Category: Blog

How do you know if you should choose a builder that completes your new home with in-house employees or subcontractors?

While it is possible for a builder to complete your home relying solely on subcontractors, it’s likely not the best solution if you’re looking for a luxury custom home.

To ensure a quality home, you need to work with a builder you trust who uses a mix of both subcontractors and in-house employees. When you do this, you won’t have to worry about your builder putting your dream home into the hands of the trades that are just there to get the job done as quickly as possible.

The National Association of Home Builders found that most builders are subcontracting out over 75% of the construction of their projects. Professional custom home builders use both in-house employees as well as subcontractors when building a new home. The employees focus on the key elements of your home, like framing and finishes, to ensure the final product is exactly what you expect.

Relying Solely On Subcontractors Is Okay For Cookie Cutter Homes

Production builders rely solely on subcontractors to complete the entire project. This process works fine if you’re looking for a cookie-cutter home. They mass produce these homes on a budget, relying completely on subcontractors to get the job done.

But professional custom home builders know what your home means to you, so they have dedicated employees that ensure your new home meets your expectations. But they also know that some things are better left to the experts of the field, so they have a team of trusted subcontractors that specialize in particular elements of the build.

You might think that by using subcontractors that your builder is just taking your money without actually doing any of the work. But the truth is, even while using some in-house employees, choosing and managing subcontractors is a big job. While the subcontractors might do the physical labor, it’s your builder that needs to ensure they are the right fit for your project and that their work is the quality that is expected.

When building a new home, it’s important to have a clear understanding of the what, why, and how when it comes to your builder subcontracting parts of the build.

Understand What Will Be Subcontracted Out & Why

First, you need to have an open and honest conversation with your builder to find out what elements of the build are going to be subcontracted out. It’s during this conversation that you’ll get a clear understanding of what is the responsibility of the builder’s employees versus their subcontractors.

Then you’ll want to ask why those elements are being subcontracted out. Professional builders will have in-house employees to take care of the key elements of the build, like putting up the framing of your home and installing the finishes.

While your builder may be capable of completing other elements, like drywall, it might not be the most quality or cost-effective option for your new home. So, they’ll contract that phase to a trusted subcontractor who is a craftsman at that particular element.

Ask Your Builder How They Choose Their Subcontractors

Finally, you should ask your builder what their process is when choosing and managing their subcontractors.

Professional builders will have a list of subcontractors that they have worked with before and trust their ability to provide a quality product. Rather than just signing up the subcontractor with the lowest price. Their systems will also allow for streamlined management of each subcontractor. So you don’t have to worry about the timeline or work stopping completely because a subcontractor goes unpaid.

It doesn’t matter if you are building your first home or if you have built many times before… Building a new home can be very overwhelming, and when you hear new things for the first time, it’s not easy to remember everything.

So I’ve put together a guide for you to download. It’s completely free, and it will help you to keep your design on budget and avoid any nasty surprises that can sneak up on you when building a custom home.

Just click on the link below to download the guide now.

How can you choose a builder that builds your home to the highest quality standard?

When you work with a builder that doesn’t use site protection during construction, you’ll find yourself disappointed with the number of defects you find after you take possession of your new home.

The devastation of finding a drop of paint on your beautiful hardwood floors or a scrape on your shining glass doors is just like getting the first scratch on a brand new Range Rover. However, when you work with a professional builder that uses site protection processes for every stage of the build, this can be avoided. Choosing a professional builder that uses site protection during construction means you’ll take possession of your new home with all finishes in immaculate condition.

Site Protection Keeps Your New Home ‘New’

According to a study conducted by Zillow Group, half of new construction buyers say their main reason for building a home instead of buying an existing home is because everything is brand new. It’s the protection of the construction site that ensures everything in your new home is the quality it should be.

Average builders won’t use site protection. Instead, they’ll scramble at the end of construction to try and ‘fix’ all of the unnecessary defects that were created while your new home was being built. Or worse, some will tell you “it’s within industry standards” and make it your problem to deal with.

