12 Must Know Tips to Consider When Choosing a Custom Home Builder

With a shift in families and lifestyles, more people are choosing to build custom homes. Perhaps you can’t find exactly what you’re looking for within the current real estate market, you happened to find an amazing lot but the house currently on it is just a bit outdated for your liking, or you just want a totally new house that you know you’ll live in for years to come with all the upgrades you’ve dreamed of. Regardless of your home dreams, Trademark Development Inc. is here to give you a few tips on how to start the process.

If you are thinking about a custom home building project, it can become overwhelming very quickly, especially if you don’t know where to start. Selecting the right builder is the first and foremost important task when planning to build your custom dream home. Here are 12 must know tips to consider when choosing a custom home builder to tackle your home project and ensure it’s done right.

Selecting an Architect
An architect is an important part of your home building process however, you should choose your builder before finalizing plans with any architect. A good builder will be able to recommend an architect who has the needed level of expertise to design your dream home as well as keep costs of that design within your budget. Most established builders in your area will be familiar with or have worked with many architects and should be able to advise you on who will suit your design needs. It’s important to include your builder in the architectural design process as they can provide you with input on any construction problems that may arise before construction begins.

Choosing Your Building Site
It’s one thing to envision your dream home but it’s another thing to find the ideal place for it to be constructed. Based on your design and home vision, your builder can advise you on what kind of lot would be best, if lot resurfacing or alterations are needed, excavation costs, land purchasing, tree removal and grading, consultations with engineers and surveyors and work through any issues with you. Your builder will be able to let you know of any upfront costs or requirements to have your dream home lot prepared and ready for construction.

Finding Subcontractors
There are many different subcontractors who offer a wide range of services and all at different price points. In most cases, your builder will have worked with many if not all of them at some point. It’s important to know that the quality of your subcontractors can make your project a successful one or the opposite. Your builder can act as a referral source for the contractors they are confident in and are cost effective as well as a coordinate all contracting teams. You should feel free to ask your builder questions about the types of subcontractors they use. The most common subcontractors used are as follows:

• Interior Designers
• Landscape Architects
• Plumbers
• Painters
• Excavators
• Roofers
• Engineers
• Lighting Specialists
• Electricians
• Carpenters
• HVAC Contractors
• Drywall Contractors

Building Experience
In terms of selecting the builder you’ll work with, you want to choose someone who has developed years of experience dealing with multiple different building and design issues. It is important that they know how to make safe and time pressured decisions when things do not go quite as planned, apart from knowing where and who to speak with should complications arise. With experience comes the knowledge of various building codes, requirements, and permits that are needed to start building in your chosen location. Do your research on your top considered home builders – look for their experience working for other home builders or contractors as well as schooling and credentials. Always try to verify the credentials provided to you by the home builder and ensure they are Tarion Registered.

Design Expertise
Chances are that you already have some sort of idea of the style of home you’d like built for you. A great place to start is by looking at homes in the area you’re thinking of building – look for homes that have the accents or design elements that you’d like in your home. This way, you’ll be able to find what builders in the area specialize in the types of designs you’d like to see incorporated in your home. Remember that different home styles and designs have different levels of expertise and skill sets that are applied to make them come to life. A simple home with a few roof accents will be much simpler to build than a Victorian Style home. Ensure the builder you choose has the right level of expertise to build the dream home you envision.

Home Builder Licensing
Home builder licensing usually comes from either a provincial or local municipal level. In Ontario particularly, contactors must have a valid license from a municipal level in order to conduct construction. It may be required by certain municipalities that subcontractors be licensed as well, for example those who work with concrete, roofers, bricklayers and insulators. You can call the municipality license office to confirm that various licenses are valid and up-to-date. By doing so, you can avoid messy legal issues that could arise during the construction of your house. Some specialty trades such as HVAC, some metal workers, electricians, and plumbers require a Certificate of Qualification (C of Q). Most importantly, keep in mind that it is illegal to be a home builder without being registered with Tarion in Ontario.

Previous Client References
An excellent home builder will let their completed works speak for itself. Quality home builders will not shy away from giving you references of their past clients. Feel free to give them a call or arrange a meeting to view their home. This is a true example of a home builders completed work so you can ask the reference about their experience working with the builder, problems and solutions, if the builder stayed within the original budget, was the project timeline met or any recommendations they have based on their experience. This may be one of the best ways to do your research on your top considered homebuilders before making a final decision.

