Alair Homes
Before getting a contractor to build your house, first identify your needs and wants. One of the ways of landing a pro to construct your custom home in Hamilton is by bidding. Alair Homes Hamilton discusses a few reasons why the bidding process isn’t the best option.
How Bidding Works
The approach involves getting a design from an architect and then putting out the plans for competitive bidding. Most people will put the bid to three builders. On the surface, this seems like the best way to get the best deal, but understanding the complexities involved helps you to see that it is not the most efficient approach.
Why the Bidding Process Fails
Every builder is unique, so they are all likely to set different parameters for the same custom home. Several operations and thousands of parts go into a house. Materials are ordered, the floorplan is decided on, fixtures are incorporated and sub-contractors are hired. Therefore, it is difficult to ensure that all bids are equal. Some might include inferior materials, less qualified sub-contractors or limited warranty coverage. Other reasons why bidding might fail include:
- Builders have the notion that, regardless of what the clients say, they always want a lower bid
- Competitive bidding might discourage the best builders from bidding
- Competitive bidding gives leeway to some contractors to use shortcuts, buy low-quality materials, to hire lower-skilled artisans, less skilled project managers and other things that are not good for a homeowner
- Some builders who bid low might have hidden costs or creative ways of hiking the final costs
- The bid price is sometimes subject to change or not the entire cost of the project
- Plans and specifications allow room for builders to make some decisions, which might vary from one builder to another
If you choose to go the bidding way, ensure that estimates are incredibly detailed. Ask for written specification for tall materials and specifics about sub-contractors. Provide very detailed information about your design plan to the builders. In most cases, builders will present their bid in varying formats that are difficult to compare. When in doubt, ask more questions.
Presenting Plans to Builders
It will not change much. Remember that an architect is a creator. They can turn your vision into a plan, but they leave the details and schedule to the builder. If you feel that bidding is still the way to go, ensure that all features are included in the plan. Also, send out a template that they will use to make comparison easier.
Interviewing Builders
If you do not have a contractor in mind, the best approach is to interview about three highly qualified builders. Ask friends and family for advice. The Internet is also a useful tool. Look for trade organization affiliations, innovative approaches to communication and time management and specifics about warranty coverage. Ask to see a portfolio of work. See if you can visit some recently completed homes. Alair Homes Hamilton offers detailed discovery meetings to all prospective clients so we can get to know each other. The selection should focus on identifying a good fit, rather than the cost. Remember that you will work with the builder for months. Make sure you feel comfortable working with them.
When to Hire Your Architect
If you want to work with an architect, choose a builder before the design work begins. That way, the two professionals can work hand in hand from the start. The architect will develop a design, and the builder will offer a ballpark price. If you are not comfortable with the pricing, you can ask for adjustments.
Bidding is one way to find a general contractor to build your home, but it often is not the best approach. Make sure to compare apples to apples when looking at bids. Also, take the time to understand the value that quality customer service, open lines of communication, an extensive warranty and a strong reputation bring.