While professional builders have processes in place to ensure every element of your home is protected to prevent unnecessary defects. Professional builders know what your new home means to you, so they do everything in their power to make sure your home is perfect for handover.

You’re Entitled To A High-Quality Home

When you work with a builder that doesn’t use site protection, the excitement of getting the keys to your new home will soon be dampened when you find that first ‘scratch’. Many consumers believe that it simply is what it is, and they just have to expect that these things will happen. But the truth is, you invest a lot of money to build a luxury home, so you’re entitled to expect perfection and demand a high-quality product.

This is what your builder must do to make sure every element of your home will be completed to the highest standard.

What Your Builder Needs To Protect Your Home

Your builder should have a job schedule to ensure each phase of your home is completed in stages. This allows the builder to add site protection to the previous phase before the next one is completed. For example, after your flooring is installed the builder will add protection, so it isn’t disrupted when the painters come in.

Your builder should also implement a protection process for all finishes as they are delivered and installed. Typically this will include things like flooring, countertops, doors, windows, cabinetry, and screens. The site protection process for these elements includes effectively covering the areas, or storing materials, like interior doors, off-site until they are installed.

These site protection processes prevent the finishes of your new home being damaged during construction. So you can be confident that your new home won’t be riddled with damages and defects when your handover date arrives.

Designing and building a new home can be very overwhelming, and when you hear new things for the first time, it’s not easy to remember everything. So, that’s why we’ve put together a quick guide with The 7 Things You Must Know Before Designing A New Home.

It’s completely free, and it will help you to design your dream home and avoid any nasty surprises that can sneak up on you when building a custom home.

Just click on the link below to download it now.

How can you be sure the design for your new home isn’t going to exceed your budget?

When you work with a builder that doesn’t have an efficient process for designing and budgeting your new home, you could find yourself constantly redesigning your home to fit your budget.

However, when you take a collaborative approach with the three-step design process, you can be sure that your new home will be built exactly as you expect, without the extra cost. By choosing a builder that follows the three-step design process, your new home will meet the vision from your architect without blowing your budget.

It might surprise you to know that around 80% of designs are never built. The reason for this is the cost to build these designs came in way over budget.

Average builders are missing a key element on their team – a costing expert. Because of this, they design homes without a realistic knowledge of what you’re willing to spend. Resulting in a final design that costs a lot more than you bargained for and leaving you to sacrifice part of your dream home to meet your budget.

While professional builders work with you and the architect to ensure the design created for your new home can be built to your budget without cutting corners. This collaborative approach allows the team designing and building your home to focus on the details, so there are no nasty surprises later down the road.

Choose Your Builder Before Starting Your Design

One of the biggest myths when building a new home is that you need to have your designs created by an architect before speaking to a builder. But the truth is, when you send an architect’s designs to multiple builders to quote, you’ll only end up going around in circles. You’ll soon learn that the design is beyond what you’re willing to spend, leaving you to start all over and redesign your new home to fit your budget.

When you work with a builder that follows the three-step design process, you can rest assured that your new home will be designed to your vision and your budget.

Step 1: Create Your Team

Step one of the three-step design process is creating a team that will design and build your new home. This ignites the collaborative approach for designing your new home by bringing you, the architect, and the builder together. Your builder will work with your architect or help you find one to kickstart the initial discussions of designing your new home. When you establish the team for your new home, you can work together to decide on the key elements you want to be included in your new home.

Step 2: Create Your Budget

Step two of the process is to create your budget. It’s important that this step comes before designing your new home.

You, the architect, and the builder will work together to identify your budget based on what you’re willing to spend and what expectations you have.

Step 3: Design To Your Budget

Working as a team to create the budget for your new home allows the builder and the architect to work together to complete step three of the process, designing to your budget.

