1. Keeping Odd Hours
It’s a good idea to stop by and see the house a few times while it’s being built. Before going into the actual site make sure you let your home builder know for safety reasons. It’s perfectly fine to stop by or drive by unannounced to make sure work is being done. If you visit at normal houses and the site is quite, that’s an issue.
Home builders do set their own house, but if they aren’t working during the day then that means they likely won’t be sticking to your timeline. Ask your home builder about these issues. Often there is a perfectly acceptable reason as to why they weren’t at the site or why work wasn’t being done. Maybe the floors were just refinished so they couldn’t work that day or your home builder was out looking for materials. If they don’t have a good excuse or they get defensive, it’s a bad sign.
- 2. Using Drugs or Alcohol On the Job
Whatever a home builder does during their free time isn’t your concern, but if their personal life interferes with their professional time then it is. You should absolutely not tolerate any illicit drugs, alcohol, or unreasonable prescription drug use on your project site. This goes for everyone working on the site, from contractors to workmen.
- 3. Not Signing a Contract
A contract isn’t just a piece of paper- it’s a document that provides safety and protection for both you and the home builder. If anything is damaged, disputed, or even misunderstood, the contract is there for clarification. Contracts should spell out every aspect of the project from the expected work completed to the materials being used. All of this will impact the price you agree to pay. If a home builder doesn’t want to sign a contract, chances are they don’t intend to do what they say.
- 4. Having Poor Communication
You might not realize this, but communication is by far the most important thing during a project. You as homeowners should know exactly what is happening at every step. After all, you’re the ones paying for it!
It’s important to have reasonable expectations for communication though. Make sure to discuss these when signing the contract. A missed call is fine, they’re probably working, but they should be able to call you back in a timely manner. But if you’re calling during non-work hours, you’re not respecting their personal time. Some builder are okay with this, other’s aren’t. It’s best to understand all of this before one of your crosses a line by accident.
- 5. Not Following Contract Guidelines
Remember us mentioning that contract? It’s important for a reason. Some builders will agree to things but not follow through with them. Having everything spelled out and agreed upon means you can hold them accountable, and if they still refuse, you are legally protected if you fire them.
It’s not all about completing what they agreed to either. You want to make sure they’re not taking shortcuts while doing it. Some sketchy home builders will use cheaper materials than you agreed upon, pocketing the extra money. If you find out your home builder is doing this, or not following all of the contract guidelines, it’s time to fire them.
- 6. Poorly Managing Subcontractors
A custom home builder is also your project manager. It falls on them to schedule, order, and manage subcontractors like plumbers and electricians. Part of being a good home builder is their ability to hire and manage good people for the work. A good home builder will have a good professional relationship with subcontractors, will property schedule them, and will monitor their work to make sure it’s getting done right.
- 7. Stealing From You
We’re going to keep this simple. If you find out that your home builder is stealing for you, fire them immediately. It’s important to know that stealing from a job site isn’t always that easy to catch though. Sometimes they over order on purpose and tuck the excess materials away to use on personal projects, other projects, or to sell. You can catch this by comparing the bill of material to the order receipts. Some extra material is normal in case of mistakes or damages, but too much extra material is a warning sign. Honestly though, if it’s gotten to the point where you’re monitoring all deliveries the trust is lost and you should find a new home builder.
- 8. Can’t Solve Problems
The most professional, experienced, and skilled home builders will encounter problems during a project. That’s just how it works. The reason you hire a home builder though is so that they deal with this instead of you. A good home builder isn’t judged on their ability to never have a problem, but rather their ability to deal with problems when they arise.
- 9. Not Listening to You
If you feel ignored, misunderstood, or judged chances are you aren’t working with the right home builder. A good home builder should listen to what you need and want and deliver on this. If they can’t, they should reasonably be able to explain why not. One of the biggest reasons people had poor experiences with home builders is that they felt they weren’t listened to. Make sure you’re working with a home builder that really understands what you want out of a project.
- 10. Asking For Too Much Money Up Front
Every home builder will ask for some money up front, this is perfectly normal. However, anything over 15% the total amount is a big red flag. A good home builder will have enough credit to pay the rest. You don’t want to pay for work before it’s done. That’s the easiest way to ensure it won’t get done on time or up to par.
There are moments in the building process when additional money is required. Items like foundation work, plumbing, framing, roofing, flooring, or unplanned costs, will require more upfront money. Make sure when you hand over this money it’s tied to a specific milestone task. Sketchy home builders will tie money to dates, not items, which is another red flag.
It’s not always best to take the cheapest big. Remember, the saying you get what you pay for is so true in construction. If you’re paying less, expect less quality work. This could result in costlier repairs in the long run.
