Selecting a builder to undertake your renovation is a big decision. It’s going to be a long partnership that need to run smoothly to get the best result for your home.
Before you sign on the dotted line, we’ve compiled a list of the top 5 questions you should ask, before making that huge commitment.
- Is the builder licensed?
Sure it’s law that all builders have an up to date builders’ license and insurance, but always do your own research. What they tell you may not always be the case. We also recommend asking some questions to ensure their license allows them to do the exact work you want done.
- What experience does the builder have?
We recommend looking into what experience your chosen builder has. Head to their website, social media accounts, google pages. Find some reviews, check out their previous work. Trusted builders will be happy to share examples of previous work. By looking at their previous work you’ll be able to see if they’re doing the type of work you want for your home. You might even want to speak to some previous clients, people are usually pretty happy to share their experiences.
- How does the builder work with the client throughout the process?
In most cases, builders like to have regular meetings with their clients to update on progress, talk through any issues and ask and answer any questions from either side.
Whether it’s regular site meetings, email updates or contact as required, it’s important you talk to your prospective builder about how they like to communicate and work out a way that will suit you both.
- Will there be one single point of contact for the project?
Things are going to run much more smoothly if you have one single point of contact and are able to work directly with this person throughout the project. Knowing that same person will be overseeing your renovation from start to finish will mean they are across the project and can answer any of your questions quickly. Good communication will be absolutely critical to the outcome of the renovation!
- Will the completed renovation be certified appropriately?
Once the project is complete, there are a number of sign offs and documents you’ll need. This can include inspection reports, council approvals, compliance certificates, and many more. It’s important to ensure from the beginning that your builder will be providing everything you need to certify your home.