Securing a Builder

I strongly suggest enlisting the services of a qualified builder to see if your ideas are within budget or not. It is too easy to go over a budget without some restraints. Understand that a builder will not give a firm quote on the project until they have finished working blueprints in hand and have gone over a checklist of what you want. Instead, they will give a ball-park estimate only. That is all you should need for the purpose of designing.

Now, it is common to start talking with a builder at the beginning of the idea stage; get design estimates and pick their brain until the plans are ready. The rub is when, after all that time and work they put into helping you, they don’t get the job, for what ever the reason. Now I’m pretty sure that the only reason a builder would spend that much time, energy and maybe money on helping a potential client was because of an unwritten and unspoken hope that they would get the job. So in the spirit of fairness to both parties and to get the most help from a prospective builder might I suggest the following.

• Offer to pay them by the hour for their knowledge and help. They may say no but at least you can brain pick with a clear conscience that you’ve been straight with them. Builders like that.
• Also, be up front about the fact that you will be getting prices from at least two other builders before you decide on a builder. If they get the job they will probably reimburse you the money anyway.

Not only is securing a builder important for determining budget and obtaining information. A qualified builder is important to do what they do best, build. Sometimes, people get the idea that using a friend, family member or unqualified builder is a good way to save money. It most certainly is not. In the end, the costs will run up considerably. A qualified builder knows all the little intricacies for every aspect of the building process and that knowledge goes a long way to save you money. By doing things right the first time, not only does the builder save time, but he saves materials too; both lead to valuable saving on your end. Plus a qualified builder will know how to get better deals on materials at the building supply store they use which inevitably costs you less as well. Also, just as important, a qualified builder will know how to do the project correct, to code and safely.

Hiring the services of a qualified builder is very important. There are many to choose from and most builders are perfectly fine with you getting prices from different builders, just let them know that is what you are doing. We know a lot of qualified builders for all sorts of projects, if you’d like us to suggest a few, we would be happy to.