrowing
ability limited by your credit rating?
What
is your credit score? Find out NOW!
Find an architect - What kind of house will you be building?
Decide first, then seek out a builder with experience building similar
homes.
If you are planning on a modular home, you
will be woring directly with the modular home builder.
7 Tips for Hiring a Builder
1. Plan on getting at least 2, preferably 3 bids on your project. Compare
the bids and take into account differences in materials, quality of work
and the project completion date - all of which may cause one bid to be significantly
more or less than the others.
2.
Look for a builder who has experience with the kind of home you want.
3. Builders of modular homes work with
directly with (and are sometimes licensed by) the manufacturers. If you
are going with a factory-constructed house, you will need a builder with
experience and training in assembling modular homes.
4.
Try to find a builder who does a lot of work in the local area. Local
contractors are often more familiar in dealing with local officials and
building codes and know the best local sub-contractors to hire.
5.
Check that the builder is registered in New Jersey, has a clean BBB (Better
Business Bureau) record and is in financial good standing.
6.
Get references, if possible speak to homeowners who recently had work
done by the builder. Ask about things such as the quality of the work and
materials, how well the contractor met completion dates and how easy they
were to work with.
7.
When interviewing a builder or contractor, pay attention to how comfortable
you are communicating with them - how well they listen to you and how easily
you comprehend what they tell you. Clear communication and compatibility
between the contractor and homeowner can make a big difference in the success
or failure of a project!