When building your dream home, you need a partner that you can trust: one that offers high-quality craftsmanship and exceptional customer service.
While every custom home builder will specialize in different areas, the best providers tend to share many of the same characteristics.
Today, we’ll be sharing those traits with you to help you select the best custom home builder for you.
In the strictest sense, production home builders, such as DR Horton and Pulte, develop and build communities, often repeating the same few floor plans throughout, along with any amenities like pools, trails, and playgrounds. They make the majority of home design selections and may offer a few customization options to clients.
On the other hand, custom home builders provide their construction services to build any house plan with more customization decisions in the hands of the new homeowner. Some custom home builders are also developers and plan for additional amenities like clubhouses, marinas, restaurants, and entertainment spaces.
So what are the characteristics of the best custom home builders?
When you're building a new house, your builder should have experience in the plan design or style you have in mind. For example, if you're looking for rustic home design, it may not make sense to contract with a company that only builds contemporary homes. You need a partner who is knowledgeable about the unique design or style features you're looking for so that can employ the best practices to get it done correctly from the start.
If you are moving into an established community with architectural and design standards, choosing a provider with experience building in that community is a good idea. They will be well-versed in the ins and outs of plan approval and can help get your new project started faster and with fewer costly changes necessary to meet community standards.
When a builder only works in one custom home community, they can also leverage staff and resources more efficiently without worrying about traveling or being spread too thin.
The construction process can be stressful if you are left in the dark, not knowing what progress is being made or how costs are lining up against your budget.
Great home builders set clear expectations with you so that you understand the steps of building and how you will receive communications, budget updates, and progress reports. Be sure you have a clear picture of what the process will look like when you're considering a builder to know if they're a good fit for your needs.
There are a lot of steps to new construction projects, and you probably don't have the time, desire, or experience necessary to manage every one yourself.
Consider choosing a builder who offers comprehensive construction services, starting with design and even ending with interior decorating, should you desire it. Often, many of these services are included in the overall building contract and can save you time and money.
For example, a builder with an in-house design team can create plans that already meet community design, color, and style guidelines. They’ll also be able to help you spot layout or feature tweaks that can improve your new home's functionality, aesthetic appeal, and future resale value.
It seems like everyone is so busy these days, and staffing continues to be a challenge for businesses in nearly every industry. But part of setting clear expectations is giving accurate timing of when you can expect to hear back or receive information. The best home builders will give you an accurate sense of when they'll follow up, provide budget updates, or respond to your questions - and they'll keep those commitments.
When building your dream home, you need a team with attention to detail and a keen eye for quality control. The best home builders take a detailed approach to maintaining high quality. They have specialists who work closely with project managers to ensure every detail meets the proper standards.
A good construction warranty can’t be undervalued, either! When searching for builders, be sure that you ask about the warranty once the project is finished and you’ve moved in.
You'll work with your custom home builder for a good amount of time during and even after construction. So you want to be sure that you feel comfortable contacting them with questions throughout the process.
Your contractor and project managers should spend most of their time managing your project to keep it moving. So the best builders will assign a builder's liaison or team to walk you through each stage, answer questions, capture changes and requests, schedule vendor appointments, and update you on construction progress.
We hope these tips aid you in your search for the right custom home builder for your family! If living in a golf and lake community near Knoxville, Tennessee, sounds like a dream come true, we would love to share Tennessee National with you. Schedule your private tour today.
Tennessee National is the premier lake and golf community in East Tennessee and Tennessee Custom Homes is the preferred custom home builder. Our dedicated specialists provide a comprehensive service from lot selection to interior decorating and everything in between. Contact us today to learn how we can bring your family's dream home to life.
