Seven Questions to Ask Your Builder

Your building project is very important to you and the contractor handling it should be top notch. Finding the right builder for your project is paramount to success. If you are working with a certain contractor for the first time, you should definitely ask some questions.

To help you ask the right questions for a good working relationship, you should consider the following.

Do you have license and insurance?

The safest builders are those who are licensed. This question is short and the answer should be very direct but you could be surprised by the response of the builder. Builders insurance is necessary so that you are not held liable for any accidents that happen during and after the project. You can ask for home warranty insurance too, which will protect you in the event the builder does not complete the project in a timely manner and inside the budget. You can read more about builders insurance here if you’re unsure on what is required.

Are you currently occupied?

You need a builder that will pay apt and complete attention to your project to ensure that it comes out in the best quality. Good builders are definitely in high demand and they will not take on your project if they have too much work at hand.

What will my project cost?

This is an important question with which the project should not continue without. All factors are carefully taken into consideration to determine the cost of the project. A written contract should be followed by a quote for the project. Every aspect, including materials to be used, labour cost estimates and schedule of payments should be critically laid out. You should insist that payments should be made at finishing landmarks and not at a stated period.

What is not contained in the quote?

You should ask the builder what part of the project is not going to be included in the quote. Sometimes, items like consultant and government fees will not be added to the quote. This will help you to compare what is in the quote or out of the quote with other builders you are considering. It will also help you to be sure what has been included.

Who will pay if you make an error?

Under normal circumstances, the supervisor in charge of the project should be responsible for the standard of the work. If any member of the crew or an outsider commits a blunder on the work, the supervisor should be to blame.

How will you maintain communication?

To keep track of what is happening on the site of the job, communication is critical. A great number of issues will need your immediate attention or input. The communication channels and competency between you and the builder has to be outstanding. The builder has to be attentive and you both must function in unison for a successful project.

Can I enter the site during construction?

You should be allowed to visit the site often for inspection purposes. But you might want to be more involved than that. If you want to be allowed to participate in the project, you should ask the builder if you will be allowed access to the site for this. Because of issues pertaining to accountability, the builder might not allow you to assist the work process but it does not hurt to ask.

You will do well if you ask a builder these questions and any more you might have. A good and reputable builder should answer all your questions and more. If anyone is reluctant to answer any of your questions or is not giving you satisfactory information, you should consider not working with them. Even if their price is the lowest, their work may not be up to standard.