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Why are you building a custom home?
The answer seems rather obvious: You want a home specific to your needs that is constructed according to your plans. When finished, it will be a long-held dream come true.
But unless your builder is a mind-reader, it will be your communication skills that leave you with no regrets when the project is over. That’s not to say there aren’t some compromises to make along the way to come within budget and fit the confines of your location and local building codes.
What you might not anticipate is the flood of options suddenly open to you. All of these choices might cause you to rethink a few of the things you thought were cut-and-dry choices. If you’re working with good builders, they’ll be willing and eager to follow your lead. Here are some ways you can get on the same page with your building team:
- Establish an open line of communication. Ask if there is a specific person you should contact throughout the process, and get on a first-name basis before ground is broken. Make sure that you feel comfortable voicing your ideas and that your questions are answered thoroughly and promptly.
- Stay connected. Go through the plans with your builders, and don’t hesitate to ask questions or suggest new ideas. Particularly in structural matters, you’ll want to make changes early in the process to save time and money. Ask for guided tours of the grounds throughout the building process. Good builders will schedule walk-throughs at critical points in the construction to make sure that electrical outlets are located where you want them, for example, or that windows open on the right view.
- Find out what sort of follow-up actions are available once the home is built. Are there warranties in place? What about a paint color that just doesn’t work once you’re living with it every day?
The saddest thing to hear at the end of a project is that a homeowner didn’t get what he or she wanted. Take steps now, from working with proven builders such as Rainey Homes to openly voicing your needs, to make sure it doesn’t happen to you.