4. How does bidding work?
If you’re in a market where bidding is common, you’ll need to provide your architect’s plans in order for a builder to develop a proposal. Ask them about their process. Specifically you’ll want to understand the answers to these questions:
- What documents will you need to develop a bid?
- How long does it take to develop a bid?
- How do you handle follow-up questions as I’m working to understand your bid versus a competitor’s?
Bidding isn’t the only way to hire a builder. In some places, it’s hardly practiced at all. That doesn’t mean you can’t compare builders, but there’s more to understand. Perhaps, most importantly, you’ll want to understand the benefits of pre-construction services.
5. Do you offer pre-construction services?
If you’re in a market where builders don’t bid as a general practice, this is an even more important reason to opt into pre-construction services. Through those services, you’re getting the builder’s expertise on construction costs and feasibility during the design phase so you can make sure the plans and budget align, and you can start to understand the true cost of building.
You’ll want to understand the following details about your builder’s pre-construction services:
- What services and deliverables are included? Generally you should expect the builder will join you and your architect in many or even all the design meetings and they’ll deliver a budget and schedule based on the final design.
- What are the contract details? A pre-construction contract typically won’t commit you to hiring the builder to construct the project. It’s usually a separate contract, although there may be some incentives if you hire the builder for construction.
- How’s the fee structured? The details will vary from one builder to another, but it’s not uncommon for the fee to be structured in a way that’s advantageous to the homeowner’s cashflow as they’re paying multiple pros at once.
- How long does pre-construction take? Ask about the timeline for pre-construction: Should I expect it’ll add significant time to the design phase, or will it work concurrently with my architect’s process? You might also ask about the impact pre-construction will have on construction. For example, will it make for a faster transition to that next phase?
Find out more about pre-construction, and why it’s such a valuable service in the context of building a custom home or taking on a major remodel.
6. How do you ensure good collaboration with the architect during construction?
If you opt to keep your architect involved through construction, you’ll want to make sure everyone is working as a team. Find out how the builder has kept the architect informed on past projects. For example, ask:
- Can you include the architect on project updates?
- How will you involve the architect as you encounter problems or need to propose changes to the design?
- Will you invite the architect to come onsite regularly?
“You want to make sure you’re getting the house that your architect designed,” Schiffer said. To that end, he documents his projects every single day with a log of 10-plus photos and a 1–2-minute video walk-through once per week. This allows the client and the architect to see the project unfolding, and to call out anything that’s not right. Getting details like this can instill confidence that your builder will be an effective collaborator with other project partners.
7. What kind of warranty do you offer?
Builders and contractors typically warranty their work. Within our industry of windows and doors, we often say a warranty gives an indication of quality because it speaks to the manufacturer’s belief in their own product. You could think of the builder’s warranty similarly.
Ask for details like this:
- What falls under warranty — workmanship, materials, etc.?
- How long does the warranty last? One year from the date of completion is not uncommon.
- How do you make a claim?
Knowing your builder takes their warranty seriously means they’re quality minded. “We’re never going to direct [homeowners] to cut budget on building envelope systems, like mechanicals, windows, and roof,” said Heather Tankersley, Co-Owner and Vice President of Operations at Tankersley Construction in Sacramento, California. “Those are the pieces that support longevity and comfort over time.”
“Cost-plus means there’s no way to be dishonest with you. There’s no way to hide anything.”
“We’re never going to direct [homeowners] to cut budget on building envelope systems, like mechanicals, windows, and roof. Those are the pieces that support longevity and comfort over time.”
“We’re making sure you’re not leaving opportunities by the wayside, asking the good questions, and really understanding what it’s going to take to execute the project before starting. [Pre-construction] also gives you the chance to ask yourself, ‘Do I want to work with this person for the next two years?’”