The collaborative approach is vital during this step. It allows the builder and the architect to join forces to ensure that the vision your architect provides based on your expectations can actually be turned into reality based on your budget.

Once you’ve decided on the perfect design for your new home, your builder will be able to start on preconstruction necessities like the scope of work documents, job schedules, and photo-realistic renders.

It doesn’t matter if you are building your first home or if you have built many times before… Designing a new home can be very overwhelming, and when you hear new things for the first time, it’s not easy to remember everything.

The tips I have covered here are just a small sample of the information I can share with you to ensure you can confidently get started on the design process. You can learn more in the downloadable guide I have put together. The 7 Things You Need to Know Before You Designing Your New Home is completely free, and it will help you choose the right builder to keep your design on budget.

Just click on the link below to download the guide now.

Do you know what a preliminary building agreement is and why it is so important to have one before you sign a contract with a builder?

When you work with a builder who doesn’t use preliminary building agreements, you run the risk of an unorganized building process resulting in defects, delays, and conflict.

Professional builders use preliminary building agreements to simplify the process for you. They are a ‘done for you’ solution that makes the construction process of your new home faster and easier for you and the builder.

In a study completed by KMPG, more than 75% of building projects exceeded their original deadlines, and over 69% exceeded their budget. But, by going into a preliminary building agreement with your builder before a contract is signed, you can rest assured that your builder can provide you with a fixed price and a guaranteed handover date.

Preliminary building agreements allow the builder to go the extra mile before construction, so when it comes to signing the contract, you can be sure that the price and the handover date won’t change.

The Team Approach Saves You Money & Stress

A lot of consumers believe that it’s them and their architect against the builder. But the truth is that when you work with a professional builder, it’s a team approach.

You, the architect, and the builder all work together to determine the expectations for your new home to then create a preliminary agreement to set everything in motion before a building contract is signed. This approach simplifies the process for you, so you only have one point of contact, and all the pre-construction details and planning are done for you. While average builders will send you in all directions to do these things for yourself.

Preliminary Building Agreements Explained

So, what exactly is a preliminary building agreement?

It’s a pre-contract agreement, sometimes referred to as a ‘prelim’ or a ‘PBA’. It’s the phase of the process after you’ve chosen, and met with, your builder, and after you’ve decided on the concepts for your new home.

A preliminary building agreement allows your builder to carefully and systematically work through the details of the construction of your new home. So they can provide you with a fixed price and guaranteed handover date when it comes time to sign the building contract.

What’s Included In A Preliminary Building Agreement

The inclusions of a preliminary building agreement can vary, depending on the builder you work with. But they will typically include the necessary arrangements and testing that need to be completed before construction.

In the preliminary building agreement phase, builders will organize for engineering and soil tests to be completed on your land. They’ll finalize the concepts of your new home and transform them into construction drawings. When they have these details finalized, they’ll create scope of works and job schedules for your entire project. They’ll also work with you to complete all the selections of finishes and colors for your new home.

The preliminary building agreement also allows builders to make the necessary arrangements for building and development approvals. By completing all of this work early, your builder can provide a detailed building contract that includes everything that will need to happen to build your dream home. Meaning they can give you a fixed-price contract with a guaranteed handover date so you can be confident your new home will be built on budget and without any unexpected delays.

It doesn’t matter if you are building your first home or if you have built many times before… Designing a new home can be very overwhelming, and when you hear new things for the first time, it’s not easy to remember everything.

Everything we’ve covered here is just a small sample of the information we can share with you to ensure you are well informed when you get started on the design process… So we’ve put together a quick guide for you to download. It’s completely free, and it will help you to keep your design on budget and avoid any nasty surprises that can sneak up on you when building a custom home.

Just click on the link below to download it now.

How can you be confident that your builder has the processes in place to ensure quality during the construction of your new home?

When you work with a builder without the quality control processes, you could find yourself disappointed with the quality of your new home. Or you could experience costly delays when your builder has to go back and fix flaws that were missed during construction.

