Whether you are building a new home for your family, an extension to an existing building or even an office for your business it is vital that you find the right builder to work with. We’ve all heard horror stories of building projects gone awry – projects half finished, budgets blown and poor workmanship so it’s vital to choose your builder carefully.
Ask for referrals
See if you can get a referral from a family member or friends who have had recent building work done. A referral from family or friends who may have recently had some work done. If you are familiar with the work done then great, otherwise see if you can visit to get an idea of the builder’s capability and quality of workmanship.
Start planning early
Don’t be in a rush when it’s time to start building – start planning early and identifying which builders you might like to work with. Interview multiple builders and review their work so that when the time comes to get quotes you already have in mind the builders you want to approach.
Be mindful of the project scope
Building a complete office block through to a small extension to and existing house are two very different projects and might be most appropriately tackled by different types of building contractors. Larger projects are usually best suited to larger contractors who have dedicated project management and site managers but are likely to be overkill and overpriced for a smaller projects. Always try to find the suitable size contractor for the project but be aware that small building companies might be less expensive but may also take a longer time.
Get multiple quotes
Once you have shortlisted your builders you will need to get quotes for your project. Obviously fastQuotes believes in always getting multiple quotes for everything – and this is no different.
Plan, plan, plan
Be specific about what is required – ideally your architect will be drawing up plans but it is also vital that you specify the finishes required. What tiles do you want? What taps and other plumbing fittings do you need. Are they included in the builder’s requirements? Is your builder doing everything or are you having electrical and plumbing contractors as well.
Allow enough time
All projects need a project plan to keep everyone on track –don’t underestimate the time your building project might take. Make sure that the building contractor has enough staff to complete on time and on schedule and within the agreed budget and the desired quality. The last thing you want is a builder who has so much work on that he is running between projects. Make sure he can give you the required focus on your project.
Be clear about the money
Make sure everything is covered and your agreement with the builder and be clear on the budgets for everything. When it comes to money the last thing we want is surprises so make sure the payment terms are well defined and specific with realistic milestones. Have a contingency in case something unexpected does come up but aim to not use it.
If you are looking for building contractors, then fastQuotes can assist with making the introductions to local contractors.