Hiring The Best Builder At The Best Price

If youre in the market to have a home built from the ground up, chances are youve discovered that hiring a builder can be a costly proposition. Make the wrong decision and you could end up paying through the nose for a house that might not meet the muster. Select a great builder who is reputable and you should get the home of your dreams at a price you can afford.

Now, here is the real kick in the pants: How can you be sure youre hiring the best possible builder at the most reasonable price? Fortunately, you do have options available to you. If you happen to own your own land, you have even more.

The best tips and tricks for keeping costs low and quality high do hinge on the type of construction youre looking at. If you are building in a subdivision or want to your choices will be a little more limited. Should you have your own land, your freedoms will be greater.

Picking A Subdivision Builder Wisely

Building in a subdivision is a great way to go if you need to have a home constructed and a lot to build it on all at once. The advantages of going this route should not be discounted. When you build in planned communities, for example, you will be able to use the amenities, youll have lots of neighbors and you can enjoy an all-in-one price. Many builders who create homes within subdivisions offer house packages that include everything even appliances and landscaping for a single price.

If this is your chosen route for buying a dream home, there are some things you should keep in mind to make sure youre getting the best builder for the best price. To ensure quality and economy both, take the time to:

Research subdivisions In many parts of the country, subdivisions each have their own distinct character. Take the time to find out where you want to live and then look at the builders who construct homes within the development. Do keep in mind that most subdivisions operate using select builders. This means you cant come in with your own builder to craft a home on a lot. Once you find the subdivision or subdivisions of your dreams, youll want to review the individual builders.

Review designs offered Builders in subdivision settings generally offer a few set models they are willing to build within that community. While they might provide for some design changes or options, the plans are mostly set in stone. Before you even start talking pricing or quality, you want to find a builder whose homes you like.

Check into reputation and pricing Once youve narrowed things down to a builder or two, its time to vet the company in question. If it is your true desire to have a dream home built, quality will matter. To ensure the best, check into a builders licensing, background and quality reports. See if any complaints have been filed with the state or the Better Business Bureau. Just because a company has a pretty model home doesnt mean it offers the best quality construction.

Do a final review of your options When youre building a home, you want the biggest bank for your buck or you should. Take a look at your final options closely and pick the builder/design/price combination that makes the most sense to you on a personal level.

Building a home in a subdivision provides options for saving money. You just have to do your homework to get the best house for the money.

Building On Your Own Land

Now, if you have your own land on which to build, youll find the money-saving opportunities are broader. In fact, there are a number of options you can take to save expenses throughout the process.

If you choose to hire a general contractor or builder to do the work and oversee the entire project, refer to the vetting steps above. You do want to make certain that quality and craftsmanship go into the job. Dont shop on pricing alone, but keep this high on the priority list.

Should you want to enjoy a great amount of cost savings, you do have the option of acting as your own general contractor. When you do this, you can cut out all of these fees from your project. This can add up to a fair amount, too. If you opt to go this route, you will have a number of responsibilities that will fall on your shoulders. They include:

Lining up blueprints If youre going to act as your own builder, you will need to arrange for blueprints and plans.

Getting the proper permits Homeowners are able to pull their own building permits for construction. Blueprints will be necessary to do this.

Hiring subcontractors It will fall to you to hire any and all subcontractors you need to complete the construction job. This can include, but isnt limited to, framers, block workers, electricians, plumbers, roofers and drywall crews.

Scheduling work Not only will you have to hire subcontractors to do work for you, but you will have to schedule them, as well. This can also include the need to schedule inspections at various phases of construction.

Paying subcontractors When you hire a general contractor, you pay that company a fee. In turn, that contractor hires and pays all the subs. If you act on your own, youll have to do this.

While theres no denying that acting as a builder requires a lot of work, doing so can save you money. You can also save expenses on building your dream home on your own land by:

Doing some of the work yourself If you can handle any piece of the construction process personally, you can cut out a subcontractor from the equation. This can save you a fair amount of money, depending on what piece it happens to be. Even if you take on some of the finishing work yourself, these expenses can add up fast in your favor.

Making your own purchases Whenever possible, buy your own materials. This will give you the opportunity to get multiple quotes, look for sales and even find close outs or seconds that can save you a fortune without cutting quality.

Handle final installations personally Even if you were unable to handle a phase of construction, chances are you can do some of the final aesthetical tasks. For example, you might be able to paint the interior and exterior of your home. Perhaps you can handle the landscaping or even the installation of the cabinets and counters. Any job that you can take on will cut a subcontractor and his or her fees out of your bottom line. Just do be sure you can really chew what youre biting off!

Hiring a great builder at a reasonable price can be done. If you take the time to explore your options thoroughly, you will find that quality and cost savings can go hand in hand.

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