How to Interview a Custom Home Builder

August 25, 2020

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Building a custom home is an exciting endeavor. However, there are a lot of details and decisions that need to be considered — one of the most important being which custom home builder you are going to work with. This is an important decision that will shape the experience you have designing and building your home. Choose the right custom home builder and your experience will be more enjoyable and far less stressful than it would be when working with a builder who cuts corners and doesn’t truly care about their clients. 

 

At 4G Design Build, we go above and beyond when it comes to our clients’ homes, and we’ve been the recipient of countless awards and recognitions because of it. Of course, if you are interested in building a custom home in Charlotte, NC, and the surrounding area, you can trust our team here at 4G to design and build your dream home in a fun, enjoyable, and stress-free way. However, our goal is to educate everyone interested in building a custom home to ensure they have the very best custom home building experience. 

How to Interview a Custom Home Builder

If you are interested in building a custom home, the first step is to find potential custom home builders to work with. Once you find a few, you’ll want to do further research and possibly an interview to see if they are a good fit. In this blog, we’ll share a few tips to ensure you find the best home builder to design and build your dream home. 

Step #1: Find a Local Home Builder

Working with a local custom home builder is important for many reasons. They will not only be familiar with the area you want to build in, but they also will be able to provide you with better, more efficient service. You can start your search for local custom home builders online by using Google or another search engine. Simple search ‘custom home builders near me’ to find some of the best home builders in your area. You also can make your search specific to your location. For example, people in Mooresville — an area we commonly build in — looking for a custom home builder could search something like ‘home builder in Mooresville, NC’ to find our team. Try optimizing your search to your specific location to find custom home builders that have experience building in that area.

Step #2: Look at the Home Builder’s Website

If you do use Google or another search engine to find custom home builders, chances are the ones they come across have a website. It’s definitely worth checking out each potential home builder’s website. The websites should provide you with information about the custom home builder, highlight any recent design and build awards they have received, and (most importantly) have clear, detailed images of the homes they have already built. Avoid builders who have websites with stock imagery of homes — a reputable custom home builder will have a sizable portfolio or gallery on their website that allows you to view some of their recent builds. 

Step #3: Check Out Reviews

Reviews say a lot about any business, especially custom home builders. There are many places you can find these reviews. Some home builders will have reviews on their website. While these are helpful, it’s best to seek reviews from other sources, such as Google Reviews, Houzz, or the BBB. If you come across home builders with reviews nowhere to be found, be cautious. This is a sign that they have little experience or went through the trouble of removing reviews due to negative client experiences. 

Step #4: Set Up a Phone Call

The best way to get a feel for a home builder without a face-to-face meeting is to hop on a phone call with them. Many custom home builders will have the option to set up a phone call or initial consultation on their website. Once you schedule a meeting with a home builder, prepare some questions to ask them in advance. Asking questions is the best way to learn more about the home builder and their process. Some questions to consider asking include:

  • How much experience do you have building custom homes?
  • How long does it take you to build a custom home?
  • About how much does it cost to build a custom home?
  • Are there any references that I can contact?
  • Can you provide addresses of homes you have built?

Remember, there is no such thing as a stupid question, especially when it is regarding an investment as large as a custom home. Asking questions will help you get a feel for the home builder and help you determine whether or not they are a good fit. 

Choosing to build a custom home is a big step, and therefore, it is important that you work with the best custom home builder. We hope that the tips above will help you with finding and interviewing potential custom home builders in your area. And don’t forget, if you’re searching for a custom home builder in NC, set up a phone call or meeting with our team here at 4G. We’ll be happy to answer any questions that you may have about building a custom home. 

If you would like to learn more about how to interview a custom home builder, check out this video! For more videos and answers to frequently asked questions related to building custom homes, be sure to subscribe to our Youtube channel and keep an eye out for the next video in our series.