10 Questions To Ask Your Builder

Are you searching for a builder for your new home? Here are 10 questions you should ask every builder before you start the building process.

• 1. Are you licensed?
  Go to the State of Michigan’s website and verify that the builder is licensed. Less than 15 minutes of research could save you thousands of dollars and countless headaches.
• 2. Have you, your company, your business partner, or your spouse ever lost their builder’s license?
  Many builders have been known to obtain a license in someone else’s name if they have lost their license. Check these names on the same website above to see if there are any problems.
• 3. Have you or any company you have owned been bankrupt?
  Bankruptcy = Buyer Beware!
• 4. Can you provide contact information for the last 10 homes you have built?
  Your objective is to find people (if any) who are not happy and determine why they are not happy! If the past 10 projects went well, chances are that your project will go well.
• 5. Have you ever operated under a different name?
  A common tactic is to change names (ever so slightly sometimes) when a builder gets into trouble. Find out the other names and do some research on these as well.
• 6. Have you ever not paid any suppliers or trade contractors?
  At this point you probably don’t understand exactly how liens are placed on your home. Neither do you want to learn about liens the hard way. So how do you get an answer to this question? Ask the builder for a list of his suppliers and ask the suppliers whether the builder pays all of his bills. You may want to take this a step further and ask the major suppliers in your area that are not on the builder’s list as the builder may have already not paid these suppliers and they won’t do any more business with him.
• 7. How long have you been in business?
  While a startup builder may be fine, you certainly want to consider whether you are willing to take this risk.
• 8. Can I see samples of your work?
  Nothing beats actually seeing the quality and craftsmanship of a home. You should also try to visit a home that is currently under construction as this will give you a good idea of how the builder operates and the quality that goes behind the walls.
• 9. How much will my new home cost?
  Be sure to obtain detailed specifications for your new home as this will prevent future misunderstandings. If your new home contract is less than 10-pages long, there probably isn’t enough detail.
• 10. When will my home be completed?
  Ask for a schedule up front and hold the builder accountable to this schedule.
  
  Some of these questions may seem confrontational, but we’ve all heard horror stories of homeowners who have had liens placed on their home or struggled to get their builder to complete the work 100%. It is much better to ask these questions up front rather than considering suing your builder half-way through the process. At David C. Bos Homes, we will be happy to answer all of these questions and provide you the assurance that we will take care of your new home just like we’ve done for hundreds of clients over the past thirty seven years.