Sequim new homes builder, Port Angeles custom homes builder
In light of Rick Anderson's excellent six part series on Selecting a Builder, I thought our readers might be interested in a real estate attorney's (retired) perspective on hiring a builder. This article was written several years ago to help clients avoid bad experiences.
If you've read some of the nightmare stories that good people in Washington have lived through, you'll definitely want to know how to select the right builder/contractor.
Let's be very clear about this. There are many outstanding builders and contractors out there. The problem, as with any profession, is that you only need one bad one to live through a personal nightmare. Use these practical rules to find and hire a good builder, and you'll save $1,000's in attorney's fees, not to mention other costs, stress, and possibly divorce.
Do not simply open the Yellow Pages and pick a Builder.
Do not choose a Builder simply because he seems nice.
Do get a reliable referral to a good Builder. That means the referral comes from someone who is known to be reliable and who knows the Builder.
Do your due diligence on the prospective Builder. Investigate thoroughly.
Look at some of his houses, inside & out, and talk to previous customers. Be careful. You can still be fooled here. You can find one or two happy customers with every builder.
Check on his state license/registration, which can easily be done on the Internet Here. Use the State's checklist, also, but notice they don't tell you what NOT to do, which is where many of the traps are.
On the same State Internet resource, you can check the Builder's status, infractions, bond, and pending lawsuits. DO IT! Believe it or not, the vast majority of people do this only after they get into trouble with the Builder.
Check your local county superior court clerk's office for pending lawsuits against your prospective Builder. This can be done on the Internet by searching his company and personal name (in Pierce County here). In King County go here, although King County's Superior Court web site is years behind Pierce County's. Clallam County is not fully Internet capable.
After all this, interview your prospective Builder/Contractor, and see if you like him. If you don't, I strongly recommend you keep looking. Gut feelings are important. You've spent a lifetime learning how to read people. Don't ignore that lifetime of experience now. Here you should judge the book by its cover.
Ask for a copy of his standard contract and take it home to review it. Get a professional opinion on that contract. It seems every Builder uses a different contract, and many of them are grossly one-sided. There are several critical contract issues you want unambiguously addressed in the contract.
Due diligence in finding a great builder will make your life in your new home so much more fulfilling. After all, it's your money and it's your future. Do it right. Take the time to find the best builder.
