Building quality homes to fit your budget is a tough job, but that's what we do here at Blenker Construction.
If you needed heart surgery, would you consider asking three surgeons to submit bids and go with the lowest price? Many homeowners think nothing of shelling out tens of thousands of dollars and opening their building project to a builder who was selected based solely on the price. Granted, a building project is not a life threatening operation. But it could have a definite effect on the family's well being and financial health. Many factors other than price should be considered before the best contractor for the project is found.
A common tactic is to ask three builders for bids. The homeowner often will throw out the high and the low and take the middle bid, confident the risk is minimized by dropping both extremes. There can be many reasons for the lowball bid including shabby materials, poor craftsmanship, inadequate safety precautions or lack of insurance and licensing. Or if you're lucky, the bid just may be from an inexperienced builder who's never done a house like yours before. Price drives the selection. A homeowner should check the builders' reputation, references, insurance and licensing documentation.
One of the first things to check is references. It is important that you talk with people who have hired the builders to do a house similar to yours. You will want to ask the references if they had any problems with the work quality, payment schedule, employees or completion time. The most important question you can ask a reference is "Would you hire this contractor again?" Some people will be hesitant to make negative comments, but the enthusiasm with which this question is answered can usually tell you everything you need to know. After you have talked with the references, take a look at the work. Check the quality of the craftsmanship, materials, overall aesthetics and creativity.
Also, verify the builder's licensing and insurance. If you hire a builder who doesn't carry workers compensation insurance and one of the employees falls off your roof, you could be liable for the medical bills and lost wages.
One indication of a professional builder is membership in local or national trade associations such as the Golden Sand Home Builders Association and the National Association of Home Builders. A fly by night con artist intent on ripping people off is not going to leave a paper trail by joining a professional trade association.
Once you have done your homework and feel confident the builder has a proven track record of quality and service, then it is time to discuss the project's details and price.
As with most job applications the decision may very well come down to feeling comfortable with the builder and being able to communicate. The builder will be spending many hours at your building project, so it is important you feel comfortable form the onset. You should be able to work together combining your ideas and expertise to turn the vision into a final product.
When you have selected a builder to ask for a bid make sure the bid and eventual contract are as thorough and specific as possible including material brand names and models, cost payment schedule, procedure for changing orders and completion date.
If you like the contractor and are confident with the work but the bid comes in beyond your budget, all hope is not lost. Ask what can be scaled down to meet your budget. Look at minor items such as using quality stock cabinets instead of custom designed ones or selecting different model of tiling, counter tops, or trim. Quality is never cheap and good research may seem like a headache. But see what an expensive headache really is by having a lowball bidder start the job and leave no forwarding address as he skips out with the final payment and the project not complete. Do your homework and then choose a builder that will be around today, tomorrow, and in the future.
We hope that you choose Blenker Construction for your next building project because we provide quality services at a price to fit your budget.
If you needed heart surgery, would you consider asking three surgeons to submit bids and go with the lowest price? Many homeowners think nothing of shelling out tens of thousands of dollars and opening their building project to a builder who was selected based solely on the price. Granted, a building project is not a life threatening operation. But it could have a definite effect on the family's well being and financial health. Many factors other than price should be considered before the best contractor for the project is found.
A common tactic is to ask three builders for bids. The homeowner often will throw out the high and the low and take the middle bid, confident the risk is minimized by dropping both extremes. There can be many reasons for the lowball bid including shabby materials, poor craftsmanship, inadequate safety precautions or lack of insurance and licensing. Or if you're lucky, the bid just may be from an inexperienced builder who's never done a house like yours before. Price drives the selection. A homeowner should check the builders' reputation, references, insurance and licensing documentation.
One of the first things to check is references. It is important that you talk with people who have hired the builders to do a house similar to yours. You will want to ask the references if they had any problems with the work quality, payment schedule, employees or completion time. The most important question you can ask a reference is "Would you hire this contractor again?" Some people will be hesitant to make negative comments, but the enthusiasm with which this question is answered can usually tell you everything you need to know. After you have talked with the references, take a look at the work. Check the quality of the craftsmanship, materials, overall aesthetics and creativity.
Also, verify the builder's licensing and insurance. If you hire a builder who doesn't carry workers compensation insurance and one of the employees falls off your roof, you could be liable for the medical bills and lost wages.
One indication of a professional builder is membership in local or national trade associations such as the Golden Sand Home Builders Association and the National Association of Home Builders. A fly by night con artist intent on ripping people off is not going to leave a paper trail by joining a professional trade association.
Once you have done your homework and feel confident the builder has a proven track record of quality and service, then it is time to discuss the project's details and price.
As with most job applications the decision may very well come down to feeling comfortable with the builder and being able to communicate. The builder will be spending many hours at your building project, so it is important you feel comfortable form the onset. You should be able to work together combining your ideas and expertise to turn the vision into a final product.
When you have selected a builder to ask for a bid make sure the bid and eventual contract are as thorough and specific as possible including material brand names and models, cost payment schedule, procedure for changing orders and completion date.
If you like the contractor and are confident with the work but the bid comes in beyond your budget, all hope is not lost. Ask what can be scaled down to meet your budget. Look at minor items such as using quality stock cabinets instead of custom designed ones or selecting different model of tiling, counter tops, or trim. Quality is never cheap and good research may seem like a headache. But see what an expensive headache really is by having a lowball bidder start the job and leave no forwarding address as he skips out with the final payment and the project not complete. Do your homework and then choose a builder that will be around today, tomorrow, and in the future.
We hope that you choose Blenker Construction for your next building project because we provide quality services at a price to fit your budget.