Tips on choosing the right builder for you.
Selecting your builder starts with understanding that a successful project isn’t possible without a team who can deliver the standards you expect and can guarantee an on-time on-budget completion. It all starts with the first meeting on site, where your builder should be asking you questions about the home, your family and your lifestyle - this shows he is trying to build a foundation for how to approach your project. Eye for Detail believes attention to your family interests is the most important aspect of a project; we must align with your expectations and needs before we even consider discussing pricing or schedules. EFD understands that every project is a big deal to every client, and respecting each client's privacy and requirements is our number one priority.
After your first meeting, you need to consider what the builder how the builder was to deal with. How was their communication? Remember, you’re essentially building a relationship with your builder; if there are issues now, there will potentially be issues throughout the project.
Make sure the scope of work is very clear, ensuring you explain precisely what you require and how you require it to be done. Don't hesitate to ask questions; it is the builder's responsibility to be up front and transparent about the work being carried out. Find out who is doing what; for example, is your builder managing the subcontractors, and who is communicating with council? (it is actually the responsibility of the principal/client, but builders should be happy to handle this).
Clients often make their mind up based on a builder’s quote - the more affordable the service, the more attractive it is. However, some pricing can be inaccurate in cases where a prospecting builder may not provide a realistic estimate or fails to alert a client of potential hidden costs. Don’t just look at the figure at the bottom of the quote; if an estimate is far lower than a benchmark, it may indicate a lesser skilled builder, an inferior service, or that the quote is simply not realistic. Ensure that you are comparing apples with apples and that any quote or estimate you receive includes any and all work that is required. Generally, builders of the same competence and quality should be within the same price range, with around a 10% variation in price.
Consult your builder to find out how they actually intend to approach the project as this will help bring to light some potential issues they see, and at the very least will help clarify the scope of work, giving you reassurance the builder knows what they’re doing. The process should be completely transparent - EFD likes to work closely with the client to make sure everyone is on the same page; we see renovations as a team effort.
It may seem tedious, but Eye for Detail recommends reviewing your builder's testimonials and even contacting some of their more recent clients. This will help give you the confidence you’ve gone with a professional, trustworthy team. EFD is always proud of the work we do and we have a long list of clients who a glad to recommend our work to others. If you have any questions about an upcoming project or perhaps one you've been putting off, by all means get in touch - EFD would love to help.
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