Melissa Fritchey

You have dreams and ideas and know that you don’t want to have to choose between just a few floor plans. You’ve decided that you want a home that is designed specifically to meet your needs. It’s time to hire a custom home builder!

A custom home is a big investment and the builder you select should be a true partner in the process, which is why we recommend you take the necessary time upfront to find the right builder for the job.

We recommend you do these 5 things when hiring a custom home builder (or remodeler):

1. Seek Out Local Reputation: For starters, ask your family, friends, and co-workers to recommend any custom home builders that have local expertise in the area where you want to build. Reaching out to your local builder’s association is always an excellent start as well. In the York, PA area, that would be the York Builders Association. A quality builder is certainly capable of building anywhere, but you want a builder or remodeling professional who truly knows the area and is familiar with local regulations, inspectors, permitting, and more.
2. Set Up a Consultation: Once you’ve compiled your list of builders, it’s time to meet them face to face. Bring a prepared list of questions; don’t be afraid to ask them. Ask the questions that will help give you the confidence you need to take the next steps. Licensing & insurance, how long have they been in business, what sub-contractors they will use, what kind of materials do they use, who will be the project manager? etc. An experienced builder or remodeler who is customer-focused will be willing to answer any and all questions honestly and openly. They should offer up details on how every phase of the process works – from estimating through completion and even what the process is for follow-up and repairs.
3. Ask for References: An experienced builder or remodeler should be able to provide you with at least 3-4 previous customers for references. Nobody has the experience of working closely with a builder better than a current or previous customer. It’s a good idea to get at least one or two that are recent and one or two that are a few years old. This gives you different perspectives on how issues or concerns that come up years down the road are handled and those that might be more recent. Ask about value, quality, and their overall experience. A previous customer’s ongoing relationship with their home builder tells an important story!
4. Check Out Their Work: Visit several past projects and ask to see a project currently underway. Does the builder seem to have a certain style of home that they specialize in, or is there a range? Look for any specialty work or customizations that you have in mind for your own project and see for yourself the quality of the work they’ve completed.
5. Get a Feel for their Style of Communication: Your custom home builder or remodeler is someone you’re going to have a relationship with and be in regular contact with throughout the length of the home building or remodeling project, so make sure you’re on the same page with your communications style & preferences! How often will they provide updates, how accessible will they be, who will be your main point of contact, etc? You want a builder who is a good listener – one who understands your vision, but one that will also bring their insights to the table.

Building a custom home is a lot of work. There are many steps in the process and many decisions to be made along the way. Working with a custom home builder who is a true partner – one that you trust – helps make the experience incredibly rewarding! Just like your dream home, your choice of a builder is personal. Keep these factors in mind, listen to your instincts, and move ahead feeling confident about your custom home journey!

Have ideas about the custom home of your dreams? We’d love to hear about it! Contact us today to set up a consultation!

Need inspiration? Check out some of our work!