Tips for Choosing the Right Builder for Your Country Home Construction

Over the past ten years, more and more city residents have been planting family roots in the country. As the trend increases, a number of these homebuyers are considering the option of building their dream home in a rural community.

For those taking on this venture for the first time, navigating the home building process can be stressful, confusing and overwhelming. The unique requirements and obstacles of building a rural home can only compound the issue. At Compeer, we’ve had the privilege of helping hundreds of clients through the process and clients have found that there are a few basic steps you can follow to help alleviate some of the nerve-wracking notions and panic paralysis. Building a team of trusted advisors before starting the process can also be helpful.

Selecting a builder

One of the first -- and most important steps -- is deciding on your home builder or contractor. Feeling confident in this decision makes the journey more manageable and enjoyable.

• Referrals: ask your friends, family, realtors, or lender if they have used or know of any local builders whose work they admire. Firsthand knowledge is best:
1. Did they get work done on time and as promised?
2. Were their quotes and pricing fair and offered few surprises?
3. Were they patient with questions and special requests?
4. Did the crew respect their property and clean up after themselves?
• Research: Once you have a few names, Google the builders to see if there are any reviews on the Better Business Bureau, or other sites where their customers may provide feedback. Search for them on local media sites for articles about their projects so you can judge the postings and comments for yourself.
• Review: Ask to view both their current and past projects so you can see the quality of their work. Make sure that they can work with your timeline.
• Reaction: finally, what is your gut telling you about this builder?
1. Do you feel comfortable with them?
2. Do they communicate well?
3. Are the positive?
4. Do they seem to handle problems and bumps in the road with positivity and creativity?
5. Spend as much time as you need with them so you are confident that they’re the right ones to build your dream home.

Building your home in the country is an exciting time. While all projects have their ups and downs, choosing the right builder puts you one step ahead and sets you up for a smoother ride.