Have you always dreamed of building a home? Starting your home-building journey is very exciting, but it’s crucial you choose the right builder to work with. After all, you don’t want to work with a builder that lacks professionalism and attention to detail. Plus, you don’t want your build timeline to take forever! Before you go and start picking out paint, tile, and other material selections, prioritize choosing the right builder for your project! In this blog post, we’re giving you tips on how to interview a Kansas City home builder. 

Before we dive in, hello and welcome to Hearthside Homes of Kansas City! We’re a semi-custom home builder based in Liberty, Missouri. Since 1987, we’ve built nearly 2,000 long-lasting homes. We currently build in the Kansas City, Parkville, Kearney, and Liberty areas. Our homes range in price from $350k-$700k. You can check out our available listings here. Don’t forget to check out our gallery! You can click here to learn more about the other communities we build in. We hope you enjoy learning more about how to interview a Kansas City home builder. 

1). Are They Licensed & Insured?

This goes without saying, but you will want to make sure that the home builder is licensed and insured. Your home is a huge investment, so this is not the time to hire an amateur or a guy off Craigslist. Did you know that if someone is uninsured and working on your property, you’re considered the general contractor? This means you could be liable if someone gets hurt while working on your project. 

2). Do They Have Experience? 

When interviewing builders, ask how long they’ve been in business and how many homes they’ve built. Are they newer to the industry or have they been around for a while? This will help you determine their level of expertise. Let’s face it, builders that have been around for a while generally have a better understanding of the scope of work. This means they’ve had time and experience to develop a process that works efficiently for them and their customers. 

Hearthside Homes has been in business since 1987. Since then we’ve built about 2,000 homes. It’s safe to say we know a thing or two about the business! 

3). What Does Their Inspection Process Look Like? 

Believe it or not, some builders don’t have a home inspection process. At Hearthside Homes, we understand that buying a home is a big deal! You want to make sure the home you purchase isn’t one you’ll regret in the future. That’s why all of our homes are inspected by third-party experts. In other words, we hire impartial third-party industry leaders to review each of our new construction homes! This comprehensive assessment involves a: 

  • Cosmetic inspection
  • Third-party HVAC duct cleaning
  • Third-party sewer line inspection
  • Third-party home inspection

Many home builders don’t subject themselves to these extensive inspections. At Hearthside Homes, we want our buyers to have confidence in their purchase! That’s why we hire impartial pros to look over our work. 

4). What Kind Of Warranty Do They Offer? 

No two builders are alike, and neither are their warranties! A good home builder will stand by their work and be willing to repair warrantable issues. 

In addition to completing a thorough inspection process, Hearthside Homes proudly offer a 12-month warranty on all of our new homes. We even have a Warranty Manager on our team to make sure you have a go-to contact to reach out to if needed. Simply put, you’ll have peace of mind when you buy with Hearthside Homes! 

5). How Long Will The Build Take?

We’ve heard countless horror stories from furious buyers because their build took way longer than initially projected. It’s okay to ask builders for an estimated completion timeline. How long have their homes taken to build in the past? If they had any delays, why?

At Hearthside Homes, we believe that transparency is crucial for all parties involved. We’re also proud of our efficient and stress-free home-building process. Once we break ground on your home, you can expect it to be completed in about 6-months. Seriously! 

6). Will There Be Unexpected Pricing Increases? 

You don’t want to have a pit in your stomach because you went way over budget while building your home. That doesn’t happen when you sign on with Hearthside Homes. Once you sign a contract, our Interior Designer will help you make material selections that are within your budget. We don’t care about upselling you, we want to help you create a beautiful home within your budget. 

Clients working with Heartside Homes have access to an online client portal, Buildertrend, where they can approve change orders for any upgrades they make throughout the process. Otherwise, the amount we agree upon at the start of the project is the amount you pay!

7). Do They Have Reviews & Testimonials?

Let’s be honest, you hardly buy anything off Amazon that doesn’t have reviews. Why would you work with a home builder that doesn’t have great testimonials? When interviewing a home builder, ask for references, testimonial videos, and Google reviews. If you see any red flags, steer clear! Click here to check out the testimonial videos from clients who’ve built with Hearthside Homes! 

8). Semi-Custom vs. Custom Home Builder

Some builders offer fully customizable homes, while other builders are semi-custom builders. A semi-custom builder allows clients to pick an expertly designed floor plan and then choose all the aesthetic components of the home. This makes the home-building process more efficient, stress-free, and way faster!

Hearthside Homes is proud to offer a wide range of expertly designed floor plans. Click here to check out our 2-story, 1.5-story, reverse, ranch, and split-style layouts. Whether you’re starting a family or an empty nester, we have a floor plan that’s sure to meet your family’s needs! Click here to learn more about the floor plans that qualify for a quick start! Our quick-start floor plans can jump-start your new build asap. 

9). Do They Have A Design Center? 

If you’re interested in building a home from the ground up, choosing material selections is probably one of the things you’re most excited about! At Hearthside Homes, our clients get access to a professional interior designer and showroom. Our Design Center has a large display of options for you to choose from. From paint to tile, cabinetry, hardware, and more, you’ll have so much fun customizing your home to your unique preferences! Our Design Center is located at 1915 Industrial Dr. #300, Liberty, MO 64068.

10). Do They Have An Online Client Communication Portal?

You want to pick a builder that understands the importance of good communication. At Hearthside Homes, we keep our clients in the loop throughout the constriction process via our online client portal, Buildertrend. Our clients love getting scheduling updates and progress photos from the job site! You can click here to learn more about our home-building process. 

Build With Hearthside Homes

We hope you enjoyed this blog post about how to interview a Kansas City home builder. To request more information about building with Hearthside Homes, fill out this form on our website, or feel free to give us a call at (816) 781-0234. We’d love for you to follow all the behind-the-scenes fun on our social media platforms, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest! 

Hear From Our Happy Homeowners

At Hearthside Homes, we prioritize customer experience and satisfaction. Did you know Hearthside Homes of Kansas City has over 100 5-star reviews on Google? Click here to check out our Google reviews and hear from some of our happy customers. Our client, Cassandra, shares: 

“Our new home is a dream come true! From communication through the building process to going above and beyond to make our home the best fit for our family it was an amazing process! We love the details and the quality of our new home and cannot wait to build so many memories with our family! I can’t tell others enough how much we recommend working with Hearthside!”

Want to see more? Click on the video below to watch one of our customer testimonials. Jeff & Becca are so thrilled they trusted Hearthside Homes with their new build! After years of searching for the right floor plan and builder, they finally decided to go with our team. Now that they’ve had time to settle into their new home, they are so happy they made the right decision to choose Hearthside Homes!