How to Use Online Review
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 […]
What is Customer Satisfaction?
Research shows that good processes are key to a great building experience. The best builders know which experiences homeowners find most frustrating, and they work tirelessly to avoid them. Industry studies show that homeowners’ biggest complaints are about their builder’s processes, especially around scheduling, budget, work habits, and customer service. Smart builders use data from […]
Key Questions for Your Builder
You’ve finally decided to build that dream house and have visited our model home or have directly contacted us. Now what? As a professional home builder, we are prepared to answer any questions you have as you make a purchasing decision, arguably one of the most important financial choices in your life. But while we […]
Internet Reality Check
Avoid the most common mistakes when searching for ideas on the web We all love the internet. It’s a bottomless source of ideas and inspiration for any project, and most people wouldn’t think of starting a new custom home before spending some serious time online. The internet is also a valuable resource for builders: it’s […]
The Value of Trusted Associations
You can tell a lot about someone by his or her associates, and that’s as true for businesses as it is for individuals. Every successful business understands the value of ongoing trust-based relationships with other industry professionals. Take the example of builder trade partnerships. If a builder has top-notch trade partners working on its jobs, […]
Answering the Current Building Products Challenge
How to keep your new home on track amid COVID-related price spikes and shortages If you’re ready to start a new custom home, you may need to deal with ongoing fallout from the coronavirus-related economic shutdown. That means working with your builder to mitigate its impact. The problem, as we all know, started in March […]
Why Budget Poker Is a Bad Bet
Transparency about what you can afford is the only way to get the most house for your money Your new custom home is likely one of your biggest-ever investments, so you obviously need a builder you can trust. Ways to confirm trustworthiness include reading online reviews, calling references and confirming the builder’s participation in professional […]
How Long Have You Been in Business?
Why this is a great question to ask a builder. The National Association of Homebuilders estimates that it takes at least 3 to 5 years to create a sustainable building business. Most builders never get there: residential contractors have a failure rate higher than nearly every other business type, surpassed only by restaurants. Only the […]
What is an Organized Builder?
Investing in the design and construction of a new home is a daunting task, something most people do once or maybe twice in a lifetime. The last thing you need is a builder who doesn’t have it together. Why does that matter? Simply, homebuilding today is an increasingly complex endeavor, involving dozens of trade partners […]
Optimizing the Budget
The ability to ‘value engineer’ the project is one hallmark of an experienced pro. Stretching to get the most value for the dollar is a sport we all love to play. This certainly applies to building a home. It’s not unusual for the homeowners’ vision to be out of sync with the budget. Although this […]
Working with a Professional Builder: Does it really matter?
How homeowners benefit from the established builder’s systems and relationships. Since the rebound of home building from the great recession, lots of new contractors have emerged as homebuilders. This has given home buyer more choices, tempting some to choose a contractor based strictly on price. Bad idea. It’s nearly impossible to compare apples to apples […]
What Type of Client Are You?
Successful builders are choosy about the people they work with. Here’s why. The best business relationships are those where everyone has high standards, both for themselves and for the other parties. This is certainly the case when building a new custom home—a complex, expensive and emotion-laden effort in which the homeowner and builder must collaborate […]
Effective Communication: Key to a Successful Building Process
Communication is important in all relationships, and your relationship with your builder is no exception. Effective communication between client and builder will reduce concerns and stress before, during, and after the building process. Here are some tips for keeping the lines of communication open at key points. When selecting a builder—The best time to explore […]