New & Custom Home Builders

What do new home building contractors do?

For residential home builders who also act as developers, the job starts well before the first nail is driven. They perform local market research to determine whether the prospective homesites make sense in the market, as well as survey the land on which the custom house will be built to make sure it is suitable for construction. Custom house building companies also obtain the necessary permits.

Good new home builders have skills that go far beyond construction — he or she must supervise subcontractors and artisans; keep tabs on local zoning regulations, building codes and other legalities; inspect work for problems along the way; and perform dozens of other roles that are essential in construction a quality custom-built home. They also, you guessed it, do the actual construction. From breaking ground to the finishing touches, house building contractors will be involved every step of the way. Here are some related professionals and vendors to complement the work of home builders: Interior Designers & Decorators, Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers, Architects & Building Designers, Kitchen & Bath Designers, Specialty Contractors.

House builders are responsible for ensuring that the project sticks as closely as possible to the specified timetable, particularly in the event of change orders. Custom local home builders also need interpersonal skills to deal with clients of all types, soothe frazzled nerves, negotiate conflicts and resolve problems. It can be daunting to choose from the many home building companies out there, so here are a few things to help you ensure you're finding the right one:

Questions to ask a prospective custom home builder:

• How long have you been a licensed house construction company?
  
• How many projects like mine have you completed?
  
• Who will be working on the project?
  
• Are the workers employees or subcontractors of your house building company?
  
• Can you provide me with references?
  
• May I see a current jobsite?
  
• Can you give me the addresses of some custom homes you have built?
  
• Are you and your employees licensed and insured?
  
• What license(s) do you have?
  
• What other training and affiliations do you have?
  
• How do you charge, and what does that include?
  
• Can you give me a written estimate?
  
• What do your services include?
  
• How will I be charged for parts and materials?
  
• When can your job get done?
  
• What is your policy for change orders?
  
• What happens when the cost exceeds the budget? What about changes to materials or labor pricing?
  
• What will I need to provide?
  
• Are there any important considerations or concerns you foresee with this project?
  

Find custom home builders on Houzz. Narrow your search in the Professionals section of the website to home construction companies. You can also look through photos to find a house you like, then contact the residential construction company who worked on it.

Find custom home builders near me on Houzz

Before you hire a custom home builder, shop through our network of over 62,845 local custom home builders. Read through customer reviews, check out their past projects and then request a quote from the best custom home builders near you. Finding custom home builders in my area is easy on Houzz.