When you choose to work with a systemized and structured building company, you can rest assured that they have the processes in place to ensure quality in every stage of construction. These quality control processes allow the builder to focus on the details of every phase of your new home, so they can find flaws before they’re covered up by the next step of the building process. This gives you the confidence that every detail of your new home has been quality checked, and your builder won’t need to delay your handover date to fix mistakes.

The Quality Control Process Your Builder Must Have

A study conducted by PlanGrid and Fails Management Institute uncovered that 52% of rework on construction projects is caused by a combination of poor project data and communication. And one of the biggest myths when building a new home is that all builders are the same, and it’s inevitable that delays will occur to fix flaws. But, that’s not the case when you work with a systemized and structured professional building company.

These professional builders have online systems and checklists that allow them to systemize the project data and identify flaws and mistakes early, so there’s no need to go back and fix them later.

Average builders have no systems or processes in place to ensure this quality. Instead, they’ll have two guys in a truck and nothing but their memory to keep track of each phase of your new home. With no systems in place, it’s impossible for these builders to ensure each element of your new home is completed to the highest quality standard.

Here are some tips to help you choose a builder that has the correct quality control processes…

Quality Control Checklists

Make sure the builder you choose uses quality control checklists. Builders that use quality control checklists ensure every last detail is checked before moving on to the next phase of your new home. By using these checklists, your builder can identify and fix flaws or hidden defects before they’re covered up by the next phase of the project.

You need to be sure your builder has one of these checklists for each phase. A professional builder will use around 7 checklists with 15-20 items per list. They will have a checklist to ensure everything is how it should be before starting construction, pouring concrete, installing drywall, roofing, and windows and before applying stucco.

A professional builder will also create a final project checklist tailored to the specific project to make sure your new home is perfect for handover.

Ask For Access To Your Builder Quality Control Checklists

Finally, ask your builder to share these checklists with you. Professional builders will have these checklists stored in their online portal, so you can log in and check them at any time from anywhere. Being able to check these lists during the construction of your new home will help give you peace of mind that the building process is going as planned.

Choosing the right builder can be very overwhelming and, when you hear new things for the first time, it’s not easy to remember everything. The tips we’ve covered here are just a small sample of the information we can share with you to ensure you are well informed when you get started on the process of designing and building your new home.

We’ve put together a guide for you to download. It’s completely free, and it will help you to keep your design on budget and choose the right builder to build your new home. Just click on the link below and complete the form to receive the free guide.

How can you be sure your new home will be completed on time?

If your builder doesn’t work to a job schedule, the handover date you’re originally promised could be pushed out for weeks or even months before you can finally move into your new home.

However, when your builder uses a job schedule throughout the entirety of the project, they can provide you with a guaranteed completion date, so there are no questions as to when your new home will be finished.

The Association of Professional Builders found that 83% of residential home builders don’t have any job schedules when they start construction of a new home. This is daunting for consumers, especially if you need to move into your new home before a certain time, like the holiday season.

No job schedules mean there is no clarity on how the project will progress. Without this clarity, it’s impossible to know exactly when your new home will be ready for you to move in.

Why Your Builder Must Have Job Schedules

When you work with an average builder that doesn’t work to job schedules, you’ll find yourself excited when the completion date is approaching only to be disappointed by the builder telling you time and time again that “it’ll just be a few more weeks”. While a professional builder will have complete job schedules, so they can include a guaranteed completion date in the contract before you even sign the dotted line.

It’s a common misconception that the handover date in your contract can’t be taken seriously because it will never be the actual handover date. However, when you work with a professional builder, they put the hard work in before you sign the contract, so they can guarantee that the date on the contract will not change.

The only way the completion date will change is if the contract changes! Variations to the contract could result in delays, but a professional builder will present the changes to the cost and schedule to you in the form of a change order. And they won’t start construction of those changes until you’re comfortable and have signed the updated contract!

