Deciding to renovate or build a new home can be exciting. As with choosing an architect or designer, it’s essential to select a builder you feel comfortable with and whom you can trust. Although, when it comes to choosing a builder, it can be time-consuming, hard to know where to start and how to choose wisely.
Our guide below will assist in your decision-making process, with important factors to consider when choosing the right builder for your new project.
Research
There are three Rs when it comes to choosing a builder for your new build or renovation: reputation, references and reviews. Word of mouth in the building industry is a powerful tool. You can ask family, friends and colleagues to see if they’ve had any experience with builders or construction companies as this will be a genuine indicator of whether a person or company is trustworthy.
Check online, read reviews and do a background search of builders or companies. You can find out if they are a Licensed Building Practitioner or Registered Master Builder and choosing one would mean that you are choosing quality. They would meet the quality criteria in building experiences, trade and professional qualifications, on-site management experience and workmanship.
Preparation
You will need to hire people with suitable skills and experience for the job and make sure you’re prepared when first meeting with your builder as they will be the one working on your project. Before signing on the dotted line with your builder, there are questions that you can ask to make sure they’re the right one for your new build or reno.
The questions to ask are:
- How long has the builder been in business?
- Are they a Licensed Building Practitioner or Registered Master Builder?
- Does the builder have a successful track record in doing renovation work or building new homes?
- Can the builder willingly give you referees and testimonials of completed projects, including some that you can contact?
- When would the job start, finish and who advises you of any delays?
- How long will it take to get plans drawn up and how long will the building consents take?
It’s very important to think about your project so you know who to hire and if they must be certified or licensed people for the required work.
Ask yourself these questions:
- Is your project simple, average or complex?
- Will you need a building consent?
- Does your project involve restricted building work?
- Is your project a new build, major renovation or minor renovation?
Relationships
A good relationship with the builder is important through the project and even thereafter. It is important to have an open and honest communication and make sure you feel comfortable with them so that any problems that pop-up along the way can be solved as quickly and easy as possible.
If you want to be involved in the project, a small builder may provide a more personal service whereas if you’re content and don’t mind letting things happen, developing a close relationship won’t be as much of a priority for you.
Like in any relationship, trust and respect between you and the builder is extremely important. For the level of service that you need and the price you want, it’s critical to get the right builder for your project, who fits your brief and will deliver what you want.
Home Style
If you have a particular home style in mind, you can ask the builder how many homes they have built of that style. If you’re eco-friendly and are wanting sustainable features, you can look for a specialist builder who has experience in that area. If you’re wanting a three-storey home, a small-project home builder who only specialises in single-storey homes may not be the right person for the job.
The company may have a beautiful portfolio of drawn designs but have never built the one you want, similarly with small-project home builders, they may not have the trades or staff to move onto a complex construction. Communicate clearly on expected timetables, then give the builder space to do what’s needed.
Be Specific
If you have a set of drawings for your project, that’s a good start but what about the structural detail? Make it clear or alternatively have the structural calculations done by an engineer before you ask for price.
If the work involves fitting a bathroom for example, who’s supplying the hardware, taps and tiles? If the builder is to supply them then exactly what ones? If you want to supply them, who’s supplying the adhesive? It’s very important to be specific, if all such things are not clear, there’s potential for misunderstandings and arguments over money once the work has started.
Building Contracts
It is important to understand why you need a building contract and the purpose it’s used for. A building contract is simply an agreement between the builder who will undertake a specific set of works, and a client who agrees to pay a set amount of money.
What if the work is changed along the way? What if it takes longer than agreed? To avoid examples of these ‘what ifs’ it is important to have a contract for this reason. You can attach drawings and schedules to your contract as this makes it clear what’s included and what’s not. Payment terms and so on are agreed upfront and once the contract is signed and filled, the contract isn’t needed again because everything has gone smoothly. This is often because everyone knows it’s there in the background.
High rated builders may be booked well in advance, so it’s important that you start looking early in the planning process. You must do your research and you need to ensure you have the right fit with your builder – it’s about building a solid relationship with someone you can trust and talk to.
If you wish to be the project manager yourself, ensure you have the time as it requires a lot. There are specialist project management companies that may be expensive but will take many of the hassles out of the whole building process. Building companies such as Vakalahi Construction have project managers with extensive on-the-tools experience that manage their projects efficiently and cost-effectively.
Choose your builder wisely, do as much research as you can and ask the relevant questions. During the planning stage is the most critical and its best to start searching for your builder from the beginning; to work on building the relationship between you and ensuring you will have the builder you want for your new renovation or new build.