1. The Dos and Don’ts of Choosing a Builder
Unawareness, lack of time, physical challenges, etc are a few of the reasons why
many people find it difficult to build their house. Here are a few dos and don’ts
that might help you out:
The dos:
• Don’t pick the first builder you find. Find a minimum of three and then
examine the projects they are currently working on. One look at the materials
and the quality being used can tell you a lot. If you see bad insulation, cheap
fixtures, etc you should reject this candidate right there. Another thing you should
do is to pay attention. If you see that the sub-contractors are not happy, take it for
granted that the builder is delaying the work.
• Find out about the builder so that you get an idea about his reputation.
Check with the Chamber of Commerce, the BBB, the state government, etc.
Check to see if there are any public complaints against the builder. If yes, see if
they were solved or not. The local builders’ association will have this information.
• Ask the builder to give you a list of his clients. Talk to the client for whom
the builder is working at the moment and ask them about their experience. You
don’t need to be shy of doing all this. This is the best way to find out the truth
about the builder.
• Meet the builder in person and talk about the cost. This might seem easy
but it is not really. Unless you know how exactly you want your house to be built,
getting a quote can be difficult. Thus, deciding what you want beforehand and
going with your plan is a good idea. Remember that builders usually earn a lot
through add-ons. To avoid that, sticking to the initial plan is important. Plan well
thus.
Here are a few ideas:
1. How large you want your living room to be.
2. How many bedrooms you require
3. How many storeys.
4. The type of flooring.
5. Alarm system
6. Size of the garage
7. Central vacuum, to name a few.

2. If you don’t prepare a list and rely on the builders completely, you will be ripped
off very easily. The added stuff will burn a hole in your bank account.
The don’ts:
• Don’t let your wants overpower you. Your needs are essential. Wants can
wait.
• Don’t ever go ahead and apply for a construction loan before a contract has
been signed. Ask the contractor to give you a date of completion beforehand. If
he doesn’t, he will drag it as far as possible and you will end up paying a lot in
interest as well as to the builder. Get the date in writing thus while signing the
contract.
It is important to be very strict with the builder. Penalties will make him work on
time. Money talks really loud and he will take you seriously if you put your foot
down. If you don’t, you will be paying too much.
bembuilders.co.uk are experienced builders in Sussex England. Please stop by
our website to view our complete range of building services in the United
Kingdom.
This article first appeared at http://ej-fransen.com