10 Questions To Ask A Home Builder
Brent Wells August 26, 2023
Brent Wells August 26, 2023
Building a new home in Texas is an exciting journey that demands careful consideration and planning. One of the most crucial decisions you'll make is choosing the right home builder. To ensure that your dream home becomes a reality without any hiccups, it's essential to ask the right questions before signing any contracts. We educate our clients in these questions and more, but here are the top 10 questions to ask a new home builder:
Talking to previous clients can offer valuable insights into the builder's reputation, work quality, and overall professionalism. Ask for references and take the time to contact them to get an idea of what your experience might be like. Be careful these are not cherry picked clients. If you are brave, knock on some doors in the neighborhood and ask the home owners directly. Remember online reviews are rarely accurate.
A reputable builder will not use earnest money as a profit center, but most Texas builders do. Aaron Graham, , the President of Highland Homes is famous for saying this and standing by it. He runs an amazing company.
Understanding the projected timeline for your home's construction is essential for planning your move and other aspects of your life. Be sure to get a clear idea of how long the process is expected to take.
The materials used to build your home will effect the way it feels, smells, insulates and even sounds. Ever heard a creaky roof in a wind storm, bad materials and techniques. How about a house that uses $800 in electricity per month to cool in our 110 degree August sun? Bad materials and components. Dig deep and read up on what they are using. The builder down the street many times is the same price and is 2x more efficient, simply due to a lower profit margin and caring about quality and not volume.
Did you know virtually every Texas home builder offers a 1, 2, 10 warranty? This is 1 year on the home, 2 years on mechanical (appliances, HVAC and so on), and a 10 year foundation warranty. That foundation warranty is basically in name only, call me for details. However, your REALTOR® (us) knows a few builders that offer a 2 year curb to fence warranty for the same price. Call us for details...
Change orders are a nightmare for builders and eat up profit. They don't want you doing them and make it a nightmare for you. Many builders no longer even allow it due to the cost, hassle, and pain.
All production builders have a features list, but rarely will you find an upgrades list due to the extreme amount of options. Some builders have moved to a packaged approach. You simply pick the floorplan and 'color' finishout and thats it. This keeps cost down at the expense of zero customization.
Be very, very cautious on this topic. You will hear all sorts of terms, certifications and awards about the builders home being green or efficient. Most are non-sense and have little to no real world value. A few are awesome, but buyer beware. Call us, we know who does what and who does not!
During COVID, builders would just void your contract and toss you to the curb if you raised an issue. Today is a different day and builders no longer do that. They will try to ignore the issue, slow walk it or tell you 'no' multiple times. We do have ways of resolving the issue, but not many agents do.
Seeing a builder's work in progress can give you a clearer picture of their craftsmanship and attention to detail. Requesting a visit to ongoing or completed projects can help you assess the quality of their work.
Building a new home is a significant investment, both financially and emotionally. Knowing the right questions can provide you with the information you need to make an informed decision about the right builder for your project. Remember, open communication is vital with your builder are key to ensuring a smooth and successful home-building experience.
Stay up to date on the latest real estate trends.
If you're not already familiar with the Celina story, the numbers speak for themselves.
EV-Ready Living. Light Farms offers electric car charging stations within the community.
Buying a new construction home is a fundamentally different process than buying a resale property.
You’re clearing multiple rooms, a garage, attic, shed, or light remodel debris.
You find yourself only using part of the house while the rest collects dust.
Keeping the same flooring throughout the main living areas helps create a smooth, cohesive flow.
Overpricing, even by a little, can cause a listing to sit stale — which often leads to price drops.
Every week I am visiting with many new homes sales associates and I am hearing a consistent story.
North Sky is a June 2025 favorite, with new contemporary homes featuring open layouts and smart tech.
We'd love to hear from you! Whether you're buying, selling, or just exploring your options, we're here to provide answers, insights, and the support you need. Contact us and start planning your next move.