Questions You Should Ask Your Builder Before You Begin:
- Are you a fixed price or cost plus general contractor and why is your system in my best interest?
- Do you have past client references I can contact to learn more about you and your company? Can I have a tour of some houses you have built in the area so I can see your work in person?
- Please describe specific actions you take to demonstrate to me that you are my advocate from the beginning to the end of my project?
- How do you manage the home design process? Is the design contract with the designer/architect or with you?
- Will you require I sign a contract and pay you a non-refundable deposit up front? If things don't work out, do I get a refund?
- How much participation will I have in the selection of the products going into my house? How do you help me make those decisions?
- How will you establish my construction budget so I know how much my project is going to cost? Can you provide me with a copy of your budget or cost estimate form?
- If allowances are used how will I know what I will be getting?
- Will you show me the actual bids you receive for my project?
- What is the hourly rate you will charge me for your employees and how much do you mark up their labor?
- How will I know the actual price of materials going into my project and how much do you mark the materials up? Do you provide copies of the actual invoices from sub-contractors and suppliers for my review?
- Please describe your invoicing process. Can you provide me with a copy of a typical customer invoice?
- What do you do to insure that the sub-contractors and suppliers on our project are viable? Are they insured, bonded, licensed, etc.? How do you make sure they pay their bills and Washington State sales tax?
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