How To Guarantee Your Move In Date

Here are some tips that will help you ensure that your new home will get built on time…

First, it’s important to make sure that your builder uses job schedules. Because without them, it will be impossible to know when your new home will be completed.

Professional builders use job schedules, so the entire process is laid out before construction begins. It’s this level of detail that allows them to guarantee that you’ll be able to move into your new home by a certain date. Job schedules not only help you understand when your home will be completed, but they also give you peace of mind that the construction process of your new home is going as expected.

Next, check that there is a completion date in your contract. A verbal confirmation of the date your home will be finished is not enough. It should be written in black and white on the contract you sign before building commences.

Hold Your Builder Accountable

Finally, ask your builder how you will be compensated should your new home take longer than expected. Professional builders will include this in the building contract. Having these penalties hold the builder accountable, so you can be sure that your new home will be completed as promised.

It doesn’t matter if you are building your first home or if you have built many times before… If ensuring your new home is completed by a particular date is important to you, or even if you just want to be sure there are no delays during construction, download our free guide, The 7 Things You Must Know Before Designing A New Home.

It’s completely free, and it will help you to avoid any nasty surprises that can sneak up on you when building a custom home.

Just click on the link below to download the guide now.

How can you be sure the builder you choose will ensure quality during every stage of the construction of your new home? Read on to learn tips for getting a quality home.
The last thing you want is to end up with a home that’s riddled with defects. Especially when flaws can be hidden beneath the surface, only for you to notice later when things start to go wrong.

The functionality of your new home is just as important as the aesthetic. Things like the ductwork and insulation of your new home are important, hidden elements that are part of what makes your home comfortable and efficient. And, when these parts of your new home aren’t completed to a high-quality standard, they could end up costing you a lot of money in the long run.

When you work with a builder that only focuses on what you can see, it will be the things you can’t see that will hurt you later. However, professional builders will have a quality control process that ensures quality from the very beginning. So you can rest assured that no corners are cut during any stage of the construction of your new home.

Tips For Getting A Quality Home

Your Builder Must Ensure Quality For All Phases

According to Water Damage Defense, 14,000 people in the United States experience water damage to their home each day.

When it comes to building a new home, it’s your builder’s responsibility to make sure that everything is completed to a high standard to ensure there are no leaks in your new home. It’s the same story for every other phase of your new home too.

Average builders don’t have a quality control process to ensure the quality of these important elements during the construction of your new home. Instead, they focus on the aesthetics of the finishes rather than the functionality of what makes your home livable.

While professional builders have a comprehensive quality control process that documents every stage of the process. You’ll have online access to photographic timelines and daily logs so you can see exactly what is going on, 24/7. Not only that, but they will also provide you with a warranty after your home is completed, to guarantee that the materials and workmanship of your new home will pass the test of time. They can provide this guarantee because they use pre-start checklists before each milestone begins to make sure that any issues can be fixed before they’re covered up.

There are a few things you should look out for to make sure your builder has a quality control process in place.

Choose A Builder That Keeps A Daily Log

First, make sure your builder uses a system that keeps a daily log of the construction of your new home. Professional builders will use an online portal, like BuilderTrend, to keep track of every step of the process. This is important because it ensures that everything is documented, so no one has to rely on the builder’s memory.

It also means that you, and the owner of the builder company, can check the information at any time. So concerns can be raised before that aspect is covered by the next stage of the build.

Next, be sure that your builder’s quality control process includes a photographic timeline. This is more than just the photos of your finished home, too.

Everything should be photographed before work begins on each element, as well as during and after. The images should be stored in the online client portal along with the daily logs. So everyone involved in the construction of your new home, including the company owner, can review them.

Having a photographic timeline can speed up the building process of your new home and prevent costly delays. You and the team working on your new home can use the photos to magnify any issues that need to be fixed before the work on that stage even begins. This is important because it shows a visual record that there are no hidden mistakes.

