HOW TO FIND A REPUTABLE CONTRACTOR TO BUILD YOUR DREAM HOME

 

Finding a reputable contractor to build your dream country home can be challenging, especially if you're new to the area and/or have never built a home from scratch. Here, we share 7 tips on how to find a reputable contractor.

If building a custom home in the country is part of your life’s plan, you’re in the right place.

However, as anyone who has built a home from scratch will tell you, your success at executing your dream home vision (without suffering from a stress-related injury) is contingent upon finding a reputable contractor.

Unfortunately, we’ve all heard the horror stories of abandoned projects, shoddy craftsmanship, endless delays, permitting problems and even theft or fraud by contractors, all of which can leave families with little recourse.

We want to help you avoid these problems.

Here are seven helpful tips for selecting a reputable and skilled contractor to build your dream country home.

Tip 1: Ask Friends, Family, Colleagues and Local Building Experts for Referrals

Referrals are typically one of the safest ways to find an honest and reputable general contractor.

However, make sure those giving the referral have actually used the person they are recommending, ideally fairly recently, and are not just trying to do a favor for a friend or family member.

From there, you can research the contractor online, read reviews and even ask around town at the local Chamber of Commerce or building inspectors to glean more information.

If you’re new to the area and don’t know anyone local, it’s best to start with your land agent or realtor, the local Chamber of Commerce, and/or contact the county building inspector or local home inspectors to see if they can recommend a local contractor.

Home improvement sites like Angi, Thumbtack or Homeadvisor, and even NextDoor (a social media site for neighborhood information) may also be helpful starting points for contractor referrals.

Avoid choosing a contractor online at random if possible. 

Even if they have an impressive portfolio, an excellent website and glowing reviews, these could be fabricated and/or embellished. 

Likewise, an outdated website may not represent the quality of their work (they could be too busy with clients to maintain their online presence), nor would one bad review necessarily indicate a problem, as there are two sides to every story.

However, several bad reviews would be cause to avoid that particular contractor.

Tip 2: Vet Potential Contractors Using Online & Offline Resources like The Better Business Bureau and Local Chamber of Commerce

Once you have a referral, even if it’s a glowing referral from your best friend or mother, you must do your due diligence to vet the contractor before engaging them.

The first place to start is by using offline resources, like your local Chamber of Commerce, land agent or a local home inspector, to learn more about the contractor. 

Online resources, such as the Better Business Bureau or home improvement vetting sites, are also helpful.

Tip 3: Research Contractor Licensing and Insurance Requirements for Your State & County

Not all states and/or counties require contractors to be licensed and bonded, and not all contractors have licenses or insurance.

However, it pays to know the laws and best practices before you start interviewing.

Regardless, every GC should have insurance to protect you from worker liability.

Tip 4: Start Interviewing Before You’re Ready to Build (or better yet, before you buy your land)

One of the most important features and considerations when buying raw land is where to build your home.

Unfortunately, many people choose their ideal build site without consulting an expert, only to discover later it’s not suitable for building.

This is why engaging a contractor before you buy your land is ideal, as they can help you determine the best building site.

Plus, it’s a good way to interview potential candidates by testing their knowledge of site prep and location.

Tip 5: Ask For References (and actually call them)

It is critical to ask for references — plural — from contractors and actually call them. If you can go and look at some of their past work, even better.

Some questions to ask references include:

• How did you find this contractor? Did you know him before he worked for you? (if they say he’s their brother, cousin, best friend, daughter, niece, etc., they likely will not give an unbiased opinion)
• Were you happy with the job overall?
• Did they stay within your budget?
• How was the communication?
• Were there any major surprises, unanticipated problems or costs along the way?
• Did they honor the terms of the contract?
• Was the GC on-site every day?
• Did he or she and their crew do most of the work or hire most things out?
• Was the contractor helpful in recommending suppliers and other tradespeople for the job?
• Did you feel you got a good value for the time, quality and money?
• Did they stay within the timeframe?
• How is the work holding up?
• Was everyone on the team polite and helpful when you visited the build site?
• Was there anything you were dissatisfied with?
• Would you use them again or recommend them to a friend?
• Is there anything else I should know before hiring them?

Do not just rely on online reviews. 

People often write a glowing review before they have lived in their home for several months or years, at which time they may (or may not) discover various problems.

Bottom line: Get at least three references, call them and ask detailed questions. If they invite you to come out and see the work for yourself, take them up on it.  Feel free to contact the Rural KC Team-Keller Williams Realty Partners for any questions you might have or for any of your rural real estate needs.