The US housing market is currently worth $33.3 trillion but every year homeowners end up feeling dissatisfied with the state of their home. This is why they collectively spend over $400 billion each year on home improvements and repairs.
Buying a new-build home or building your own home from scratch is a tempting idea for many. It means that you can tailor your home’s design to suit you.
However, your dream home won’t come cheap. Building a home from scratch can cost between $178,000 and $416,000. And hiring the wrong builders for the job could drive that price through the roof and leave you with a poor-quality job.
That’s where we can help. Read here to find out everything you need to know about finding the best home builders Austin has to offer.
Benefits of Working With the Best Home Builders Austin Has
The majority of homeowners in America will buy a building that’s already up and running. While this may save them time on moving in, this often means they have to compromise on elements of their home’s design. Starting from the beginning with a new build gives you the freedom and flexibility to get the home of your dreams. This means that when you do move in you won’t feel the need to tweak this and that to make your home perfect. But this isn’t the only benefit of building your own home.
A new home means that your house should have a warranty. This means you could save thousands of dollars on any repairs that are needed and when it comes time to sell sell your home it will have a higher value.
Finally, you can build your home to meet modern-day safety and living standards. This means avoiding toxic materials that builders used back in the 70s and 80s. Your home will also have great energy efficiency, which will save you money on your energy bills.
But you’ll only get to enjoy these benefits if you choose a good-quality builder to work on your home. To find the best Austin builders for your project, you need to know what to look for. Let’s take a look at some of the things you should consider when hiring home builders in Austin, TX.
What Are Your Design Requirements
Your home is personal to you, so you want to find a builder that can deliver exactly what you’re looking for.
Some construction companies will work on particular types of homes, such as bungalows or homes in gated communities. They may also work with a minimum budget or only be available to work at certain times of the year.
It’s important that the home builder you hire can build the home you want. If they don’t then they probably won’t deliver the home that you’re looking for, which is a waste of your time and money.
Once you know your requirements you can start hunting for a builder.
Do Your Research
Don’t ever hire the first builder you meet without doing some background checks. You could be working with them for a long time and you’re trusting them with a lot of money and your future home.
Once you’ve identified a builder that you’re interested in, do some independent research into their work and compare it to other builders. Look online for reviews or recommendations from previous clients. Don’t simply look on their website for testimonials, as these will only tell one side of the story.
Reputable builders in Austin will be able to provide detailed references with contact details from the clients. Make sure you follow up on these references to ensure they’re legitimate.
Better still, ask around for recommendations of builders from friends and families. An independent recommendation is great praise of a builder’s previous work.
Ask Questions
Any decent builder should be willing to answer any questions you have before you hire them. Don’t be afraid to quiz them on anything that you might have questions about.
As well as asking about any specifics of your build, here are some questions you could definitely ask a builder before you higher them:
- Do they have options for floor plan designs?
- Is it possible to add a floor to their designs?
- Which brands do they use for appliances?
- Is it possible to upgrade or downgrade appliances?
- Does the building price cover landscaping costs?
Your builder should be able to talk you through these questions and offer you options to suit your needs. The answers to some of these questions may affect your budget, so it’s important to keep these in mind before hiring anyone.
Discuss Your Budget
Once you hire a builder you will be contractually obliged to pay them for their work unless they break the contract. This means you should only hire someone if you can afford to pay them for their work.
Several things can affect the cost of building your dream home. For example, customizable features may be more expensive than standard ones. There may also be additional finishing fees to find out about before you bring a builder on.
It’s also worth checking if your new home is going to be part of a homeowners association. This could also add to your costs or mean that you have payments to make when you live there.
Finally, it’s important to remember that on top of builders’ fees you need to budget for estimated home taxes. If you don’t account for this you may be in for a nasty surprise when your home is complete.
Look for a Warranty
A warranty will cover a builder’s work after the work has been completed. It means that if anything goes wrong with the building work after you move in the builder will come in to repair it free of charge. A warranty should last for several years after the builder completes their work on your house.
Any builder worth hiring should offer a warranty. Make sure you read all the small print in any contracts for these policies thoroughly before signing them.
Choose Someone Local
It’s a good idea to hire someone who specializes in building homes in your area and who has offices nearby.
A local builder will get the job done quickly. They won’t charge you for extended travel time to and from their yard and they’ll be more likely to complete your home on time.
Hiring a local builder also means that if there’s an emergency at your home’s site they will be able to get out to sort it quickly. This is very important as leaving an emergency unattended could damage your home and delay building work.
This is true both during and after building work has finished. If your home is covered by a warranty, you want a builder who is going to come and complete any repairs as soon as possible. This will be easier if they work locally.
Finally, hiring a company that works locally means you’ll always be able to get in touch with them easily. You won’t spend hours waiting on the phone to speak to someone about works on your house. And if no one answers your calls, you know exactly where to find them to speak in person.
Get Ready for the Home of Your Dreams!
Now you know exactly how to find the best home builders Austin, Texas has to offer! Remember to shop around before settling on your perfect builder and do your homework before hiring.
For help getting your hunt started, schedule an appointment to discuss finding your dream home today!