Tips & Tricks For Any Situation

The process of building a new home is exciting, demanding, and can be a real challenge. Signing the contract is only the beginning, and it should never be the end of your involvement in the process. Staying informed and involved in the building of your new home is essential.

While you're leaving the construction itself up to the builders, the decisions should be in your hands. Read your contract and all the paperwork carefully, and if changes come up along the way, make sure to document everything. If you decide you want an extra window in the living room, that change needs to be reflected on a signed contract. Trust us, this will save you lots of headaches later! It's also important to keep up with what is happening on the house as often as possible. Please note this doesn't mean breathing down anyone's neck! Builders are busy people, and not everyone on the crew is going to be as up to speed on the plans as you are. Take care to note the progress, and speak up if things seem to be going awry. If you didn't remember a closet in the upstairs hallway, bring it to someone's attention. You may feel as though you're being a pain, but it's a legal issue. You may be paying for what they build. Make sure it's what you wanted.

It's also important to remember that, while getting what you want out of your newly-built house is the main priority, the builders have priorities, too. And you have every right to receive a house built to safe, sturdy specifications, with a properly set foundation, even flooring, and everything else up to code. If you've hired reputable builders you should be in luck- it's their job to get this stuff right. It's also their job to fix it if any of the basic requirements fall short of what they should be.

Even while you're watching the progress, noting changes, and verifying the big stuff, try giving everyone a little slack when it comes to the small details. What a horror for builders to deal with a home owner who is screeching about the wrong doorknobs when they are trying to finish a house by deadline. Keep in mind that human errors happen. If they're big ones, then you have every right to have them corrected. If they are not what you paid for, then you have every right to speak up and have things set to rights. But if the inconsistencies are small enough to live with, won't affect your happiness with the house overall, and will be easy to change out later, then give the builders a break. Ask for a discount if you didn't get the shower door you ordered, but the one that's there works just fine. During the building process of your house, it's best to keep one eye on your contract- and the other eye on the big picture.  

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