5 things your builder should do for you

A custom builder does a million things to work with you on your dream home from collaborating with architects and coordinating with consultants to produce a design ready for construction. But there is always room to do more and we found the following little things make a custom builder go from good to great.

1) Filter choices

Choosing the flooring, tiles, wallpaper, taps, kitchen tops, etc. for your new home can be overwhelming. There are thousands of designs, colours and textures to choose from and while some may love going from showroom to showroom, it can be too much for some.

Most people prefer if their builder could edit the options for them to save time. A good builder will present to you a variety of options without overwhelming you. Having a builder’s favourite pick is also helpful for those who simply want to sit back and leave it up to the professionals to decide.

2) Protect you from inappropriate costs

Your builder can negotiate the confusing permit and constructions costs, which the various building and planning authorities may impose on you. For new projects, it’s not uncommon for your local council to apply a variety of permit fees, levies and contributions that add to the cost of a project.

Your builder can navigate through these requirements, and figure out which regulations, fees and costs are actually applicable. Such costs can range from special permit requirements, requests to replace council assets such as drainage and sewer lines, comply with additional special inspections, submit a master use permit, and so on.  Sometimes these items are simply a product of the automated systems building departments use to process permits, other times it can be proven that it is the responsibility of the jurisdiction to pay for such works.

3) Help to prioritise your budget

Design surprises are cheap compared to construction surprises so your custom builder should be transparent with project fees but also help you work out which design is the most appropriate for you. You may not be able to afford everything you envisaged in your dream home but a good builder will be able to get the most out of your budget, plot size and design ideas.

4) Useful information

Design meetings can be overwhelming and often involve drawings, sketches, floor plans, etc. At the end of the meeting you want to leave with a tidy package of information that is useful and educational. You may also want a soft copy such as a PDF document to share with friends and family. Providing such information to a client shows that your builder is organised and tidy, which reflects how he manages the building of your home. 

5) Photos

At the end of a successful building project, nothing is more rewarding than taking photos of the masterpiece. It’s a satisfying way to reflect on the project, learn from the process and capture the hard work and talent of everyone involved. Providing a full portfolio of finished project photos is also a great way to honour clients as they are anxious to share the results with friends and family.