Home builders seem to be just about everywhere you look. However, there are just as many stories that make the experience a little more stressful wondering what the team will be like that you choose to hire. Fortunately, you can use a predictable process when hiring a high-end custom home construction company to reduce the stress the process may bring. Use this guide to understand how to identify the best builders in the area that will give you the custom home of your dreams.

Consider Whether You Need Design and Build Services

The traditional process for building a home starts with working with a home designer, who then hands it off to the construction company. However, your custom home designer may have great concepts but the construction company may not understand how to fulfill the design. There is then a back-and-forth between the design company and the construction company trying to work out how to bring the design to life.

You want to identify your construction company early in the design process to minimize these delays. One option to make the entire process smoother is working with a company that offers cohesive design and build services. In this case, you’d look to make sure the teams work collaboratively through the entire design process, and that the builder has as much artistic talent as the designer for bringing your project to fruition.

Experience Counts

When it comes to high-end custom homes, your construction company’s experience means more than certifications or professional memberships. In this case, experience does not mean the number of years of experience in the construction industry. Rather, what you’re looking for is experience building homes that have unique designs and features. Without experience, a builder is selling hope that they can deliver what will make your home unique. Contracting based on experience reduces frustration, keeps expenses from ballooning, and ultimately will give you the custom home you want.

Visit Previous Jobs

Whenever possible, ask for other custom homes they’ve built. As a minimum, ask for pictures that highlight their work, including unique features they had to find custom solutions to build. Try to arrange a visit to view the home in person to get the full context of their work. If at all possible, arrange a conversation with the homeowners to discuss their experience with the project and the construction company. During these calls, you’re looking for both the outcome of the final project, how well it stayed within budget and on schedule, and the communication from the project lead.

Investigate Reputation and Reviews

Go beyond the projects the construction company provides as samples to investigate the company’s reputation and work. Start by checking the licenses associated with the company to confirm they’re in good standing. Then move on to check the first level of reputation by checking the Better Business Bureau, the local Chamber of Commerce, and the Home Builders Association of Metro Denver.

Next, turn to online review sites to find a range of experiences. Check their Google My Business listing, Facebook Page, or search on Angi. When reviewing the listings, be sure to see how the company responds to negative feedback in trying to resolve issues.

Confirm Builder Coverage

It’s important to work with companies that are both insured and bonded whenever you embark on a new building project. Insurance covers any accidents that may happen over the course of the building project. Without this, if one of the contractors gets hurt, they can file a claim against you and hold you legally liable for damages.

On the other hand, bonding is a way to ensure the construction company completes the job according to the contract. If they fail to do so, you can file a claim against the bond company. This gives you peace of mind that an independent third-party guarantees the company will complete the job.

Thoroughly Read Builder’s Contract

Most custom home construction companies have a template contract they use and fill in the details for a particular project. That said, get a copy of the contract template in advance so that you can read through the details and the fine print.

First, make sure you get a sense of whether it’s a fixed-cost or a cost-plus contract. A fixed-cost contract sets the total fees upfront and is not adjustable through the course of the project. A cost-plus contract means that you’re charged for the cost of materials and labor plus a fee. The cost-plus contract means that the cost may move up or down depending on the commodity price of materials at the time they’re purchased.

You also want to pay attention to the fine print details, such as what happens with delays, any provided warranties, and how they handle change orders. Also, look to see if the builder leaves you with any responsibility, such as pulling permits or arranging for waste removal.

Find Out Who Will Perform the Work

Most construction companies subcontract parts of the project to ensure experts are completing various skilled tasks. This may include plumbing, concrete work, electrical, and HVAC, just to name a few. Be sure to ask about the partners the builder plans to use on your project. This helps you identify the skill and qualification of those companies as well as the construction company.

Weigh Cost Versus Value Carefully

It’s easy to review proposals and make a decision based on cost alone. However, it’s worth taking all of the information above and weighing the value of the proposal with the cost. Oftentimes, less expensive proposals come from builders with either less experience or those that expect more from you. Consider what time and effort you’re willing to put into the project. If you want less involvement, plan to have a company that’s charging a little more.

The Denver area is perfect for building a high-end custom home. Call Denver Urban Builders at (720) 902-5773 to start the process to get started on your custom home estimate from the team that has both the experience and artistic style to bring your dream home to life.