When you begin any building project, here are some sample questions to ask.
- What is a good design for our needs?
- What is a building code? Does it effect us? How does it work? What doesn’t it do?
- Who is responsible, overall, for my building project?
- What are good sizes and proportions for rooms? What style do I want?
- What am I really getting from the builder?
- What problems do I have in my current house that I don’t want to repeat?
- Where can I find answers and help? How do I make my desires known?
- What does that line on the drawing mean?
- What is a dispute; a lien?
- What are specifications? Does the builder write and provide them?
- What if my builder does something in a way I don’t like? Is the house going to be complete; will something be left out?
- When will the house be finished?
- What is a contract? How do I play a part in it? What does it say?
- What is “an extra”?
- Is that a good material, I’ve never heard of it?
- Can I change things?
- Who picks the color of the paint, wall coverings, etc.?
- Is landscaping included? Sod? Seed? mud and rocks? Slopes? Are landscape features guaranteed?
- What if I disagree with the builder? Can I stop the work?
- Am I allowed on the job site? Can I inspect the work as it goes up? Can I bring someone with me?
- I really want this ________________in the house — how do I get exactly that?
- I can buy the light fixtures from my brother– but who will hang them? What do I do?
- Should I close on the mortgage and pay the builder in full? I have several items that I don’t like – must I still close?
- Why do we have to make all these trips to pick things out?
