Finding the Best General Contractor for your Project

Congratulations on your decision to have a custom home built for you.  With the right contractor, the process can and should be one that is exhilarating, creative and fun.  Unfortunately, some have had experiences that are wrought with difficulties, frustrations and leave a negative impression on the project owner. Good communication is an important factor in the outcome of your project; finding someone you can communicate well with and who you trust to communicate well with all project partners will help ensure a smooth process.

Buying land and building a home can be one of, if not the biggest, investments of your time and money, which is why investing the time into finding the right Contractor for your project is extremely important. Additionally, building your home exactly the way you want it is a very personal experience and you should partner with a contractor that you are comfortable with.  Here are some steps that we hope you will find helpful in your search for the best contractor for you.

  1. Don’t wait until you have already designed your home to start looking. Having your contractor involved in the design process is important to:
    1. Help to keep your project within budget and
    2. Inform you regarding design decisions that have construction phase implications
  2. Develop a list of contractors to interview
    1. Ask people who have gone through the process themselves
    2. Start letting friends, family and co-workers know that you are looking and ask for names of contractors
    3. Drive through the neighborhood you are building in and look for signs
  3. If needed, narrow your list to your top 3 or 4 choices
  4. When you have a list of potential builders, it’s time to start asking lots of questions
    1. Make an appointment to meet with your top 3
    2. Take along a notebook to record the information
    3. Write down your personal impressions of each – building a home is a very personal experience!
  5. Download these Builder Interview questions or prepare your own questions and bring them to the meeting. Downloadable form: https://www.visionaryhomesinc.com/selecting-a-builder/
  6. Follow up on references provided
    1. Are you happy with your home?
    2. How was the building process with this builder?
    3. If you had any problems, were they fixed promptly and properly?
    4. Would you work with this builder again?
  7. Visit homes under construction and if possible, recently completed homes

Visionary Homes would love to talk with you about your project to see if we are a good fit to build your custom home.  Regardless of where your search takes you, we hope you find a quality contractor that delivers the best possible experience for you!