Home Builder Red Flags
In this blog post, we’re discussing 10 home builder red flags! Remember, not all home builders are created equal! If you’ve landed on this blog post, you’re likely thinking about building a home. Building a home is not an easy decision that should be made lightly. After all, your home is likely the biggest investment you’ll make! One of the most important decisions you’ll make when building a home is choosing the right builder. If you choose the wrong builder, you could be setting yourself up for disappointment, stress, and even financial loss. In this blog post, we’re shedding light on some red flags you should look out for when choosing a home builder!
For those of you who are unfamiliar with Hearthside Homes, welcome to our blog! We are a home builder based in Liberty, Missouri. Our mission is to make the home building experience easy, fun, and fast! We have over 30 years of experience, and we hope that this insight will help you choose the right home builder for your project!
1). They Provide An Estimate
Most folks want to be sure that their home gets completed within their budget. If a builder provides you with an estimate, but not a firm price, you might want to look elsewhere. A good home builder will be able to give you an accurate quote for the total cost of your home. They’ll have you sign a contract with this specific amount. As long as you don’t upgrade any material selections or make any plan modifications, your home should be built without a penny more spent!
2). Lack Of Longevity
You want to make sure your builder will stay in business throughout the duration of your project! Make sure you hire a home builder that has years of experience. There are so many moving parts to building a home. You want to rest easy at night knowing that your project is in great hands!
3). No Reviews
A home builder can brag all day about their abilities and capabilities. Like any business, customer reviews speak a higher volume than anything! Be sure the builder you choose has tons of awesome Google reviews and testimonial videos. They should also be more than willing to allow you to speak with former customers.
4). High-Pressure Sales Pitch
If you feel pressured into signing a contract, that particular home builder is likely hungry for the business. Don’t make an impulsive decision just because a builder is trying to get you to quickly sign an agreement! A good, trustworthy, home builder will have a relaxed approach, answer all your questions, and be very communicative!
5). No Written Contract
As obvious as this may sound, don’t hire a home builder that doesn’t have a written agreement! Legitimate businesses have contracts set in place to avoid any confusion or misunderstanding throughout the construction process.
6). Unknown Warranty
Good home builders have a warranty! This means that a builder is confident and proud to stand by their work. At Hearthside Homes, we are pleased to offer a 1-year warranty. As a home settles, caulking might need to be replaced, a floorboard could become imbalanced, and other mild issues may occur. Your home builder should have a plan in place to address these!
7). No Proof Of Insurance
Do not hire a home builder that doesn’t have proof of insurance. Did you know, when you hire someone to work on your property you’re often considered the general contractor? This means, if someone gets injured while working on your home, you could be liable for damages! Yikes!
8). Their Communication Sucks
Are you having trouble getting an accurate quote? Have you called a prospective contractor multiple times only to get forwarded straight to voicemail? Do you have questions that aren’t being clearly answered? If a home builder’s communication sucks from the beginning, there’s a high probability that they aren’t going to be the best at communicating throughout the construction process. Save yourself the headache and hire someone you can count on!
9). They Don’t Have A Timeline
Make sure your home builder provides an accurate timeline for the completion of your home! Many home builders, and contractors in general, are very bad at predicting completion dates. They often overpromise the completion date just so you’ll give them your business. At Hearthside Homes, once we break ground on your project, you can expect your home to be move-in ready in about six months!
10). The Price Is Too Good To Be True
Go with your gut. If a quote is substantially lower than the competitors in your area, it’s probably too good to be true. Either the builder doesn’t know what they’re doing or they’re going to ask you for more money along the way.
Building Your Home With Hearthside Homes!
Believe it or not, working with a home builder doesn’t have to be stressful! At Hearthside Homes, our mission is to make the home building experience fun, easy, and fast. Since 1987, we’ve helped thousands of homeowners build a house they are truly proud of! Our goal is to make each home not only beautiful but functional and long-lasting. Your home is, after all, the space you’ll create memories with those you love most!
From the time you sign on with our team to the time you get your keys on move-in day, Hearthside Homes will walk you through it all! We pride ourselves on our friendliness, communication, and organization. Our clients love our online portal, BuilderTrend! With BuilderTrend, you’ll get frequent scheduling updates as well as progress photos from your job site. We want our customers to feel in the loop from start to finish!
Perhaps one of the most exciting things about building a home is the ability to customize the space to your unique liking! Hearthside Homes has a Design Center in Liberty, Missouri. The Design Center allows a one-stop-shopping experience for all the finishings for your new home! From flooring to paint, cabinetry, and beyond, you’ll have a great time making your home uniquely yours! For those that don’t have an eye for interior design or want some general guidance, you can count on our on-site Designer to walk you through the entire process! We want you to leave your design meeting confident with your choices!
Hearthside Homes is proud to build houses in the Kansas City, Liberty, Kearney, and Parkville areas. Click here to view our communities and current listings. To learn more about our process, feel free to check out this link on our website. If you wish to be contacted by one of our experts, fill out this form or give us a call at (816) 781-0234. Our Design Center is located at 1915 Industrial Dr #300, Liberty, MO 64068. Be sure to follow all the behind the scenes fun on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest!
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