With interest rates historically low, if you’ve been thinking about building a new home or remodeling your present one, now may be just the time! Consider these important points before you make a decision.
1) WARRANTY – A reputable builder will have a written warranty and stand behind it. If defects should arise in the time period covered, the warranty would protect the home owner.
2) PERMIT – The licensed builder should obtain all necessary permits. If you choose an unlicensed builder and they choose not to obtain a permit; you may save money initially, but it may end up costing you money because your homeowners insurance may not cover any damages and you may be required to pay large municipal fines. This may not surface until you are ready to sell your home sometime in the future.
3) LICENSED – Always do business with a licensed builder. In this economy, there are many unlicensed contractors doing business. Check out your potential builder on the state government website that lists LICENSED builders.
4) INSURED SUBCONTRACTORS – It is important to have insured subcontractors in case something goes wrong with/on your property. It is also necessary that all subcontractors have legal employees. Subcontractors should be skilled in their field. It is not a good practice to hire a subcontractor that has one “jack-of-all trades” person. It is definitely desirable to have trustworthy subcontractors that have proven track records on, in, and around your property.
5) SCHEDULE – A savvy builder will have scheduling software that can show you what is scheduled daily for your project. You will know who will be on site and what they will be doing. You will know your projected completion date. A reputable builder will follow this schedule and complete your project on or close to the projected date.
6) PROJECT THOROUGHLY EVALUATED – The builder you need will have evaluated your project thoroughly so there are no monetary surprises. You will have complete information about the costs of your entire project and contracted amenities.
7) CLEANLINESS OF SITE – The best builder will keep the site generally cleaned up, in order for the site to be safe for all that work or visit the property.
QUALITY – Don’t confuse best price with value. If a builder can build for so much less, there is a reason. In home building, you definitely get what you pay for. The bitterness of poor quality lasts long after the sweetness of the price!
9) INSURANCE – A reputable builder will have liability and worker’s compensation insurance and require that subcontractors have worker’s compensation and liability insurance. If a worker were hurt or killed on your property, you don’t want a claim on your homeowner’s policy or a lawsuit.
10) LIENS – Hire a builder that participates in the state Construction Registry. Many builders do not participate in this. It is an added, documented protection for the home owner, should lien status or questions arise.
11) SUFFICIENT JOB SITE SUPERVISION – An excellent builder is on site or has a reliable supervisor to daily check the work and specifications being done. This will insure your home or remodeling project will be done the way you have specified.
12) REFERENCES – Always obtain and check out the builder’s reputation. Ask for a list of customer references from the builder and call three or four references.
Shopping for a home builder / general contracting company demands consideration for these aforementioned areas. If you are building a new home, it will probably be your biggest lifetime investment. If you’ve chosen to remodel, it is important that the end result is what you expected.
It is important to spend time gathering information and choosing the home builder that can provide you with a pleasant building experience and a home/remodeling built with utmost quality. Your decision can give you many years of grief or hopefully, many years of fulfillment and happiness.
If you are considering remodeling or building a new home in the Salt Lake City area, Gustin Construction is committed to providing you with a top-notch building experience and a quality home or remodeling project. For more information, check out our website and give us a call.
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Visit our website, http://www.gustinconstruction.com, for more information and give us a call today.
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