28 Sep How to Choose the Right Builder for Your New Home
If you have taken the plunge and bought land with the aim of building your dream home, one of the most important decisions you need to make is choosing the right builder for the project. A high quality, well-built home tailored to suit your needs will enhance your lifestyle and give you the home your family will love living in for years to come. If and when the time comes to sell, a quality home that has been built to the highest standard and finished with meticulous attention to detail will ensure a significant return on your investment.
At Elliott Hardie, we are one of the leading residential building companies Canberra locals trust to create luxurious, innovative and inspiring homes to suit the Canberra lifestyle and landscape. If you aren’t sure which builder you should choose, here are some points to consider to ensure a seamless build and a result that exceeds your expectations.
Volume or Custom Builder?
Not all home builders are the same. Volume builders are large companies that construct hundreds of homes per year from a set of off the shelf templates. Custom builders, on the other hand, are typically smaller building companies that craft customised homes designed specifically for each client. They usually complete only a handful of projects in the same period. If you are wanting to create a home that is built with you and your family in mind, then a custom builder would be the best choice. However, if you are happy to select the layout, features and finishes of your home from a set catalogue, a volume builder could be the right option.
Check Their Previous Work, References and Testimonials
Once you have a building company in mind, ask to see examples of their work. Keep in mind that most builders don’t want to invade the privacy of their satisfied customers so you may not be able to physically enter properties they have built, however, they should be able to show you an extensive gallery of images of successful projects they have completed.
When it comes to references, check their website and/or social media accounts, at the very least, they should have testimonials from happy clients. A skilled, reliable and experienced builder who has consistently produced great results is going to have a large following of happy and satisfied customers.
Be Comfortable with How They Communicate
The key to a good builder-client relationship is clear communication. Choosing a builder that you get along with is important, so try to find a builder that makes you feel comfortable, that you connect with and that promptly and efficiently answers your questions and enquiries. The communication style in the beginning will usually indicate the level of involvement you can expect to have throughout the project.
The ideal building company will listen to your goals and vision and they will work hard to understand your lifestyle and make recommendations that will fit best. They should give you an accurate timeline and a comprehensive estimate in a prompt manner. They should also tell you about their building philosophy, what products they use and have good relationships with all the different contractors who will be helping build your home. The right builder should make you feel like their only customer, even though they may have other projects happening at the same time.
Are They Registered and Licensed?
All reputable building companies in Canberra must be registered and licensed. A builder’s credentials can be checked on the website https://www.mba.org.au/home/ in each state. Avoid choosing a builder who isn’t licensed as you can lose valuable protection against substandard work and poor business practices. Check if they are members of professional bodies such as Master Builders’. Organisations such as the MBA provide invaluable support and training to builders. Membership with a professional body ensures that the builder is up to date with any changes in the industry and is aware of any new or changed rules and regulations.
If you are looking for a building company in Canberra that can create a home that has been carefully designed and crafted to fit your family’s wants and needs, get in touch with the team at Elliott Hardie today. Continually striving to remain at the forefront of the industry, we are renowned for our passion and dedication to quality craftsmanship and we have many years of experience creating dream homes all over Canberra. Give us a call on 0479 106 944 or send us an enquiry online.