Choosing a custom home builder might just be the most important part of the building process. The right custom home builder can make building seem easier and less stressful, and the right builder can help you realize your dreams rather than dictate what you want. How do you find the right home builder when you’re ready to begin constructing your new home? You look for the most important features any builder possesses, and you use your gut instinct to decide which builder is right for you.

Look for Experience First

Experience is not something you want to skip when hiring a custom home builder. There are several levels of importance associated with experience in the building process, and you don’t want to ignore any of them. Experienced home builders know what they’re doing, and the building process is a bit more streamlined because of that. They also have the experience necessary to handle problems that crop up during the process with ease.

If something goes wrong during building, you want a builder who has the experience to handle the problem because it is not the first time they’ve dealt with setbacks in permit pulling, incorrect shipments, or even weather-related issues. Someone who has been in this situation before has experience working through it quickly and efficiently.

Photo by Alair Homes BradfordLook for exterior home pictures

Ignore Any Builder With A Bad Reputation

Does the builder you’re thinking hiring have a bad reputation? It doesn’t matter how pretty their homes are when you drive by, a builder with a bad reputation has a bad reputation for a reason. Perhaps they can’t get anything done on time and you end up paying more interest on your construction loan as a result. Perhaps they don’t listen and you end up with design features you don’t want because you felt intimidated telling the builder you don’t like their choices. Perhaps they don’t do quality work, or they just aren’t nice people who make working together easy. If your builder has a bad reputation, walk away.

Meet the Builder First

The best thing to do before you hire any builder is meet with them in person. Even if the builder has a wonderful reputation and creates beautiful custom homes, you still want to be sure you work well together. Certain personality types don’t mix, and that can cause problems in the building process. If you don’t like your builder or your personalities clash, it doesn’t matter how well the rest of your community likes the builder. You won’t enjoy this process working with someone you don’t mesh well with.

Your builder should be many things, and this list isn’t exclusive of what you should look for in a builder. These are important factors, of course, but there might be factors you consider more important when you’re choosing the person you want building your home. Be sure to make a list of your needs and wants, and use that as a starting point.