Five Questions to Ask a Custom Home Builder

Building a custom home can be an exciting and rewarding experience, but it is also a significant investment of time, money, and energy. One of the most important decisions you will make when embarking on this journey is choosing the right custom home builder to partner with. With so many options out there, it can be overwhelming to know where to start. One effective strategy is to ask the right questions. By doing so, you can gain a better understanding of the builder’s experience, expertise, and approach to the building process.

1. Do You Service the Area Where Our Lot is Located?

It is important to find out if the custom home builder you are considering services your area, or an area nearby. If you are located outside their sphere of operation, it may mean you will have to find a different builder. At Riverside Homes Custom we exclusively build in Northeast Florida, servicing projects spanning from Amelia Island to St. Augustine, FL.

As a qualified, reputable builder who has extensive experience on the First Coast, we have valuable knowledge regarding the ins and outs of the various municipalities and neighborhoods within our service area. Our construction managers are assigned to dedicated areas around Northeast Florida to ensure efficient oversight regardless of project location. that every project is each home receives the same amount of attention. “Since our Riverside Homes Custom team only builds around a dozen or so homes a year, we are cognizant of how far a potential job will be from other projects to ensure we can service it efficiently and to the best of our ability,” states Steve Morgan, Business Development Manager for Riverside Homes Custom.

2. What is the Cost to Build?

Building a custom home means working with specific designs tailored to the desires of each client. What that also means is that there is no average price per square foot because every home is different. Pricing varies drastically from project to project. When you think of price per square foot, is typically measured on contract cost divided by total square footage of the heated and cooled space once a plan has been finalized. Features like porches, balconies, detached garages, and others can easily add hundreds of thousands of dollars to a home but have nothing to do with the heated and cooled space. Since the “price per square foot” depends on various factors, there is not an average. Morgan shares, “When we talk overall budget with our clients, we encourage them to provide an honest answer to make sure the expectations align with what they can afford.”

Before signing any contracts or committing to a custom home build, make sure that you are aware of all costs associated with the project. Discussing cost up front will help ensure that you are on the same page as your custom home builder and avoid any unexpected charges or delays.

3. How Long Will My Home Take to Be Completed?

One question that will always arise during initial conversations with a home builder is regarding the estimated timeframe of your home build. The timeline for completing a custom home is dependent on a variety of factors including the square footage, complexity of the design, materials used, permits and weather conditions, among others. Once these items are finalized, our team will be able to provide a more realistic completion date. By working closely with our Riverside Homes Custom team, it will ensure you are well-informed at every stage of the building process.

We understand the importance of communication, which is why we keep our clients up to date on the construction of their project with Buildertrend construction management software. Through Buildertrend, clients have unparalleled access to their home project from a single portal to monitor selections, budgets, and timelines. As an award-winning custom home builder, we work diligently to minimize delays and keep projects on track as much as possible. Morgan expresses, “In order to set the right expectation for our clients, we strive to be as transparent as possible to provide a realistic completion date for each project.”

4. Can You Help Us with the Plan Design?

Whether you already have plans for your homesite or need help designing them, most custom home builders have in-house architects or work with outside firms to ensure that your customized house plan meets all your needs. Be sure you know what architectural style you want and have an idea of the look and feel you desire. Your homesite will be a major factor that determines the style, position, and square footage of your home. If your lot has picturesque views, you will want to ensure that your plan incorporates the view. “Our Riverside Homes Custom team works closely with each homebuyer to build a home that not only brings their vision to life but also maximizes the views of the surrounding natural landscape,” remarks Morgan.

5. Do You Provide Assistance for Selecting the Home’s Finishes?

Many custom home builders offer assistance in selecting finishes and fixtures, which can save time and hassle when it comes to making decisions. At Riverside Homes Custom, our approach to assisting with design selections for clients’ builds has been developed and refined through years of working with a multitude of homebuyers on various projects. Instead of sending our buyers on a number of unguided appointments at different showrooms, we streamline our appointments into only a handful, with either our designer or one of our valued trade partners to lead the meeting and answer questions. Our design team’s construction experience bridges the gap between design ideas and execution by our construction managers in the field. This level of communication and expertise affords our clients the ability to incorporate their design dreams, without compromising a seamless construction process. “We work tirelessly to provide our clients with an efficient, enjoyable, and exciting design selection process for one of the most important investments of their lives – their home,” shares Morgan.

By asking these key questions before embarking on your custom home project, it will help to ensure you are working with the right custom home builder for your family’s needs. Read customer reviews and extensively research custom home builders in Northeast to make sure that you are making the best choice. Take a look at Riverside Homes Custom’s five-star reviews to see firsthand why so many trust us with their custom project. Just as a strong foundation is the cornerstone of a well-built home, selecting the right builder is equally important as it sets the groundwork for a successful home building experience.