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TIPS ON BUILDER/CLIENT RELATIONSHIP
Let’s assume you have done your research and made a decision on the home and builder you would like to contract with for your home or remodel.
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The most important advice I can give you about buying a new home or remodeling is to get everything in writing, signed by both parties. Be as detailed and thorough as possible.
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Start with the base home price and standard specifications. Add any contingencies that may be necessary. Be sure to include in your contract any upgrades shown in the model you may desire or products and features that have been decided upon before this stage.
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Builders should price for you a specific cost of these items, appropriate for the floorplan you are building, before you get to a final contract. Be sure that this has been done, and not left to settle at a later time. This is probably the first place that a builder and customer can hit the "rocky road." Vagueness and relying on verbal information and pricing from the salesperson and other staff members can be an extreme source of future frustration and disappointment.
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After construction has begun, changes or change orders will often be necessary or desirable. Insist on the cost and description of each and every change being documented on paper, and signed by both parties. This will eliminate many of the verbal miscommunications or misunderstandings between the builder’s staff and customer.
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It is also a good practice and many times required by the loan institution, for all construction draws to be co-approved by you and the bank. This is your guarantee that the builder does not get the draw until the work meets with your approval. Most loan institutions are pretty stringent about releasing draws too soon. Remember, this is your home and money being spent, so you want to maintain as much control as possible over this segment of the construction process.
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Make sure the builder is requiring the sub-contractors to sign a lien waiver, once they have been paid for their work on your home, and ask to be provided with copies. This is your proof that the sub contractor has been paid, and cannot place a lien on your home at a future date, due to lack of payment.
FLOORPLAN TIPS
If you are working with a builder that offers customized floor plans or are building a totally custom home, there are many more decisions required of you, than if you were purchasing a basic tract home. If this is your situation, I’m sure you have dreamed about all the options and ideas you can think of. Although, I have often experienced customers getting to the color stage after working with the draftsmen on floor plans and have never considered how their furniture and family lifestyles will effect some of the most basic home decisions. Getting to a finished floorplan will be time consuming and often exhausting. This is why having a good repor with the architect or draftsmen is essential.
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Consider carefully the floorplan, traffic flow, window placements, electrical needs etc. Try to imagine your family and furnishings in the home.
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Think about the purpose and needs of each room.
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Use furniture templates of your existing or planned furniture to help determine window and electric outlet/switch placement. These are just a few of the important considerations for you to think about.
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Windows placed in the home for function and esthetics are essential, but consider how they are placed in the room for future treatment or dressing. So many times, I have had customers put lots of windows and fixed glass in their home, only to discover that they have to cover them for light/sun/privacy concerns. Considering these issues first will result in the best choice of window style and the appropriate amount of glass for your families’ lifestyle.
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I can’t begin to tell you all the decisions that each home will require at this stage. Everyone’s needs and taste will be different, along with the different methods each draftsmen and architect may have to accomplish a finished floorplan to build from. However, from a decorator’s point of view and experience, the above are often neglected and can so easily be customized for the most perfect results.
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