One of my late father-in-law’s favorite sayings was “the good, the bad, and the ugly.” Honestly, there is much truth to this statement. Every process in life includes good, bad, and ugly. And the home building process is no exception.
The Home Building Process…
The Ugly…
I mean, think about all the different stages your home will go through as it is being built. Some of them won’t be pretty. Some of them, dare I say it, will be downright ugly! After all, your home will be built out of natural materials in the elements of weather by imperfect human beings. Yet, often, it is expected that a custom home always look shiny and perfect and new—even in the midst of the building process. This is unrealistic.
The Bad…
The home building process is going to be messy. Mistakes will be made. And patience will be required. (That’s the bad and the ugly parts!) So, the mark of a good builder isn’t whether mistakes are made. The mark of a good builder is how he/she responds to mistakes when they inevitably occur. And what he/she does to try to avoid too many mishaps.
The Good…
Good builders do a lot of planning up front in order to avoid as many mistakes as possible. They create detailed specification lists, with input from their clients. They work from thorough, accurate floor plans and create schedules with contingencies for delays, such as inclement weather. Despite systems designed to avoid errors, however, good builders know that mistakes will happen. So, they leave room in their plans and their schedules to correct errors. Plus, they have strategies to deal with problems as they arise.
The Home Building Process: Prepare for the good, the bad, and the ugly…
When interviewing builders, think about “the good, the bad, and the ugly.” Find out how builders handle “the bad” and “the ugly” that inevitably occur during the home building process. For example, ask how they handle delays. Discuss their scheduling process. Find out how often they visit the job site and talk with subcontractors. If their answers are vague (or if they suggest that there is no bad or ugly in their home building process), we encourage you to keep looking for a good and realistic home building professional.
For more information…
Click below to read more informative articles.
- Before Building a New Home: The Planning Stage
- How to Find the Right Home Builder
- Homeowner’s Page: Transparent Communication
Click here to subscribe to our monthly newsletter and receive our FREE eBook, “Building a Custom Home on Your Land: A Step-By-Step Guide.”
Click here to contact us! We’d love the opportunity to put you in your Element!
Leave A Comment