Industry and Builder’s Warranties
As part of the building process, your home will be deemed livable to the minimal requirements by a government inspector, however this inspection does not take into account the agreements between you and your builder to ensure everything works properly. Keep in mind that issues may arise based on the season. If defects do emerge after some seasonal wear and tear, this may not be covered in your homeowners’ policy as it can be considered a construction defect. Remember to ask your builder about their warranties – depending on the builder, this information can be found in the original contract or a separate document. Different aspects of work may be guaranteed for different lengths of time. You may want to take your warranty to an attorney to review and explain to you what it actually covers. It’s also a good idea to become familiar with the Tarion Warranty and what it includes. This information can be found online but briefly, it includes a 7 year warranty on your house. If your home builder cannot provide you with at least a Tarion Warranty, you should not accept their services.

Professional Home Builders’ Organizations
Look into the professional organizations that your home builder is involved in. There are a number of different ones that range from large international organizations to smaller more local ones. A good rule to follow is choosing a builder that is involved in at least two different organizations as this adds credibility, professional responsibility and shows they are respected in their industry.

Builder’s Resale Values
Although you may be thinking that you’ll be living in your custom home for years and years to come, sometimes situations change. You should investigate your home builder’s resale values and how well they have held up over time. This is a great thing to do as the unexpected can happen, such as job transfer, having to accommodate family changes or needs – so if the time comes where you’ll have to sell your custom home, you do not want to take a huge loss. Financing may be an issue if you have taken a loan to build your custom home but may be in a situation where your home is worth less than the loan you have taken on it – this can cause issues if you need to sell or refinance. Lastly, considering equity – you may decide upon taking an additional line of credit on your home. You may not be able to receive a line of credit or other financing options if your home value is too low. It may pay to work with your realtor and look into homes that were sold recently that were completed by your considered builder.

Building Contracts
There are a few different types of contacts that you’ll run into depending on the home builder. Here are three types: Fixed Price Contract – cost are all agreed upon in advance and the cost will not fluctuate. The downside to this is that if the builder miscalculates, they will have to accept losses so they usually over quote which results in the home owners having to pay more for their home. Cost Plus Contract – this is used for projects that may be harder to estimate, for example if you as the homeowner is unsure of many specifications and wants to decide on these as the project moves forward. Due to the flexibility, the homeowner may go over budget and also gives the builder leeway to spend more money. Project Management Fee – with a project manager the client remains in control as the project manager will draw up contracts with each contractor at a fixed price on behalf of the client. The client can be as much or as little involved in the process as they’d like. Select your contract based on your budget, scope of your project and other similar projects in the area you plan on building in. It’s always a good idea to speak with an attorney before signing any contracts to ensure you fully understand all aspects.

Home Requirements Within your Budget
Finally comes the stage where you can start building out your dream home after you have successfully found a builder you’d like to work with. There are a number of things you’ll have to agree upon as well as consider based on your budget and needs.
Location: You may have an idea of the perfect location, but it’s always good to consult your builder on this as they may have suggestions for what will suit your home vision best or may have built a home in the area you are considering. Look for areas that shorten your commute to work, are near amenities, schools and review property tax amounts.

Energy Efficiency: a huge benefit to building a custom home is the ability to add energy efficient features from the ground up where ever you choose to do so based on your budget. These options usually cost more upfront but will save you more money over the long run.

Building Materials: there can be a range of costs when it comes to the building materials that will be used to construct your home. Your builder may show you various options for different sections of your home such as siding, roofing, brick, and a range of interior options for every room. Make sure to get an estimate from the builder for any materials being suggested to ensure material costs are in your budget.

Finishing Touches: adding the finishing touches on your home is what makes your vision come together. You can customize all finishes from door knobs, handles, paint colours for each room, to doors and more – it’s all up to your personal style and taste. You can work with your builder or interior designer to choose finishing options that work within your budget while achieving the look you envisioned.

Special Features: if your home needs to accommodate a family member with mobility issues, talk to your builder about how this will alter your home plans. You may have to install built-in elevators or chairs that assist with climbing the stairs. These features may mean that the house needs wider hallways, aisles in the kitchen or ramps to enter and exit the house.

With these 12 tips, you should have a better idea of what is involved in building a custom home. More importantly, you’ll now have an understanding of steps you should take in choosing the home builder who is professional and will specialize in designing the house of your dreams.

Have a consultation with Trademark Development Inc. to start your process today.