The Importance Of Pre-Start Checklists

Finally, ask to see your builder’s pre-start checklists.

Your builder should have one for each important stage of the building process, like foundation, framing, drywall, roofing, etc. This is the icing on the cake to truly make sure every element of your new home is built with the highest quality. The checklists help your builder to focus on the details and make sure no corners are cut when building your new home.

If your builder uses daily logs, photographs, and pre-start checklists when building your new home, you can rest assured that your home’s functionality, and aesthetics, will be of high quality.

It doesn’t matter if you are building your first home or if you have built many times before… Choosing a builder that can build you a quality home can be very overwhelming and, when you hear new things for the first time, it’s not easy to remember everything.

All the tips for getting a quality home I have covered here are just a small sample of the information I can share with you to ensure you are well informed when you choose a builder and start designing your new home. So I’ve put together a quick guide for you to download. It’s completely free, and it will help you to avoid any nasty surprises that can sneak up on you when building a custom home.

Just click on the link below to download the guide now.

How can you be sure that your builder will build your new home to the quality you expect?

If you don’t do the legwork before you sign a contract, you could end up bitterly disappointed with the level of quality, which is far below what you believe you are paying for.

However, there are builders that will go through the process with you before signing a building contract to ensure every last detail of your new home is exactly what you expect. By working with a builder who has this level of attention to detail, you can rest assured that you’ll get the home you’ve always dreamt of, without any nasty surprises or extra stress along the way. They’ll work closely with you to ensure they understand your expectations so they can build your new home to the highest quality.

A study completed by Growth From Knowledge identified that new construction buyers are primarily concerned that they won’t find out about defects and issues until it’s too late. Average builders don’t have the systems in place to make sure this doesn’t happen. They rush over the design phase of the process and defer the selection of the finishes for your new home until after you’ve signed the contract.

Meanwhile, Professional Builders will be giving their attention to every last detail to make sure nothing is left to chance. They will work with you and the architect during the design phase and make sure all final selections are made so they can be included in your contract before construction begins. Not only that, but they also have systems to track and document all of this so nothing is missed.

Choose A Builder With The Right Systems

So don’t work with a builder that only adds to the stress of building a new home… Instead, choose a professional builder that has the systems in place to make sure your new home meets, or even exceeds, your expectations. When you do this, you won’t have to worry about unexpected delays, wrong items being installed, or worse, a finished home that simply doesn’t meet your expectations.

A common myth when building a new home is that all builders are the same and they simply don’t care about quality. And that they just want to get in and get the job done, no matter what the consequences. However, there are builders out there that strive for perfection and have the systems and processes in place to deliver just that.

Here are some tips that will help you to get the home that you’ve always dreamt of.

The Importance Of Planning

First of all, your planning during the design phase is extremely important. It’s your chance to visually communicate exactly what you expect to the team that will design and build your new home.

So, start by collecting photos and ideas of things you’d like to be included. The internet is jam-packed with inspiration for new homes! When you start searching, create a folder of photos that will inspire the design of your home. You could also use clippings from magazines, save photos from the Houzz website, as well as taking ideas from homes your builder has previously completed.

Next, you’ll want to get specific on the details for the finishes of your new home. And I don’t mean just stating that you want black chrome faucets or grey marble countertops. Decide on what you want and document the model numbers for that exact product. When you use generic descriptions in the selections for your finishes, it allows a builder to potentially choose a product that isn’t of the standard you expected. By documenting exact model numbers for your finishes, you’ll know that the exact tiles, cabinets, or benchtops you choose will be the exact ones that will be installed in your home.

Processes The Guarantee Quality

Finally, ask your builder about their processes for ensuring quality. If they can’t answer this, that is a cause for concern.

Professional builders will have processes in place to make sure every last detail is the quality that you expect. They will have an online portal where you can make or share your selections during the design phase, so you and your builder are clear what the finishes will be.

