You know there are several home builders in Calgary to choose from when you want to build your new home. In fact, there are so many that the choice can really feel overwhelming. Should you base your decision on price? On looks? On customer service? Something else?
The truth is there are a lot of things you should think about when you choose a home builder. There’s no single builder that’s best for everyone. It’s all about finding the builder that’s right for you.
- Define Your Style
- Check Out Various Communities
- Tour Show Homes
- Ask Questions
- Find Out About Communication
- Calculate Your Budget
- Get Quotes on the Home You Want
Define Your Style
Think about your sense of style when it comes to homes. Do you like classic styles or modern architecture? Are you looking for high-end design or are you more focused on function?
There’s certainly variety out there, and most builders allow you to select from a wide range of options. So as you tour show homes, you may find that a particular builder just seems to naturally “get” your sense of style. This is a sign that the builder could be right for you.
Check Out Various Communities
Beyond the house itself is the community the home will be built in. This will play a major role in your decision. For instance, you might want to be close to work or close to a particular school like the ones in the Savanna neighbourhood. Or maybe you're looking for a community with large backyards, walking trails, or an incredible playground.
No matter which home style you choose, you want to ensure you're happy with the neighbourhood. You can't pick up your home and move it! Now, every home builder only builds in certain communities, so if you have your heart set on a specific neighbourhood, it could limit your builder choices.
Tour Show Homes
It’s a good idea to tour the show homes of different home builders. Sure, you might really like the first builder you see or the builder that your friend recommended, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that this builder is the perfect one for you. However, if one does really resonate with you, go through the rest of this post to find out if they're a good fit!
Touring the show homes can also introduce you to design elements that you decide you want in your home, such as a second-floor laundry or a built-in gas fireplace. Once you decide you want this, you’ll want to be sure that each builder you’re considering can incorporate the feature into your home.
Ask Questions
Ask the builder a lot of different questions. This will help you get a better sense of what they can and can’t do. For instance, some builders will allow you to make changes to the floor plan while others require you to stick to what they have.
Additionally, talking with the Area Manager about their product and services can give you a sense of what their customer service will be like. You want to feel like the builder is listening to your needs and treating you well.
Find Out About Communication
To go along with the previous point, you also want to talk to potential home builders about how communication works. You want to connect with your Area Manager and talk to them about their processes.
If they take a long time to respond to your inquiries, it can be a sign of how they work throughout the entire new home build. Make sure they can give you a timeline of your build, and that they can tell you how you will learn about the different milestones of that timeline.
Calculate Your Budget
Ultimately, it’s important to buy a home that’s within your budget. Get a mortgage pre-approval to see how much the bank will approve you for. You also need to decide how much you’re willing to spend each month. It could be far less than what the bank says you can afford. Make sure you're planning for a home's total cost - including things like lot price, property taxes, and homeowners’ insurance - and that it's affordable for you.
Of course, in buying your own home, you have some flexibility with the cost. Making certain selections can make the home more or less expensive. But you don’t want to look at builders that have starting prices that are well above your price range.
Get Quotes on the Home You Want
Once you’ve narrowed it down to a few choices, ask for detailed quotes on the home that you want. Of course, there's going to be a few differences between the homes, such as square footage, colours of cabinets, and brands of flooring, but you should try to keep the options you're going for as similar as possible. For instance, decide ahead of time what type of flooring and countertops you want. Builders should be willing to give you a free, no obligation quote, and you can use this to help you make your decision.
As you compare these quotes, make sure to ask about what’s included. Does it include lot price, exterior landscaping, and pouring cement for the driveway? There are sometimes additional costs that can suddenly make your home a lot less affordable.
The same goes for features. Ask what comes standard in the home's base model and what will be an upgrade. If you have a large discrepancy between your quotes, these are likely the reason why.
Once you’ve gone through all of these steps, there’s likely to be a builder that stands out among the rest. Once you've decided on the right builder for your needs, it's time to get started on the process of buying your new home.
Photo credits: depositphotos.com
