How To Choose The Right Custom Home Builder

Determine Your Budget

Before you consult the designer and hire an architect, you have to have an honest conversation with yourself about your financial situation — meaning your budget for this custom home build. The easiest place to begin is by determining the square footage of your home.

Most custom home builders charge clients per square foot to start. The next layer of added costs is decided by the quality of materials you’ll use. Higher-end materials mean a higher cost per square foot.

Finally, this is where research comes in, you’ll need to determine how your home’s location as well as the cost of materials will affect your final price. Of course, these two variables can vary depending on the conditions of the current market.

And never forget to add an extra 10 to 20 percent to your budget just in case. Once you start tearing down walls and digging around, you never know what issues may require additional financial attention. Of course, as the top home builders in the GTA, at Torino Construction, we try to avoid these situations at all costs.

Research Builders

Wondering how to find a home builder in your area? Before you sign any kind of contract with a custom home builder, do your homework. Access useful resources from industry associations, comb through online reviews, and ask family or friends for first-hand referrals. Chances are that if someone you know had a good experience, you will too.

Check Credentials

Even if a custom home builder passes the test of referrals and reviews with flying colors, you’ll still want to investigate the possible collaborator for their list of certifications. A reputable builder should be able to easily present you with proof of insurance, licensing, certifications, and even awards.

Meet the Builder

Even in our increasingly digital world, when you’re building a custom dream home you can’t afford to do all the talking up front on a Zoom call or an email exchange. Meet your builder in person and get to know them. You’ll be seeing a lot of each other and it’s important to determine if you can get along and communicate with each other well for the duration of the project. This is your chance to gain insight into how the contractor might approach an unforeseen circumstance on the job or respond to desired changes as the plan unfolds.

In many respects, you should treat this meeting as a job interview. Have a list of questions ready and don’t feel awkward asking a lot. You’re spending a lot of money and expecting high-quality work in return. If you have a good quality home builder in your mind, then they should be able to answer some of these questions without breaking a sweat:

• How do you make certain that the build gets done on time and within the budget agreed upon when signing our contract?
• How do you talk with your clients during construction?
• What is your preferred method of communication?
• How do you react when you encounter an unexpected problem or challenge as the home building begins?
• Where do you source your building materials from and what brands are you typically trusting when it comes to shingles, drywall, installation, lumber, etc.?
• How do you help me turn my vision for a custom home into reality?
• Can you tell me more about your design and planning process?
• Will you provide me with references from happy clients so I can see and find out more about the projects you’ve done in the past?
• Will you give me a detailed overview of every cost of my custom home-building project?
• What is your policy on warranties, each for work or the materials used on the project?
• What is your policy if a problem arises after the construction is finished? Are any follow-up repairs included in our agreed-upon costs?

Review the Contract

Even if you love the contractor, you’ve chosen and you have an incredibly good feeling about the project, protect yourself always. Review the contract carefully before you sign. Understand all the terms surrounding when payments are due and when certain stages of the project should be completed.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed or anxious there is no shame in having a lawyer, real estate agent or trusted family member review the document on your behalf. And don’t be afraid to ask your contractor to make changes — the document can’t be altered after signing and you want to get it right.

Finally, make sure you receive a copy of the contract once it’s signed and stored in a safe place so you can refer to it in the future.