Building your own home in Calgary is certainly an exciting project. While it’s a big project and will take time to complete, the day you move into your own home will be one of the most fulfilling days of your life.
There are a lot of steps to consider even before actual construction begins on your custom home. One of the most important of these is which experts you bring on board to help make your dream a reality.
- Do you want to partner with a home construction team that can be with you every step of the way?
- How do you find a home construction expert you can trust and who is open and transparent about the way they work?
The main point to make here is that choosing wisely is important. Pick the wrong home construction expert for your project and it will cost you not only time but money as well.
Here we take a closer look at how quality and craftsmanship are not the only factors you should be focused on when choosing your home build partners.
What can add to the cost of your custom home build?
While there is a range of hard and soft costs that contribute to the final outlay for your custom build, one of the most important factors is actually time – the longer it takes, the more you are paying for labor and other services.
Experienced builders will set a realistic time frame for completing your project so you know where you stand at each step of the process and can budget effectively. One mistake that can be made is pushing for a completion date that is extremely tight and which doesn’t give much room for maneuver.
A good builder should also be able to advise on what the best options are for your new home construction. Some builders specialize in certain areas and not in others. For example, if you are employing a traditional builder and actually want an ultra-modern home, they may not have the experience or capability that you are searching for.
It can be tempting to look at the cheapest quote and think this is the best option. There are couple of caveats here. First, a more unscrupulous builder may just quote low to get your business and then add on the extra costs at a later date. Second, cheap can often mean that you are not getting the right materials and selections for your home build.
- If your builder is using the wrong materials, or doesn’t have the right team in place, of course, it can mean you have to spend extra money correcting their mistakes.
- A building team that isn’t aware of current regulations and procedures may cost you more in your construction because, for example, the right permits haven’t been applied for.
- If your custom home builder is guiding you through the entire construction process, choosing the wrong plot, making more expensive selections than needed, and not estimating the budget effectively can all cost extra.
Check out our blog: Three Mistakes to Avoid When Choosing a Calgary Custom Home Builder.
What qualities does your home construction expert need?
With a project of this size, you need to do your due diligence when it comes to selecting your custom home builder. It’s better to take more time than try to rush everything through because you want to get moving on your project.
The four main issues to consider closely when you come to select your custom home builder are:
1. Openness and transparency
You want a builder that is not afraid of its track record. If you are spending several hundred thousand dollars to create your dream home, you should expect your partner to be not just enthusiastic but completely open about what their process and philosophy is.
This shouldn’t just be a factor at the beginning of negotiations and discussions, it should happen throughout the entire build. That’s why it’s essential to get out and speak to past clients and find out what their experience was.
At Sunset Homes, we take our clients through a three-stage process to set the right budget. The first is a fairly general ballpark figure of what we think it will cost. Once the client begins to make their selections, we can then narrow down the cost and produce a more focused budget. And, if they have any questions at any time during the project, we take the time to answer them.
Check out our blog: 3 Steps to Create the Final Budget for your Custom Home in Calgary.
2. Industry memberships
An experienced and reputable custom home builder will have membership of a number of bodies. These include:
- BILD Calgary Region
- RenoMark
- COR
- Built Green
- Progressive Home Warranty
- BBB
Sunset Homes is a member of all these groups and we believe it allows us to provide a comprehensive service to all our clients. Check out our blog: Must-Have Memberships That Make The Difference When Choosing A Custom Home Builder.
3. A strong track record
You should be looking for a custom home builder that has an impressive track record for delivering high quality builds in Calgary. Look for a list of properties they have helped develop and get out on the road to have a closer look at them.
4. Experience and flexibility
While a new custom build company may deliver a great service, there’s no real substitute for a lot of experience. If a company has a large number of properties in the area, it’s safe to say they’ve covered more than their fair share of different projects and know what to expect.
Flexibility is key when working with clients to deliver an exceptional new build. It’s important to find out how the company approaches problems and what solutions they come up with.
Why choose Sunset Homes?
As one of the leading custom home construction experts in the region, we believe we have all the building blocks in place to help you take your idea from original concept, through to design and full completion.
We’ll work with you to choose the best lot, produce an architect’s plan, establish a realistic budget and maintain costs, help you make the best selections, keep you informed through our online construction management system through every step of the construction process and in real-time, and deliver a custom home that exceeds your expectations.
Contact us today to begin planning your dream home in Calgary.