It doesn’t matter if you are building your first home or if you have built many times before. Designing a new home can be very overwhelming, and when you hear new things for the first time, it’s not easy to remember everything.

All the tips I’ve covered here are just a small sample of the information I can share with you to ensure you get the home you’ve always dreamt of. So, I’ve put together a quick guide for you to download. It’s completely free, and it will help you to keep your design on budget and avoid any nasty surprises that can sneak up on you when building a custom home.

Just click on the link below to download The 7 Things You Must Know Before Designing A New Home now.

Are you afraid of sharing your true budget because you fear your builder will only increase their margins the more you’re willing to spend?

You might’ve been told that you shouldn’t reveal your true budget to a builder because, even if they can do it for less, they’ll always take your figure and make up the difference by increasing their margin or adding items that you don’t actually need.

However, this is a myth because market forces keep builders honest at this stage of the process so you needn’t worry about being overcharged.

Truth is, at this stage of the process, you are not negotiating the price of your contract, you are simply attempting to establish what can be built for your budget… And the only way to do that is by being open and honest about your budget with a professional builder before the design is started.

Building a relationship with your builder from the start will help you gain confidence that you’re getting what you pay for and that disclosing your true budget won’t disadvantage you.

Trust Is Crucial When Choosing Your Builder

A recent study by Lifestory Research found that 77% of new construction buyers consider trust as a crucial factor in judging the merit of a home builder. So if you feel like you can’t trust your builder, you’re probably talking to the wrong one…

Average builders just want to hurry you through the process and get you to sign the dotted line. They don’t work with architects to make sure the designs created can actually be built without blowing your budget. Instead, they’ll give you a lowball quote on your architect’s designs and they won’t go through the necessary processes to make sure all of the plans for your new home are complete and accurate.

On the other hand, professional builders won’t sign a building contract with you until the plans for your new home are 100% complete. By working with an architect and completing a range of pre-start checklists, they make sure every last detail is included from the beginning. Because of this, professional builders are able to provide you with a fixed price contract so you can trust that the price you sign is the price you pay.

Without this, you’ll likely end up with a contract riddled with issues. Leaving you to deal with thousands of dollars in additional costs that could have been avoided.

There are a few ways you avoid unexpected costs during construction, here are some of my top tips.

Don’t Fall For The Lowest Price

First, don’t fall for the builder with the lowest price. While the lower price might look appealing, it should be a cause for concern.

When you’re comparing a bunch of quotes from different builders it’s hard to see where the value is and simply choosing the lowest price seems like the easy option. But when you do this, you’ll only end up blowing your budget trying to make up for what the builder has missed. Or worse, you’ll be left with a home that is not what you expected.

Therefore, it’s important to dig deeper and not just look at the price… Because the builder with the lowest price has usually made expensive mistakes or missed key elements completely. So take your time and go through your quote with a fine-tooth comb to make sure everything you requested has been accounted for.

And keep an eye out for allowances! If a builder has set very low allowances for any aspect of your build, you’ll be the one that has to pay the difference later down the track. A professional builder will have done their due diligence and provided you with a fixed price for the complete project before you sign anything.

Find Out What Is And Isn’t Included

Next, get clear on your builder’s scope of work and make sure you understand everything that is and isn’t included. If your builder is vague about this, or reluctant to provide this information, consider that a red flag.

A professional builder will have complete plans created so they will be able to tell you exactly when particular stages will commence, and even provide job schedules to lay the entire process out for you. Their fixed price contracts will also include an itemized list of every inclusion so there is no confusion on what will and won’t be a part of your finished home. And remember, completed plans are more than just the architect’s drawings. They should include the minor details too, like complete drawings of your kitchen layout, the exact tiles that will be installed in your bathroom, the materials used for countertops and everything in between.

Your Perception Of Quality

Finally, make sure you and your builder are clear about your expectations of quality finishes. Quality is down to perception – for example, in the car industry some people might consider a Mercedes as their idea of high quality where others think of a Bentley. If you don’t communicate your perception of quality to your builder, you could end up disappointed with the finished product.

