Home builders Gold Coast: 5 things to consider before choosing a builder for your dream home

If you’re looking for home builders on the Gold Coast, chances are you’ve already noticed you’re not short on options. There are some key decisions you need to make first. For example, do you want a custom Gold Coast home builder or are you happy to go with a project home builder? There are benefits to both and really it comes down to personal choice. However, regardless of the type of builder you choose, you still need to make sure you select the best.

Here are five things to consider before you choose which Gold Coast home builder you will partner with to bring your dream home to life.

Look for a Gold Coast home builder with an excellent reputation and years of experience.

With experience comes expertise, wisdom and knowledge. If you decided to get a tattoo, you probably wouldn’t want a trainee or someone fresh to the industry working on you. Houses might not be as permanent as tattoos but they’re a huge investment and definitely something you want done with finesse and proficiency. So, look for experience.

However, while experience counts for a lot, the reputation of your Gold Coast home builder counts for everything! When we find any good service or product, we shout it from the rooftops. We can’t wait to share with our family and friends how happy we are with whatever it is we’ve purchased. So, ask around for recommendations and also ask your builder if they have any previous clients you can chat to or testimonials from past projects.

While cost is important, look further than the price.

Of course, you need to keep your budget in mind. And it’s important that your Gold Coast home builder does as well. However, if the overall cost is your only guiding factor, you may find yourself with a low-quality builder who is willing to cut corners or use inferior products to keep the overheads down. This could be one of those decisions that come back to haunt you years down the line when your roof begins leaking after a particularly nasty summer storm. Avoid the headache down the track and look for value for money over the lowest price in your Gold Coast home builder.

Ask loads of questions, especially these key ones.

Asking questions of a Gold Coast home builder can help you sort the wheat from the chaff. You’ll get a feel for how someone operates as well as their knowledge base when you pepper them with queries. So, don’t hold back. Some of the key questions to ask your Gold Coast home builder include:

• What’s including in the contract?
• Are you licensed and covered by indemnity insurance?
• Can I speak with any of your previous clients (preferably at least 3)?
• Who will be my point of contact through the process?
• Are there any additional expenses outside of the quote?

Ensure they’re exceptional communicators.

If a Gold Coast home builder takes weeks to respond to you in the beginning, this is probably indicative of the kind of communication you can expect throughout. If you’re okay with that or in no rush, then it might be a small price to pay for the home of your dreams. However, quality service is something that your Gold Coast home builder should be able to offer you. This includes being contactable during business hours and responsive when you email them.

Aside from this, you want to ensure that your Gold Coast home builder is able to understand your needs and help draw out of you what you need from your new home in terms of space, size and lifestyle. When it’s the right fit, you’ll find your builder asking you loads of questions. In this way, they learn what to recommend or suggest that you may not have even considered.

Enquire about timeframe.

If anyone knows anything about building a home, it’s that projects usually take longer than their anticipated timeframes. No one can control the weather and sometimes life delivers unexpected curve balls that throw a spanner in the works—literally. However, your Gold Coast home builder should be able to provide you with a general timeframe upfront. Due to other work, they might not be able to start your project for another three months. And that may be okay—or it might not work for you. In any case, it helps to know about expected timeframe upfront, so always ask the question.

Want to know more? We’ve written a blog on how you can get the most out of your building experience. And this 14 point checklist for choosing home builders by Smart Property Investment is a great reference to use when choosing which home builder to partner with on the Gold Coast.