Whether you’re building a new property or renovating an existing one, during construction your builder will be one of the most important people in your life! That’s because your builder is responsible for everything from organising the materials to supervising trades. In short, as the property-owner they will be your go-to-person for build-related matters. So, it makes sense to ask them a few questions before you start, right? Here’s our to three suggestions for what to ask to ensure a smooth, quality build.
- Are All Your Tradespeople Licensed?
It is important to confirm that your builder only uses licensed tradespeople. If they try to cut costs by hiring ‘a friend of a friend who’s done a bit of concreting,’ you could end up with a property that is a) not building code compliant, or b) poorly built (meaning you may need to fork out big dollars for premature maintenance) . Besides this, if your builder is prepared to employ unlicensed tradespeople it doesn’t speak well of their professionalism or their commitment to high quality workmanship.
You can easily check if the tradespeople your building supervisor intends to use are licenced by clicking here.
- Would You Like a Cup of Tea?
OK, OK, this might sound like a trivial question, but what we mean by this is: ask your builder to sit down and have a chat, so you can gain an understanding of their experience level, management style and personality. Some people feel a tad nosey doing this but, in all honesty, the qualifications and experience of your builder can have a massive impact on your project. Remember these are your hard-earned dollars and it’s your property.
You want to make sure your builder is experienced at managing residential builds and that they can keep an ever-changing army of tradespeople performing at their best. Ideally your builder will have spent several years working on the on similar style of homes to your own. It’s likely that a simple half hour get-to-know-you chat will leave you confident in their abilities to handle your project.
What is the Best Way to Communicate with You?
It is always a good idea before the build starts to have a brief discussion with your builder about how best to communicate issues and questions. Understanding a little about your builder and their team can save you unnecessary anxiety or frustration in the event they can’t return your calls straight away. Being clear about the best way to reach them or their team can save you both grief. The office staff may be the ones to call or email for invoicing related questions, whereas the site supervisor or builder may be the best ones to speak to regarding site/build questions. A good builder will do their utmost to keep you up to date with project developments but recognising what works best for them communication-wise can only help the build progress more smoothly.
For a quality build and professional building supervisors, contact HMA today.