28 Questions To Ask
Your Builder

Are you licensed and insured in the state I am building in?

How long have you been in business?

How many homes have you built in my price range?

My budget is ____________________.

Can my project be built for that amount? Yes/No

How can you be sure my budget will or won’t work?

Do you have a model I can walk through? Yes/No Address: ____________________.

Can I choose any or all of my subcontractors? Yes/No

What kind of warranty do you offer and what IS and IS NOT covered?

How do you handle change orders?

I will need to see all invoices immediately. Is that a problem?

If there are increases in materials or labor costs will you let me know immediately, including the amount of the increase?

How many homes do you currently have under construction, and how are you going to be able to closely monitor the construction of my home?

During construction, how often should I expect updates and contact from you?

How quickly will you return my phone calls or emails?

I plan to be on the construction site often. Is this a problem for you? Yes/No

Will you work with my home designer or Architect and interior designer to make sure my home will be built exactly as it was designed or to make changes along the way? Yes/No

If there is a problem with one of the subcontractors that you hired, how will this problem be resolved, i.e. my cabinets have a problem after I move in and the doors don’t align well or the finish is flawed. What will happen if there is no response from the cabinet-maker or he has gone out of business? How will this be handled?

What is your cancellation and refund policy?

What is your payment policy?

After looking at my plan, what is your estimated time for completion?

Who is your favorite client to work with? Why?

Who is your least favorite client to work with? Why?

Who are 3 references you have built for in the past 3-5 years that I can talk to?
1. ____________________
2. ____________________
3. ____________________

Do you finance the construction or do I need to secure a construction loan?

When do I need to have decisions made about cabinets, paint colors, flooring, etc?

Have you ever owned a construction company under a different name? Y/N If so, Please explain why?

What would your past clients say your strengths and weaknesses in building are?
-Strengths ____________________
-Weakness ____________________
-Ask this same question to the references and see if they match up or not.