Regent Homes Blog

5 Important Questions To Ask Your Home Builder

Posted by: Regent Homes, on February 18, 2014

The process of building your own home is an exciting one, but there are many, many details to handle! Building your own home allows you to customize it to your needs and preferences, but getting to the final product means making a lot of decisions. Your home builder is there to oversee the construction, but you can better equip yourself by asking these questions:

1. What standard features does the home include? What options and upgrades can I select?

The wonderful thing about building your home is that you can tailor it to your needs. You can adjust everything from the layout to the fixtures to the flooring. It’s very important, then, to understand your starting point. Talk to your home builder about the standard layout provided, and then see if and how you can modify it from there.

2. Are you licensed (where required) and insured home builder?

It never hurts to check anyone’s qualifications. Request that your home builder provide a copy of their license (if it’s required in your municipality or your state) and proof of their liability insurance. This will provide you with ease of mind in case anything goes wrong during the building of your home.

3. How and when will the final price for my home be determined?

A very important part of the home building process is establishing the final price and determining your mortgage payment. Talk to your home builder about the the financial timeline: from deciding on options, to the final price, to the mortgage application.

4. How long will my home take to complete?

Of course you want to know when you can move in and begin making your house your home! Stay in touch with your home builder about the progress, and ask about any factors that may speed up or slow down construction, such as, weather, materials, or additional features.

5. Does the community have a Home Owners Association and/or an Architectural Review Committee? If so, can you get a copy of their rules and the amount of any fees?

Your home is not an island; you’re surrounded by neighbors and part of a community. Before you begin building your home, you should know whether your designs must pass inspections by Home Owners Associations or Architectural Review Committees. You can request copies of any pertinent regulations and fees. It’s important to understand these – including any approvals needed – prior to starting construction.

Building your own home is an exciting process, but it can be a stressful one, too. There are many factors to consider and many decisions to be made, but by asking your home builder the right questions, you can make the process easy and enjoyable.

Categories: Custom Homes, New Home Owner Resources