Quality - How To Select A Renovator Or Home Builder
We hear about ‘quality’ all the time. Almost every product and service out there is promoting their brand as having the highest quality. Most of the time, as customers we can ‘assess’ the level of quality by touching and feeling a product. For a renovation or new custom home, this can be a little more difficult as you cannot touch and feel the finished product until construction is complete.
At Hillson Homes, we have learned over many years that renovation and custom home quality isn’t only about the finished product, but rather, should be present throughout the entire process.
We have prepared a few important tips for you to utilize in evaluating the ‘quality’ of, and how to select, a renovator or custom home builder using a holistic approach. This should provide you and your family with peace of mind when making the all important decision of, who will renovate or build your home.
Online Assessment
You can gain a preliminary understanding of a renovator or custom home builder in your online search. The quality they put into their website, the level of detail and technical content, customer testimonials, completed projects, and points about warranties will give you some insight.
Many times a renovator or home builder will have beautiful images of homes but talk very little of the technical details, knowledge and process. Having some detailed information about past projects demonstrates knowledge and experience and shows they are up to date on codes and industry trends.
When deciding how to select a renovator, it is important to request an in-person consultation as these additional elements are critical in your decision.
In Person Consultation
Book a meeting: Call and request a meeting with the Owner at their office. You can garner quite a bit of information by visiting their office which should reflect stability, organization and structure. You could even meet the members of their team. All these interactions will give you a feeling of quality, comfort and hopefully organization with a custom home builder.
The office is where they display their awards, licenses, memberships, testimonials, prior project information, house marketing materials and may present to you on a large screen. There are reputable builders without an office but more difficult to acquire hints about the them based on their office. Ask these builders about history, years in business, and other questions to gain a stronger understanding.
Response time: Did you receive a call back within a reasonable time? Receiving a call back two days later wouldn’t seem appropriate in this day and age and most of the time, the same day is the norm. If you feel it has been a while for a call back, this poses a risk as you go through the construction process. If you are seeing long delays to inquire on a house, imagine the delay trying to get answers in the middle of construction.
Do some research and ask questions: Do some research on any renovation or home building topics that interest you and ask the renovator. Perhaps you are interested in a high efficiency and high-performance home? The quality and detail of the response demonstrates technical expertise and is a very strong indicator of their level of professionalism and ability to carry out your project.
Presentation: Having nice professional materials for you to review mirrors quality and style. Having a brochure or company marketing materials takes an impressive amount of time and effort to create. If the builder worked hard on this aspect of their business, chances are they put the same level of quality into their work and execution.
Process: One of the important factors to consider in how to select a renovator is their process. Ask about their process from start to finish. A critical piece of the process is whether the home owner is involved in, and has transparency with, the entire project. There should be regularly scheduled meetings on site with the Client and the Project Manager where open communication takes place. Clients should also have access to some form of online construction management system so they can view their project status at any time. This speaks to the quality of the process and how easy or how stressful the experience may be.
Referrals, References, and Testimonials
Ask for 3 references who you can contact to discuss their renovation or custom home experience. Try and focus on a project which has similarities to what you are looking at carrying out. If you are looking at a renovation, seek a renovation reference. When contacting these references, be sure to ask detailed questions about the entire process, what worked well, what didn’t, would they refer them, and other detailed questions about the type of project. Request from the renovation company, other testimonials, images and examples of their work.
See Their Finished Product
Another recommendation on how to select a renovator or home builder is to use a hands-on approach by getting a tour of one of their current or previous projects. This is where you can see the finished product. Exterior finishes, stonework, roofing, custom cabinetry, paint, design, flooring, tile work, millwork, windows and doors, mechanical room organization and all the other details you will experience as you tour their product. Again, ask lots of questions, bring a note pad in case you want to ask about something later.
Professionalism and Enthusiasm
It is very motivating and positive to work with a company that is professional, holds high integrity and shares your enthusiasm.
It is always a good sign if the company belongs to local associations, such as Bild Calgary or Renomark as this demonstrates their desire to operate at a higher level. If the renovator or home builder lacks energy or excitement when you first meet them, this does not bode well for what you can expect to experience during all stages of the process. The renovator or builder should be as excited and interested in your project as you are!
Quality can be seen and felt in all aspects of your search to find the perfect renovator or custom home builder. From the online search and the initial meeting at their office to the on-site tour, you will gain valuable insight into the level of quality and experience your builder provides.
We hope this information is useful in determining how to select a renovator or custom home builder.
