How to choose a custom home builder in Charlotte without the stress

06-October-2020

It’s a stressful time for buying a home in Charlotte.

Contrary to popular thought, the housing market has seen a boom amidst and in part due to the pandemic. While this is good news for those selling a house, it can create hectic scenarios for those looking to buy.

Home inventory in Charlotte dropped significantly, with just 5,203 homes for sale in August 2020 compared to 9,412 in August of last year. This scarcity of homes has made it commonplace for buyers to enter into fierce bidding wars, often losing out on their first, second, or third choices to a higher bidder or overpaying on a home that doesn’t even meet their requirements.

Do you want to avoid getting caught up in the stress of making hasty decisions with long-term consequences? Then you can channel that energy into finding the best custom home builder in Charlotte and start planning your customized dream home.

Keep reading to find how to start your search, learn the best qualities to look for in a custom builder, and the questions you can ask to make sure you are making the best decision for your future home.

How to prepare for your search

Chances are, you’re going into the search for a custom builder already with a few ideas about what you want in a home. That’s a great start! Here are some steps you can take in as you begin researching builders in your area.

Determine budget

Before finding a builder, understand what you can afford in a home. Knowing what you can spend will help your builder guide you through the process of designing the kind of house you can afford. With a predetermined budget, a builder will help you understand what kinds of materials you can afford and how to get what you want for how much you are willing to spend.

Define your must-haves

You may already have a general sense of the design of your home. However, it’s a good idea to start thinking about specifics. What style of home do you desire? Will that style fit in your budget? How many bedrooms do you need? Do you want a lot of property? Our favorite resource is Pinterest, but many custom home building companies will have an inspiration page on their website to help give you ideas.

Reach out

There are many custom home builders in Charlotte. So it’s a good idea to talk with family and friends for referrals or, at the very least, get an idea of which builders to avoid! After you have a few options, you should make the first point of contact. Most home builders will have a form on their website you can submit. You’ll get a lot of information from this initial interaction. Do they reach out to you right away? Or take a long time to respond? You’ll want to work with a builder who is responsive to your needs. You should feel like you’re their only client!

While it’s a good idea to work on many of these steps beforehand, the process can be overwhelming. A reliable builder will be able to counsel you if you are struggling to put together a budget or give you resources to help you define your style.

Here are some more characteristics you should look for in a custom home builder.

Qualities to look for in a custom builder

Not every custom builder is the same. Some will prioritize timelines over your customizations or only keep you in the loop when something goes wrong. It’s all about deciding what qualities are important to you and what you want to get out of the process (besides a beautiful home, of course!). Here are a few qualities to look for in a custom builder.

1. Collaborative

From day one, the motto should be, “let’s do this together.” Yes, they are the experts, but this is your home. A good builder will know how to give you the customizations you want while helping you understand what you can afford. They will be able to hold your expectations in one hand and the realities of the industry in the other.

2. Works with your budget

A builder should never try and convince you to step outside your budget. Instead, they should show you all that you can get within your limits. They will search for the best quality products that you can afford. A quality builder will work with you to reduce costs while giving you the customizations you want. They will be straightforward with you about materials that are going to strain your budget while simultaneously offering many other alternatives to help you achieve the look you want.

3. Encourages you to customize

A custom home builder worth working with will understand that what makes your home unique is YOU. They should use their floor plans as foundations for exploring unique customizations and specific areas you need in your home.

4. Communicates regularly

A builder should keep you in the loop throughout the construction process. If you have decided on an appliance and it’s no longer available, you should be made aware of the change. While a builder may not allow you on site unsupervised (for safety reasons), they should help you schedule walkthroughs for different milestones of the building process. They should implement technology as a way to show you aspects of the build even though you cannot oversee all the details in person. Like any functioning relationship, communication between contractor and client is key!

Questions to ask your custom builder

Asking the right questions will help you determine whether or not you will want to work with this builder. Having these conversations may even help you feel more at ease with the building process if you are still on the fence (If you’re wondering if now is the right time to buy a home, read this article).

Here are some great questions to ask:

Do you have experience in designing the style of home I want?
How long does your process take from start to finish? How will you deal with unforeseen
How will we be communicating throughout the process?
hospitals, etc.)?
Will there be a homeowners association? And if so, what are the fees?
Is there room to customize with your floor plans?
What will you do if there is a warranty issue right after I move in?
Can you provide me with references from past clients?

This last question will give you the next step to go deeper into your research. Speaking with former clients who have already gone through the building process will grant you access to invaluable insight into whether or not this builder is right for you. Here are some questions to ask current homeowners:

Are you happy with your home?
How long did the process take?
How did the builder respond when issues came up?
Would you work with this builder again?

Finding the best custom home builder in Charlotte

Building a home is a job that should be handled by a builder that cares for you and can partner with your vision. In addition to the guidelines we’ve given you, trust your instinct. Only you will be able to determine which builder is the right fit.

Are you looking for a custom home builder in North Carolina? We’d love to answer any questions you have about the process and if it’s the right time for you, help you get started on the journey to building the home of your dreams!

Connect with us on social media, Pinterest, and check out our website to see if Casanova Homes is the right builder for you!