New Home Builder

12 Tips On How To Work With a New Home Builder and Their Crew...

Your relationship with your new home builder and their crew can affect how smoothly things go when building your home. Here are some suggestions when dealing with a new home builder:

1. Avoid Changes:
When changes occur it slows down the building process. Often builders are unable to charge a customer for the full cost of the changes. Even if the change order seems expensive to you, it still may not fully cover the actual cost of your changes. When you make a change it forces builders to reschedule work they have planned for other houses. A builder may need to shuffle work crews or equipment from other projects to handle your changes.

Changes can harm the morale of a crew. Craftsmen take a great deal of pride in their work. If they have to tear down and rebuild things then they may feel like they wasted a lot of time doing work that has been thrown away. Even though you may be paying for the changes, people sometimes resent destroying good work they have done.

Changes affect the momentum of a worker. Having to stop, start, and change directions can throw off the rhythm of the crew. People can do their best work when they can finish without interruptions.

2. Let the Builder be in Charge:
Any changes, questions, or concerns you have should be directed towards the general contractor. The general contractor is in charge of making sure your project runs smoothly. If you try to work directly with the crew then you are making things more difficult for everybody. The contractor knows about everything that needs to be done. The contractor needs to pass information on to all affected workers. If you try to work directly with a crew member you may disrupt the building process and cause confusion or problems.

3. Consolidate Your Communications:
Try to limit your phone calls to one call per day. If you call the builder a dozen times a day with various questions then you are making things more difficult for them. Write down all your questions and discussion items before calling the builder. This will reduce unnecessary phone calls. Builders are often working on several homes at the same time. If every homebuyer called the builder 10 times a day, then the builder would never get off the phone and wouldn’t be able to accomplish much.

4. Use Email:
Most builders have email and this is a good way to send questions or ideas to them. Also writing down your ideas or questions helps you define what it is you need and can help make your ideas and questions more precise. It can also provide a paper trail of communications. However, some things are better communicated in person or over the phone. Sometimes it is difficult to communicate the proper tone in an email. If difficulties occur then a face-to-face meeting or phone call may be more appropriate.

5. Trust the Builder:
Some homebuyers think they are experts because they have read a few books on building. Respect the talent, experience and knowledge of the builder and their crew. You can always ask questions, but then trust their judgment. You hired them to make decisions and give you guidance. Let them do the work you hired them for. The builder should be viewed as part of your “team”. Treat them like a team member rather than an adversary. There’s nothing wrong with being careful, but if you don’t trust your builder, then it will be harder for them to work with you.

6. Be Clear About What You Want:
Most builders want to listen to you and understand your needs and wants. They then try to deliver based upon what they think your expectations and needs are. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Don’t assume anything that hasn’t been agreed on. Give as much information as possible to help the builder understand you. It is a good idea to put all your questions in writing before working with your builder. Keep good notes and records. Your notes can remind you if any of your questions or ideas you have not been discussed. Organizing your ideas and questions will show that you are a better planner and this can make a builder feel more comfortable to work with you.

7. Talent is Not a Commodity:
Sometimes homeowners are overly price sensitive. A builder is not able to create a “mansion”, if you are only willing to pay for a “shack”. It is true that you do get what you pay for. A good builder will do the best they can for you, but will have to work within the constraints of your budget. It may be true that your brother-in-law could build the home at half the price- but perhaps you’ll only get half the house. A fly-by-night operator is hard to compete with, but they will not give you the work you pay for. Don’t compare the skills of a builder with 10 years of experience to somebody who has only built one house. It takes time and experience to develop talent. Talent has value. The quality of labour affects the price of that labour. You should expect to pay more for talent.

8. Building a Home is a Partnership:
Sometimes a homebuyer’s main goal is to get the most house possible while paying as little as possible. Successful partnerships require that each party feel they are being treated fairly. Builders take a lot of risk when building your home. Builders don’t want you to short change them on a fair profit. You don’t want a builder to shortchange you on the quality of your home.

Everyone wants to get the best value for what they pay. However if one person’s gain is at the expense of another, then that is not a fair partnership. If you want someone to treat you fairly then you should treat them fairly. Most builders have the same goal as you do. They want to build a home that they are proud of. They want a satisfied customer who will recommend them to future customers.

9. Visiting the Site
You should check the home regularly while it is being built. This will help you catch any mistakes early. Occasionally you may need to be there to answer questions from the subcontractors. Ask your builder when you should visit the site.

A construction site can be dangerous if you are not careful. Always look in the direction you are going. Avoid getting close to people who are using noisy or dangerous equipment – they may not notice you. Avoid walking underneath people who are working (they may drop or throw things and not realize you are below them). Avoid touching or using any tools or ladders.

10. Undone Work is Still an Expense:
Sometimes a homebuyer asks to have outlets, vents, doors, fixtures, and other finished work removed from the home after the work was already done. Then when the homebuyer gets the final bill they expect to save money for the things that they had removed from the home. When you make changes you need to pay for all labour that was done-including the labour to undo previous labour. You also need to pay for any materials that are wasted. There may be costs associated with exchanging or returning materials. Don’t expect to save money by removing or undoing work that has already been finished. You will often spend more to remove things then to leave them as they are.

11. Put Everything in Writing:
Writing can clearly define what was agreed on. Verbal agreements and conversations change over time. People forget what they said. People don’t always listen. Having things in writing makes it more solid and unchangeable. Written agreements can solve problems and clarify communication. Verbal agreements can cause confusion.

12. Talk With Your Builder if Money Becomes Tight:
People often spend more money then what they planned to. If you are approaching your spending limits then ask your builder for advise on what you can do to reduce the cost of your home. A builder would rather help you finish a home you can afford rather than having to bother you for money. Builders are not in the business of loaning money. They need to be paid as they complete the work. Builders have large expenses. They need to pay the subcontractors and suppliers. Your cash-flow problem becomes the builder’s cash-flow problem.

You expect a builder to deliver quality work and service. A builder expects you to pay them in a timely manner. If you have cash flow problems, then a builder may not be able to complete your home the way you would like. It is best to work together and plan ahead if money becomes tight. Be honest. Don’t tell people you will be paying them soon and then not be able to follow through. Don’t make promises you can’t live up to. If you don’t live up to your promises, a builder may have no choice but to abandon your project before it is finished.