The best companies build quality assurance systems into their practice. What separates great builders from good ones? Many things do, but part of the answer is that great builders are obsessive about small details. And taken together, those small details leave a big impression. Most builders truly want to do good work for their customers.... Read More
Trust? Maybe. Verify? Always. It’s an old story and, unfortunately, still relevant today—in September 2011, Business Week reported on a Texas home improvement contractor who hired a writer to post 200 positive reviews on sites like Yelp and Google. The article went on to cite other examples and estimated the percentage of fake online reviews at close to... Read More
For best results, narrow down the options up front Allowances—that is, budgeting general costs for items before the specific items are chosen—are a fact of life on many projects. Some homeowners have trouble making decisions before work begins, most commonly for appliances, cabinets, floor coverings, and plumbing and electrical fixtures. In those cases, the builder... Read More
Quality homes and satisfied customers don’t happen by accident. The best home builders have systems to ensure those outcomes. If you have a complete set of construction documents, including accurate blueprints and product descriptions, then material and labor costs shouldn’t vary much between equivalent professional builders. Most of the price difference will rest with the... Read More
Post-contract changes need not be a problem, but they absolutely need a clear process Professionals who build fantastic homes for satisfied customers share some important traits. One trait is an obsession with details, and another is clearly communicating those details to the homeowners. Great builders are great communicators, and part of being a great communicator... Read More
The best builders engineer their homes for health and comfort Efficiency, health, and comfort—a great new home delivers all of those. However, creating that home using today’s construction methods takes more knowledge than most people realize. That knowledge is one of the benefits of working with a professional builder. Lots of homeowners ask questions about... Read More