Building a house is a big investment of your time and money, so you should take care in selecting a builder. Asking potential candidates these questions will help ensure you’ve found a partner who’ll help you create your dream home.
- Are you licensed and insured?
- Home many homes have you built?
- How many years have you been in business?
- Have you ever declared bankruptcy?
- Are you involved in any current or past disputes with the Kansas building commission?
- Do you have references from prior home buyers?
- Do you have any model homes available to tour?
- Do you build homes with energy-saving features?
- Can I provide my own plans, or do you only build your own?
- Have any of your homes won awards?
- Has your company won any awards?
- Who will be supervising the construction of my home?
- What is the process for making changes or upgrades during construction?
- How long after closing will the warranty period last?
- Are you working on any other projects in the area where I’ll be building?
- Can you provide a complete price for my home before I sign the contract?
- When will I receive the final price of my home?
- How often will I have access to my home during construction?
- How long does it typically take to complete a home like mine?
- What’s process for inspections, both during construction and at final walk-through, and to address any matters that need to be corrected or finalized?
DUE DILIGENCE BEFORE HIRING A BUILDER
After speaking with a potential home building candidate, check references with their recent customers, visit a current job site to see how clean it is, tour a recently completed model or private home, and visit a community of the builder’s completed homes that are 5-10 years old to see how they stand the test of time.