Let’s say you have weighed your options and have decided to purchase a new home under construction or hire a builder to start from the ground up.

My best advise is to select a builder that will deliver your home as agreed, and maintain a working relationship with you before, during and after the sale.
I would like to point out that not all home builders can make every home buyer happy all of the time. Scheduling, availability of materials, weather and so many more issues factor into the job, so its easy for the process to get disrupted.
Buyers always have a concern about “quality” building, and that’s a genuine concern. Keep in mind that many inspections are done during construction by the local building department and sometimes even ordered by lenders to meet some financing requirements. With those consumer protections in place “quality” will likely be determined by the workmanship and the materials used.
Without getting into a very lengthy note I am going to jump to the two points every home buyer should discuss before entering into an agreement with a new home builder

• 1. What is the builders policy regarding unfinished items, touch ups prior to closing and a new home orientation walk through to get familiar with the operation of your systems….and….
•  What is the standard warranty offered by the builder

The most successful builders I have worked for have both of these details implemented into their company policy.

When you are walking through your new home on move in day it should be ready for you to hang your clothes in the closet and set your furniture in place.
Most states have a warranty period for workmanship and materials.  This comes with responsibility on the buyers part to file claims in accordance with the procedure and time limits set out in the law.
A well written warranty program offered by a builder is much better to work with and results will come faster and easier. You will also have manufacturer warranties for the appliances and systems in your new home.  Ask your builder to provide you with the information to register these items in your name. The warranty may also include any soil treatments for termites or other pests and how you can keep this in place for years to come.  There are also third party warranty programs offered by some builders that cover defects and structural issues.

To sum it up….you want a builder with a well written warranty and a turn key home…

Happy home shopping 🙂