Did you use a local architect for your plans? If so, they may have recommendations and it could be beneficial if the architect and builder have previously worked together on other projects.

In my experience, the better builders are usuallly members of the local home builders association. I'd start with a list of HBA members and pare it down to ones working in your particular locale. I'll second chispa's recommendation to drive around and look at homes under construction. Look for job sites that are neat and organized during construction. That's a quick and easy way to differentiate a pro from a hack. And look for homes that are similar in size and (ideally) the style of yours. You don't want a builder specializing in starter homes building an estate home and vice versa.

What is "the old bait and switch" please?

Thanks for the advice so far.

Let me explain what I mean by bait and switch. Builder is a turn-key type custom builder here. I initially got an estimate for the sq footage and general level of finishes I was looking for.

Then got an architect who provided initial plans which were almost complete. We wanted Stucco, and a couple of balconies withe balustrades (not made from stone/cast stone, but some fiberglass type material). This was specifically mentioned to the builder. The sq footage was then lowered and plans revised by the architect and then the builder again confirmed the initial estimate amount, more or less.

So, the architect and I were confident that the stucco and balconies were included in that confirmed estimate.

A month later, the architect finishes the drawings and electrical plan. Other than crown molding in the great room, and a small brick half-arch to the kitchen, nothing else changed in the plans.

The builder with these finished plans now estimated $80K more, citing Stucco and balconies. I consider that bait and switch. If someone can tell me how crown molding in one room and a small brick arch adds $80K, I'm willing to concede I was being too hasty.

No, he gave you a square foot price which was a GUESS. You then had finished plans and then you get a solid number. Asking him if a little crown and brick arch is costly and he answered, he may have been incorrect as we only see one side. In my opinion from limited info we have is he may not have comminucated well, but in all honestly to get a solid price you need solid plans. Anything more if a guess and quite honestly more people get agita attempting to spend hundreds of thousands of dollrs and a poor pricing metric as sq ft price should be a GUIDE as an estimate, not a solid price.

Additionally, the level of specificity that comes with architectural plans drives additional cost because the architect will clearly call out things that are more costly than builder basic or code. it's why architect designed homes usually have less springy floors than other homes, and different / name branded materials. This specificity drives cost your builder may not have been anticipating. (and I am actually surprised it was "only" $80K)

We had finished architect designed plans and we gave them to our builder to give us a "quote". I did tell the builder to make all the allowances based on high-end choices. When the quote came, some of the allowances seemed low. I had done a lot of remodeling so I had an idea of prices, but we were building in a new/different state which was historically much lower than the state/town we were in. I think I told my DH we were going to end up 25% more than the builder estimate. In the end, when all was done, we were 40% over the builder's original estimate. It was cost plus, so it cost us what it cost us. Covid price increases and the high demand for new construction that it caused in our new state didn't help.

I would never say that our builder did a bait and switch.

Luckily the prices and sales of existing houses in our neighborhood/city went crazy during/after covid and people paid more for old houses, that needed major remodeling, than what we ended paying for a larger brand new house. Our lot value also tripled. Weird times and weird results!

Bids from sub-contractors were barely valid for a few days, due to the price fluctuations and supply chain disruptions.

Bottom line, building custom is a luxury and if you aren't ready to weather weird world events and cover unexpected costs and price increases, then you probably aren't ready to take on this type of project, that carries major financial risks for the homeowner.

I think I need to repeat - the plans that got the confirmed estimate and the final plans that got the raised estimate were basically the same. Only difference was the crown molding in one room and a brick semi-arch. Nothing else was added other than the electrical plan. If I'm missing something, I can understand but I don't think I am.

Now if like someone said, the sub-contractor costs changed, then the builder should've been transparent and said so, instead of saying, "Well, I don't have what I told you before in front of me. This is what it costs from the plans." That tells me either he couldn't be bothered with the details, or he is trying to be evasive. Of course, you have only my side of the story. That's true with everything on these forums.

To Chispa, thanks for the earlier excellent advice on how to find a builder. But I could do with a little less condescension - I may not have money to throw away, but I think I do realize that projects like these carry financial risks.

I don't know how a request for suggestions for a builder turned into a defensive response fest.

You are never going to build. You aren’t temperamentally suited to it, or finanacially suited to it. 80K is nothing for an overage change after plan finalization. 180K is more like it.