Bidding is a common process in any industry that involves contractors. Home renovation websites and advice from friends and family will often tell you to “shop around”, meaning conduct an informal bidding process, when looking for a contractor. Though this may work well when shopping around for a minor plumbing or electrical job, is this really the best practice for a large-scale, personal project like building a custom home?
Though this advice is not unsound, bidding more often than not causes the shopper to gravitate toward the lowest cost. As the buyer, relying on a bidding process can actually take much of the control out of your hands. This is especially true when building a home.
Three Bids for Your Custom Home
A bidding process that asks for the standard three different bids may leave the buyer with three decent, but perhaps imperfect, choices. This process also requires work upfront from you, as the buyer. You set the expectations. The bidders will also need a high level of detail in the bid request to be able to provide you with a realistic idea about how they compare with each other.
A home should align as closely as possible with your budget and your design style. The builder that you choose should be flexible enough to incorporate your feedback along the way. Relying on choosing the best option out of three bids limits your options to what is presented based on your initial set of expectations. Most custom home buyers may not even be aware of all the design options available when they initially bid the project. Thus, the bidding process creates a self-limiting structure that may leave the buyer unsatisfied with their initial choices.
Working with a Home Builder from the Start
On the other hand, working directly with a home builder from start to finish can ensure that you love every facet of your home design. It also brings fewer or no budget surprises along the way. A custom home builder can provide you with more options in their design toolbox. They may also have access to a larger pool of suppliers and the ability to leverage their reputation to secure lower prices. Alair Homes New Braunfels also offers a Client Control Process to keep clients hands-on throughout the building process. The more communication lines are open between you and your team of home builders, the more likely you are to avoid unwanted surprises. Choosing a home builder is a long-term relationship. Avoid basing it solely on an initial cost estimate.
When starting your research to build a custom home, stay informed. Avoid basing decisions strictly on price. Look for a quality home builder to help you along the way. The more say that you have in each step of the process, the stronger the guarantee is that you will end up with a home that you truly love. That is the ultimate measure of your home’s long-term value.