Tips for Choosing the Right Builder For Your Home

When choosing a builder do your research beforehand, check their credentials, make sure you have a written contract and that they are reliable.

When choosing a builder for your home there are a number of things you should take into consideration. The same rules apply when building kit homes. You may choose to build your kit home yourself but you can have the entire project constructed for you by a professional builder. Many Kit homes in Victoria and in other places within Australia are being built with the help of fully qualified builders. It will cost you more to build your kit home if you hire a builder but if you are unsure of your abilities or don't have the time it can save you a lot of stress.

Do your research

Before you decide on a builder do a bit of research beforehand. You will be working closely with this person for a while and you are trusting them with your new home so you want to be happy that they are going to do a good job. Ask around friends and family as they may be able to recommend a good builder to you. If someone has had any building done by this particular builder ask if you can go and have a look at it. Find out whether they were easy to get along with, whether they were on time to work and if the cost of hiring them was reasonable.

Check their credentials

Before you hire the builder check their credentials. Make sure they are a fully qualified builder and that they are properly registered. Also make sure they are accredited with HIA (Housing Industry Association).

Contract

It is important to have a contract with your builder. This contract should include things like the start date and expected completion date of construction. It should have written in it exactly what their work includes and what their costs will be. Both parties should sign the contract and have a copy.

Price

Shop around to find the right builder that suits your price range, as well as finding someone whose work you like and who you can trust. Be upfront about what they charge as you don't want to get to the end of the job and find out that you can't afford to pay them. Be very clear about getting the costings at the beginning of the job and ask whether you need to be prepared for any unexpected costs, such as possible additions to the building or the builder finding that they need to use more materials than first anticipated.

Reliable

Make sure that your builder is reliable. You want your builder turning up when they say they will and turning up on time. If they wander in whenever they feel like it at any time of the day then the job is going to take a lot more time and cost you a lot more money. You also want someone who will contact you if they can't show because of illness or some other reason, just to let you know what is going on. You also want a builder that you can trust, so if you don't feel comfortable with them don't hire them.