Whether you have a block of land already or are currently just thinking about building a house, the most important decision you can make is selecting the right builder for you.
There are a lot of great builders out there (and quite a few to avoid), but just because a builder has a good reputation and comes highly recrommended – it does not necessarily mean they are the best for your personal situation. There are a few key things that you need to consider before making the decision on which builder to go with, so let’s look at what they are now.
Are They Local?
While this may sounds like a ‘buy local and support the community’ type of point, it isn’t exactly. While that is good, the more important reason is that local companies don’t have as many travel costs, they know the local building regulations and have accounts with product suppliers in the area and connections with local trades people.
How is Their Communication?
How long did they take to reply to your initial contact? What was the response like? Where they fast and helpful or slow and indifferent? This can be a good guage of what their communication would be like if you actually hired them to build your new house. One of the best qualities you can find in a builder is good communication, so make sure you do your research on this point.
Do They Come Recommended?
You are sure to know several people in your community (be it friends, family or neighbours) that have built a house in the last few years. Find out what construction company they used and then ask for their honest opinion, of both positives and negatives, of what it is like to have that company construct your new home.
Do They Specialise in What You Require?
What you may not realise is that most of the major builders usually only build on flat blocks of land, this is because this makes it cheaper and easier for them. What if you require a house on a sloping block, or a granny flat construction? You will want to select a builder that specialises or has experience in the type of construction that you are looking for.
Does Their Price Fit Your Budget?
And finally we get to price. It is no point selecting a builder that fits all of the above requirements, if they are also providing you with a price that is well above the budget you have set for your house project. A tip when comparing quotes is to look at each builders list of inclusions and work out what is included in their quotes and what is considered an ‘extra’.
Granny Flats Australia provides information on small house construction, including builders, styles and the latest news from within the industry.