So, it doesn’t matter if you are building your first home or if you have built many times before… Deciding to build a new home can be very overwhelming. The tips I’ve covered here are just a sample of the information I can share with you to ensure you are able to confidently get started on the design process.

You can learn more in the downloadable quick guide I have put together, The 7 Things You Must Know Before Designing Your New Home. It’s completely free, and it will help you stay on budget and avoid those builders who hit you with hidden charges.

Just click on the link below to download the guide now.

Are you concerned that the price you are quoted won’t be the price you’ll pay for your new home?

You might believe that keeping your budget to yourself, or not giving away your actual budget to your builder will help you avoid being ripped off. But this will only leave you with complications down the road, and far more headaches.

When you’re open and honest with your builder and realistic about how much you’re willing to spend, you can ensure that your new home is built exactly to your expectations of design and affordability.

Even if you’re not sure what your budget is if you’re clear about what you really want from your new home your builder can guide you through the process to help you set a budget that will get you the home you’ve always dreamt of. Professional builders will even present you with a selection of options for your design to help determine what your budget should look like.

The Collaborative Approach

According to the Design-Build Institute of America, projects that involve the builder at the design stage take 51% less time to complete than those that only involve the builder after the design has been completed.

That’s why Professional Builders are now collaborating with architects. They work to the architects’ vision of your ideal home and align that to the price you’re willing to pay. And in turn, they’ll provide you with a fixed priced building contract based on those designs so you know the price you’re quoted is the price you’ll pay.

Average builders will simply quote from the plans your architect has already created. The problem with this is, while it is highly recommended to work with an architect, they don’t take into account the important insight that only a builder can provide.

That’s why it’s important to have your builder and architect work together when preparing the design of your new home. This collaborative approach means that the home you design is exactly the home that will be built. All while staying within your budget. This contradicts what most consider the traditional method of building a home; that you need to get your designs drawn up by an architect then send those designs to builders to quote on construction.

However, when you approach an architect without including a builder, you’ll likely end up with designs that no builder can complete within your budget. And even if a builder does quote the designs within your budget, the unfortunate reality is that they are simply trying to win the job. You’ll find that important elements haven’t been accounted for, leaving you to make unwanted sacrifices to make the plans align with what you’re willing to pay.

Here are some tips that will help you build your new home inline with your budget as well as your design.

Know Your Budget

First and foremost, you need to get clear on what you’re willing to pay for your new home. Clarifying your expectations of what you truly want from your new home is important here. Take some time to think about the must-haves for your new home.

Once you know what you want, take a look around at the selling prices of similar homes. Take note of what the homes in the area are listed for and take your land cost off the final price.This will give you a ballpark figure for your budget. A bonus tip for this step is not to fall into the illusion that you can make money from building rather than buying new. Remember, this is your home, not an investment property.

However, if you’re not sure what your budget should be, talk to your builder and let them guide you through the process.

Create Your Team

When you’re clear about your budget, build your team to help design your home. Approach an architect as well as a builder from day one. An architect provides the vision and a builder turns it into reality. By beginning with this collaboration, you can ensure that no important elements of your new home are missed. As well as making sure you can actually afford the home that’s being designed for you. That’s why it’s important to be clear about your budget before you start this process. Designing to your budget is easier than creating your budget from the designs.

So, it doesn’t matter if you are building your first home or if you have built many times before… Starting the process of designing a new home can be very overwhelming and it’s not easy to remember everything you need to do to ensure your new home stays within your budget.

All the tips I’ve covered here are just a small sample of the information I can share with you to ensure you are well informed when you get started on the design process. So I’ve put together a quick guide for you to download. It’s completely free, and it will help you to keep your design on budget and avoid any nasty surprises that can sneak up on you when building a custom home.

Just click on the link below to download our guide, The 7 Things You Must Know Before Designing A New Home.