When kicking off your RTM research, determining what your family wants for design and features within your budget sets the framework for a project. Doing your due diligence, shopping and getting quotes from a few different builders is a part of the process. Though everyone may offer the same services fundamentally, there may be a lot of differences outside of the price that needs to be considered when you are at this critical consideration stage. Below are some considerations when comparing estimates from different builders.
Make Sure You Are Not Comparing Apples with Oranges
The specifications and materials used when building a home will determine the life of it. Price isn’t everything and you will want to ensure that the home will have the durability to last a lifetime or longer. Also consider what all is included in the preliminary estimate. For example, when comparing a basement foundation quote, does it include the stairs and windows in the prelim estimate or will those fees be added in later on? No one likes surprises and it is critical to know if everything is included at the onset so no additional charges will come up into the project that were not previously discussed. Make sure to see if taxes are included or not so they don’t sneak up later in the process.
Checking References From Past Customers
Are there a lot of past clients endorsing the builder? B&B Homes has a long list of clients throughout Saskatchewan and Alberta that have helped us grow our company over the years. Both good and bad news travels fast, and you should ask a past client what their overall experience was like to help set your expectations for the project. This includes checking the builder’s online portfolio if they have one to see their past work for yourself.
Work With Who You Feel Comfortable With
Are you going to be connected to the same people throughout the process or change hands and be passed around to different people? This can determine whether the project runs smoothly; if the team working on your project is informed of all the details. The project can otherwise end up being more stressful with too many outside trades needing to be organized and information passed on throughout the process.
Service Work and Warranty
It is important that there is a contingency if something happens after the project is finished. Does the builder guarantee their work? What happens after the project is over is also an important consideration.
Most builders should have relatively comparable quotes. If one stands out as substantially lower and seems to be too good to be true, then it probably is. When comparing, ensure that you are taking the full picture into consideration so you end up with a dream home that you are more than satisfied with.