The 6 Most Important Factors When Choosing a Builder for Your New Home
1. Price and budget
There are specialist builders for first-time buyer homes, mid-range project homes, top-end custom designs, and for the very high budget, there are luxury builders.
There is little point in approaching a first-home builder to build a custom home because their budget, repeat design and business model will most likely prevent them from being able to be competitive in a one-off build.
Similarly, a high-end home builder just won’t want to build a small home where their margin is smaller than a more luxurious product.
2. Reputation and references
Many clients want the perceived security of a household name, with the company’s volume of completed homes guiding their choice.
It is very important to read reviews and speak to past or current clients before you sign. A good builder will have no issue with letting you speak to customers and they should be able to supply good, verifiable references.
3. Financial stability
In today’s highly competitive market, builders are cutting prices to keep busy. That looks good on paper, but cut prices are not sustainable in the long term because every business needs to make money to remain stable into the future.
You may have got the best price in town, but if the builder is not around to build for you it’s a very hollow victory.
A credit reference can be sourced from any number of online agencies.
It’s not a guarantee of performance, but it’s one of the best sources of information about the financial strength of a company. Pay particular care to check if the company pays its suppliers on time and if it has a good rating in the industry.
4. Homestyle and preferences
Most builders have a favourite area where their pricing is most competitive, so it’s wise to choose a builder that has a good sample of homes built in your proposed area.
Building within a metro area is easier than outlying suburbs because everything is close to hand. Most people don’t like to say no to work but leaning on a builder to go where they are not comfortable can bring problems like extra costs and possible delays on site, because the builder has fewer options to rely on.
When putting a price together, a builder outside his area will add a contingency in case he needs it.
You don’t want to pay for a builder’s nervousness, so find a company that’s happy and well-represented in the area you want to live in.
5. Location
Most builders have a favourite area where their pricing is most competitive, so it’s wise to choose a builder that has a good sample of homes built in your proposed area.
Building within a metro area is easier than outlying suburbs because everything is close to hand. Most people don’t like to say no to work but leaning on a builder to go where they are not comfortable can bring problems like extra costs and possible delays on site, because the builder has fewer options to rely on.
When putting a price together, a builder outside his area will add a contingency in case he needs it.
You don’t want to pay for a builder’s nervousness, so find a company that’s happy and well-represented in the area you want to live in.
6. Personality and working relationships
Many builders specialise in certain styles. If you are building a complicated, undercroft three-storey home, don’t choose a small-project home builder who specialises in single-storey display homes.
They probably won’t have the staff or trades to move onto a complex construction.
Similarly, if you are very eco-friendly and want a lot of sustainable features, look for a specialist builder who has experience in that area.
If you have a particular type of home in mind, ask the builder how many homes they have built-in that style. The company may have a beautiful portfolio of drawn designs but have never built the one you want.
The good news is that there is no cost to use Builder Finders. We are paid by the builder you have selected.
Building is an exciting time. It can also be a time of great anxiety if you choose the wrong builder. Did you know Builder Finders does not accept every builder? Many builders who apply to join the Builder Finders panel don’t make it. There is a 62 step vetting process for builders to join the panel. In addition, the Builder Finders team conducts comprehensive due diligence through reference checks, ASIC searches and CreditorWatch reports ensuring they are not insolvent. You may not be aware that in the last financial year just over 500 builders went bust. Worse still, right now there are builders in financial difficulty that are cutting corners to stay afloat. Fact is, a lot of builders will tell you what you want to hear. Engaging with one of these builders will invariably mean subpar construction of your home. No one wants that.
With Builder Finders, you are in safe hands.
Why risk it? The Builder Finders team have done all the background searches for you. We take pride in knowing our clients are dealing with some of Australia’s leading and award-winning builders. We understand the services of a builder broker may be a new concept for you. It would be our pleasure to refer customers that have used our services in the past.
Builder Finders are independent builder brokers that assist everything builder related. We are driven by a passion to match the right builder with your unique property building needs. Best of all, there is no cost to you. Contact us now at 1300 4 A BUILDER (1300 422 845).
The good news is that there is no cost to use Builder Finders. We are paid by the builder you have selected.
Building is an exciting time. It can also be a time of great anxiety if you choose the wrong builder. Did you know Builder Finders does not accept every builder. Many builders who apply to join the Builder Finders panel don’t make it. There is a 62 step vetting process for builders to join the panel. In addition, the Builder Finders team conducts comprehensive due diligence through reference checks, ASIC searches and CreditorWatch reports to ensure they are not insolvent. You may not be aware that in the last financial year just over 500 builders went bust. Worse still, right now there are builders in financial difficulty that are cutting corners to stay afloat. Fact is, a lot of builders will tell you what you want to hear. Engaging with one of these builders will invariably mean subpar construction of your home. No one wants that.
With Builder Finders, you are in safe hands.
Why risk it? The Builder Finders team have done all the background searches for you. We take pride in knowing our clients are dealing with some of Australia’s leading and award winning builders. We understand the services of a builder broker may be a new concept for you. It would be our pleasure to refer customers that have used our services in the past.