Your next forever home is one of your most important lifetime investments. It should be executed by expert hands and crafted to its fullest potential. Hiring a quality builder sets your forever home up for success. Use Country Classic’s top tips to evaluate a home builder to ensure you find the perfect builder for your new home in New Jersey.

Tips For Evaluating New Jersey Home Builders

Read the Reviews

Only other clients can tell you about the client experience. Be sure to read both positive and negative reviews and look for common threads and outliers. Do clients routinely mention the same strengths, such as communication and timeliness? Do the same complaints appear repeatedly? Mistakes happen. We all learn from them, and only some reviewers tell the truth, but you want a reputable builder with a long list of positive reviews. Be sure to include as many sources outside the builder’s web page as possible since a website’s owner can curate only positive reviews. 

Pay Attention To Response Times Early

Many builders show you who they are and what it is like to work with them very early during your meeting. How long does it take for a builder to respond to your calls or schedule an appointment? You can expect to experience about the same cadence when you work together if you’re experiencing longer response times than you’d like during your consultation process.

Look for a Communication Match

Many builders pride themselves on prompt and comprehensive communication. However, that doesn’t guarantee a match in communication style. If you want up-to-the-minute details, look for a builder who uses software to keep owners informed about the minutiae of your build. If you’re interested in weekly phone calls, look for a builder who offers regular, personal updates. Do you prefer to text or email? Many builders offer these options as well. Your stress level during construction will be alleviated if you communicate with your building team using your preferred method.

Check Out the Portfolio

When exploring a potential builder’s portfolio, pay attention to the details. What catches your eye? Do their prominent projects look like the ones you have in mind? You need a builder who can capture the versatile taste and style and one who excels in the kind of home you’ve been eyeing. Your project will run much more smoothly if it’s within a builder’s expertise.

Do They Offer the Services You Need In-House?

Many residential home builders help with more of the home-building process than you expect. You may already have a lot or need help finding one. Whether your builder will build on an existing lot or offers help finding lots is variable. Some builders offer in-house design or architecture, whereas others work with preferred outside agencies or require you to create your own plans. Some builders offer new construction for immediate purchase. Others, like Country Classics, offer a variety of designer floor plans where the homeowner selects final finishes, such as flooring, countertops, and cabinets. Your needs and a prospective builder’s services should match as much as possible. 

Talk to Past Clients

Recent clients have valuable insight into the client experience that builders wouldn’t think to mention. When you are getting serious about your selection for a New Jersey home builder, it’s time to talk to a few recent clients. Ask for helpful information about interacting with your builder and the highlights and difficulties they faced during construction. Advice from past clients can help you select a great builder and get the most out of your home-building experience.

Double Check Credentials

Your builder will happily show you their licensure and insurance information. Ask for this information upfront. Find out how and where they use subcontractors and obtain information about their credentials as well.

Availability and Timeline

Some builders, especially popular ones, are booking projects to begin construction in 2024 and beyond. A year or more of wait time before a project begins is not necessarily a bad sign. However, suppose you have an important timeline for your project. In that case, you’ll need to communicate this with a potential home builder so that you can be sure that your expectations align with their availability. This is one excellent reason to select a builder with available new homes.

Pay Attention to Your Gut

Your gut is a vital tool in assessing the fitness of the hands you will hire to build your dream home. How do you feel during your interaction? If something feels off during your initial meetings, seriously think twice before hiring a builder who gives you pause, even if you can’t articulate quite why. You deserve a builder who makes you feel confident and excited about your new home.

Call Country Classics First to Set the Gold Standard

We don’t mind being tested against our peers. When we meet you, we’d love the opportunity to set a stellar example in customer service. You can expect the very best from Country Classics, and we’d love the chance to create next-level New Jersey custom construction on your behalf.