There are tons of builders out there, but depending on where you live the options could be expansive or limited. Here in Central, VA, there are tons of builders to choose from and many can build all over the Richmond Metro area. However, many build cookie-cutter homes in subdivisions that don’t offer anything unique that makes your new home a dream home. All of
us homebuyers have suffered through searching for that new home that has the perfect living area for family socialization, the right number of bedrooms, and the perfect lawn for pets. Most of the time we check off all the features on our list but the home we move into is missing something. This is why home buyers who will stop at nothing to own their dream home choose a custom home builder to design and build their new home. But, there are difficulties in figuring out how to choose the right home buyer to work with. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of the difficulties when it comes to choosing a custom home builder and provided answers to make the process as painless as possible for you.
Limited Number Of Custom Home Builders
We mentioned this in the opening paragraph, but let’s talk more about our area. Birchwood Homes is located in Goochland, but we build all over Central, VA. There are tons of builders in these counties who can build your new, custom home. But many will have limitations. It all starts with a Google search. Go to the internet on your smartphone or laptop and type in “custom home builder near me”. Google will provide websites in the top ten rankings that contain databases of local custom home builders, and if that builder has worked on their website, the top 10 rankings will also show you the custom home builders' webpage. You can also use the Google Search Results map listings to pick out some of the closest companies within your vicinity. We’ve been building homes for a long time now, so our suggestion is to try and get the top 3 in each area of the Google results.
Depending on your area, your list may only have 3 results or more than 10. But, we highly recommend keeping it to 6. 3 from the top 10 results and 3 from the Google Business Profile listings on the map.
Now before we go deeper into the specific things to look for, here’s a small list of things to research about the company which should narrow your choices of who to call.
Do they have the permits to build a custom home in your county?
Does their website have a gallery dedicated to showing off their custom home builds?
If they aren’t in your county in Central, VA, can they still do the work?
Is the builder with you from the beginning to the end (preliminary sketches till completion)?
Do they have some preset floor plans and details on how you can customize them?
Does their website have a list of standard features you can customize?
Can you add home additions to their custom home builds and are they capable of doing that themselves?
Researching the new home builder online and answering as many of these questions will help you narrow down which companies to give a call to and set up a meeting.
Is The Builder’s Style A Good Fit For You?
Every prospective home buyer has a certain look they want and in Virginia, there are some common architectural styles including Colonial Revival, Ranch, American Foursquare, and Queen Anne. Then there are modern home styles like Post Modern, Art Deco, International, and Mid-Century Modern.
Style goes beyond the look of a building. Does the homebuilder ask you questions like “how many cars do you have?”, or “are you building a family and might need more rooms?”, or here’s another. “What kind of budget do you have and what is the biggest goal for your new home?” As many questions the home builder can ask about you, your goals and your personality will help the home builder sketch, design, and build something tailored to you.
Every company also has a culture, and some builders may not have one that works for you. Do you value consistent updates? Do you want a smaller builder where you can speak with the owner and not a salesperson and then a project manager? Is that builder hiring a subcontractor and they aren’t even the ones building your house (or parts of it)? These are all things to consider and ask the builder you’re interviewing so you know they are the best fit for you. Always remember customer service is valuable because it shows how much the business cares about the future homeowners they are providing a service.
Is The Custom Home Builder Providing The Most Value For Your Budget?
Purchasing a home or building a custom home is a huge purchase. But, when you want a custom home designed and built, you have to take a look at the extra costs that go into it. We get asked all the time if building a new home is less or more expensive than purchasing a pre-existing one and the answer is always the same, it depends. The cost of building a custom home depends on various factors including shape, size, style, finish, energy efficiency, and any other custom features you want. But, it can still be cheaper than the marked-up pre-existing home you looked at last week.
We want to find a builder that provides the best value at the best price. At Birchwood Homes, we always work with our client’s budgets to the best of our ability. Here’s a list of questions you can ask the builder you contact.
What is the cost of purchasing a design you offer vs. adjusting the features of a design vs. building one completely custom?
Will the builder accept your non-negotiables to ensure they don’t skimp out on aspects of the build?
Does the builder outsource work to specific architects or 3D modelers? Can they change based on cost? Will this affect the quality of the finished product?
Is your builder planning around costly situations that can arise? Make sure they cover this and are open with you about it.
How can you track your spending when working with a custom home builder?
Do they build your home in a way to save costs but can add to it later?
There are many things to ask to be sure the builder is open and transparent about what they can do within your budget. If you’re interested in upgrades make sure the builder is open and transparent about how they can add up. Transparency is key here.
Look Into The Reputation And Tour Previous Custom Homes The Company Has Built
So let’s say you found a contractor to build your custom home. They fit your style, they have great value for your budget, and they can build to your style. Now it’s time to check out their business history, references, and completed homes. Ask plenty of questions about the company's history. For example, Birchwood Homes has been in existence for years, we’re family-owned, and we own other businesses building decks and other additions. We have references to provide you (we keep them personally), and you can check out the previously built custom homes in the photo gallery on our website.
This is a template to help you navigate this part of making your selection. Just be sure when you interview the company you get the following:
A history of the business.
Has the builder closed and reopened before under different names?
Who owns the business?
How long have they been in business?
Do they have a history of supporting their customers and homeowners who purchase their homes?
Etc.
What references do they have?
Do they have reviews on Google, Facebook, or other contractor databases like Home Advisor?
If they aren’t very active on those networks, do they have a list of references?
Do they have completed homes you can browse?
Check online and see if they have a photo gallery.
Ask the builder if you can tour previous or recently completed custom homes.
Birchwood Homes Is Honest With Your Timeline, And Your Prospective Home Builder Should Be Too
Building a custom home can take a longer time than choosing a finished design. You have to have drawings, 3D designs, lot selections, and then the build. Furthermore, there are acts of God like weather that can cause delays and material shortages. Beware custom builders who promise time frames as no one can guarantee everything will go smoothly. If your custom home is built right on schedule that’s great! But, when materials have a shortage, or a hurricane takes a random turn towards Virginia, it’s just something you can’t predict. What makes the builder a good choice is that they are open and honest.
Birchwood Homes Specializes In Custom Home Building Around Central, VA
Thanks so much for reading this post on our “home building blog”. Birchwood Homes is dedicated to answering all the questions you might have about building a custom new home. There aren’t many custom home builders in Goochland, VA (where our offices are), and there are tons of builders around the Richmond Metro Area. But finding builders who specialize in custom houses is harder to do, and we want to make sure you have the best information. If you have questions about building your custom home you can feel free to contact us.