Interviewing Home Builders: Questions to Ask

Research Home Builders Online

First things first, when contemplating building a new home on your lot. Please get to know on-your-land home builders by researching their websites and understanding what is involved when building a new home. Most home builders offer extensive online information, including floor plans, standard features, blog articles, guides, and more. You can also search for "building a home on my land" to learn more online.

Interview Multiple New Home Builders to Choose the Best

After reviewing multiple on-your-lot home builders, choose a few to contact and schedule phone calls or in-person meetings to interview your potential new home builders. Review with them what is and is not included in the base price of their new homes, as builders may differ on what they call "standard features." Like VisionMaker Homes, some builders pride themselves on offering a Turnkey Solution or Turnkey Package, which minimizes your involvement during your home build. Other builders will pitch having you perform "sweat equity" tasks during your home build to give you a significant equity position after your home is complete; however, these tasks can be daunting and may not yield as much equity as you think. From experience, I know that managing subcontractors can be daunting if it is not something you are familiar with. It can also slow your home-building process, lengthening your build timeline. At the same time, you pay more interest on your construction loan. FYI - most construction lenders now require all homes be built "turnkey" with no owner involvement in the construction management. 

Compare Builder's Value Proposition

Understanding the value each home builder offers is integral to choosing the best builder for your project. Selecting your builder may require focus or be as clear as day. Either way, avoid getting caught up in the price vs. the value offered. A lower price almost always comes with fewer features, so you must upgrade to add the features you want, which can get expensive. The upgrade options are priced with a higher profit margin than if the features were included in the home as standard. That means if you compare a builder with more value features in their home to one with fewer standard features and more upgrades, you will pay more for the "cheaper" home once you make a direct comparison.

Select Your Builder

Exciting times! You've compared builders side by side and educated yourself on the building process. Now you understand in more depth what you need to know when building a custom home on your land and what you want from the builder of your new home. Choosing your builder is a great place to be. It should be celebrated because the work you complete upfront will pay dividends once construction begins.

Ready, Set, Start Building!

Of course, we want you to choose us to build your new home on your land; however, we also want you to be informed and confident that you have made the right choice. By completing the home builder due diligence outlined above, you will have the information to make the best decision and feel confident in your choice of builder.

If you want to learn more about the option of building a new customized home on your land, even if it's just to explore if this is an option to consider, contact us by email at mybuilder@visionmakerhomes.com or give us a call at 971-900-9566 to learn more. We are here to help when you are ready!