Thursday, January 31, 2019

10 Red Flags When Hiring A Custom Home Builder



When you are looking for a custom home builder to help you build your dream house, there are some important characteristics that you need to be looking for. However, apart from searching for the best traits, there are 10 red flags that you also need to watch out for.

  1. The custom home builder asks for a sizable initial deposits or down payments before they start working on your custom home.
  2. The custom home builder does not provide any written contract. In case they do, what they present is a poorly written one.
  3. The builder offers a price that is seems too good to be true. In most cases, the state price is way lower compared to the other bids you have received.
  4. The builder cannot provide a clear work history.
  5. The Myrtle Beach custom home builder cannot or will not give a complete estimate.
  6. The builder depends mostly on allowances for their final bid.
  7. They use high pressure sales strategies.
  8. There exist several unresolved claims from the Contractor’s Board.
  9. The builder cannot provide proof that he or she has insurance.
  10. The custom home builder says your house, once built, will be used as part of their marketing strategies, and that is why you will be provided with a low rate.

A few other red flags include the builder’s inability to provide references. In case they do give you a list, there is no way for you to verify if they exist. If the builder does not want to provide you with evidence for workers compensation or insurance for general liability. Finally, the custom home builder provides you with a lump sum or an estimate that is too general and lacks important details.

Searching and choosing the best custom home builder for the construction of your dream custom home can be quite difficult and even awkward in some cases. However, you are on your way to making a huge investment so you have to be sure and confident about your decision. You have to do your homework and fully understand the procedure. If you do all these, you will surely enjoy the rewards by having a beautiful home that is built according to your specifications.

Call Dawol Homes if you want to make sure that you are working only with the best custom home builder.

Dawol Homes
3100 Dick Pond Rd # E
Myrtle Beach, SC 29588
(843) 294-2859
http://www.dawolhomes.com/
info@dawolhomes.com

Monday, January 28, 2019

12 QUESTIONS TO ASK WHEN HIRING A CUSTOM HOME BUILDER



When interviewing potential custom home builders, there are twelve questions you need to ask. The answers they provide will help you determine their communication style, their eagerness to be involved in the process, and their understanding of your project.

Questions You Have To Ask

  1. Can you work with my designer during the designing phase to make sure that we are building a home that meets the set budget?
  2. What methods and strategies do you plan to use to know the actual cost of the custom home?
  3. How do you want to be compensated for the services you render during the preconstruction phase?
  4. Is the quality and style of the house we want to have within your comfort zone?
  5. Who will manage the construction of the house and how frequently will the custom home building be supervised directly?
  6. Can I meet the project superintendent or the project manager who will sit on top of the project daily?
  7. How do you plan to address any concerns or inquiries during the construction process?
  8. How competent are the subcontractors who will be working on my custom home building project?
  9. In case there are alterations or adjustments on the design or any unexpected circumstances that will lead to additional cost, what methods will you use to inform the designer or the owner?
  10. How long do you need to complete this project?
  11. How will you be paid for your work?
  12. How will you service the warranty once the construction of my custom home is complete?

There are many things you need to track during the construction of your custom home and that is why it is crucial that the Myrtle Beach custom home builder you hire has an organized and clear system to monitor all of the aspects of the project.

The custom home builder must be able to give you certain documents to show in detail their methods and processes. He or she must present a sample of the following:

  1. Contract and preferred way of compensation
  2. Budget and thorough explanation of the tracking, invoicing, and payments of monthly billings
  3. Draw requests to a lender and complete description of the process.
  4. Lien release as well as overview of your rights under the county and state law.
  5. Construction schedule showing the building timeline, milestones, projected cash flow, and crucial decisions that should be made
  6. Change order request as well as description of the processes
  7. Warranty
  8. Maintenance and operational manual

Once the initial interview is done, don’t forget to ask the custom home builder to give a list of their past clients, at least three, and two existing clients. Get in touch with them and meet them personally. That way, you will get to hear what they have to say and obtain answers to important questions. If possible, you should also visit the houses of their past clients or at least check them out from the outside.

Here are some questions you should ask the references:

  1. Where original estimates correct?
  2. Was the custom home building project completed on time?
  3. Was the custom home building project completed on budget?
  4. Did the custom home builder require you to make decisions on a timely manner?
  5. Where the finances transparent and clear?
  6. What were the reactions of your custom home builder when faced with stressful circumstances?
  7. Did the custom home builder clearly communicate the schedule?
  8. When the project started, what role did your custom home builder take?
  9. Where there other contractors who worked for your custom home builder on the project that you will hire in case you wanted another house built?
  10. How did your custom home builder respond to callbacks?
  11. Was the project organized and clean?
  12. Were there any subcontractors who worked on the project that you want to or do not want to recommend?

Additional Research:

References don’t end with clients. You have to know the builder’s credentials and current standing with the State Contractors Board as well as the Better Business Bureau. You also need to ask your builder if they have held or currently hold contractor licenses in other states over the past ten years. If so, you should also check their track record in those states.

All builders must have insurance and bonds so be sure to search for the requirements that were set by the State Contractors Board. Ask the contractor to provide you with proof that he is bonded and insured. In case there has been an incident or claim, this does not immediately mean that the contractor is bad. However, you have to check the nature of the claim and determine if you can move forward.

Trade and supplier references also provide an excellent method to research about your custom home builder’s standing. Get in touch with key subcontractors and suppliers and inquire about the builder’s payment history. You should also ask them how it is to work with the custom home builder.

You also need to make sure that your custom home builder is financially solvent and have a good credit rating because your lender will most likely require the financial information of your contractor before he gets approved as your builder.

You also need an attorney who is well versed in contracts and construction law. Have him review the agreement that was proposed by the builder and have him edit the contract if necessary so as to protect your investment and meet your requirements. You must understand all the sections of your contract and be comfortable with the terms.

You should also have a private inspector to verify that the materials and labor being billed every month have been achieved and on site especially if you are building your custom home from cash or without a traditional construction loan.

Call Dawol Homes if you are looking for a reliable custom home builder.

Dawol Homes
3100 Dick Pond Rd # E
Myrtle Beach, SC 29588
(843) 294-2859
www.dawolhomes.com
info@dawolhomes.com