Like everything else, building a home is an exercise in trade-offs: you get the home you want with a minimum of compromises in exchange for a five-to-nine month building timetable and a considerable investment of time and energy.

New construction offers the decided advantages of a home that is absolutely yours:

• new and clean
• innovative design that meets your unique needs and tastes
• amenities and décor that you select.

It can also offer the advantages of state-of-the-art technology:

• high comfort, cost-saving heating and cooling
• low-maintenance, efficient materials
• the most effective safety features (smoke and gas detection systems, electrical systems, security systems)
• whole-house wiring to accommodate the growing variety of home electronics
• healthy environment building materials
• building designs that promote comfort, safety, and health.

Spec or Custom
There are basically two ways by which to build your own house (with a whole lot of variety in between): spec and custom new construction.

• A spec house is offered by a builder who typically builds out a large parcel of land for a subdivision. By selecting the lot, the buyer also selects the builder. Buyers are offered a limited number of options on
  • floor plans
  • exteriors
  • interior fixtures (cabinets, countertops, plumbing, etc.)
  • décor (flooring, lighting, wall treatments, etc.).

  Buyers typically have some leeway in deviating from the builder’s options, but structural changes are usually limited to non-load bearing walls and other structurally minor changes.

• Custom new construction offers buyers total discretion—the lot, house design, builder, fixtures, décor.
  • Custom building typically is more expensive than spec homes and requires greater buyer investment in time and participation.
  • Compromises made in custom building are typically buyer-imposed and driven by cost and taste.

The Builder
The key to a successful new construction experience is the right builder for you. Just as your relationship with Gloria is critical to your finding or building the right home, your relationship with your builder is critical to turning your ideas into a home and with a minimum of hassle.

While Gloria will assist you in finding and working with the right builder, here a few things you will need to do:

• Verify his experience (years in the business, training, number of homes built in a year, number of homes built like yours and in your selected area)
• Check client references (2-3 clients to contact, homes of various ages to view)
• Verify his expertise (time to complete home, use of subcontractors, how he selects, supervises, compensates subcontractors, average inspections performance)
• Verify his credentials (general contractors license, level held, membership in professional associations and local business/civic groups)
• Verify his financial stability (credit rating, construction lenders, how he handles purchase of lot and home construction)
• Understand building process (meetings, communication, decision making, progress reporting, access)
• Understand completion process (walk through, punch list, deadlines)
• Understand warranties (third-party or proprietary, claims filed/resolutions).

Building your home is a lot of work. But, as many can attest, well worth the effort.