It’s probably a safe bet to say that the reason you’re taking valuable time to read what I have to say about new construction is because you’re at least considering building a new home. I hope you find what I have to say is informative and enlightening so you can make an educated decision whether or not to build. I want you to go into the process with your eyes wide open. Neither of us wants you to be like a deer with its eyes in the headlights once you’re in too deep to turn around.

Whether you’re interested in building, but you have nothing more than the image of what you want in your mind or you want to build that dream house from the plan that you’ve had stashed in the back of the closet since before you were married, you’ve come to the right place. Whatever your situation, been there, done that or newbie, again, you’ve come to the right place. The sad thing about this phase of the process is almost everyone you talk to is so discouraging. Listen and learn from their mistakes. Building doesn’t have to be a life threatening experience (life threatening for the builder). It almost never fails - you’re talking with someone that has gone the new construction route and they say, “MAN, Once was enough, I’ll never do that again!!!” Make no bones about it, going the new construction route is harder than buying a house that’s already up, whether it’s a new “spec” house, or a pre owned house. However, if you’re someone that, 1) knows what you like, if you can, 2) stay focused of the prize, and if you are willing to, 3) put in the effort that new construction requires, it IS very rewarding. When you have things laid out before you it eliminates surprises, shock and regret. I know because I’ve done it as a buyer’s agent and seller’s agent and as the builder/subcontractor of my own house.

There are different degrees of new construction. The two extremes are:

1) You have developers with money and investors that buy large parcels of land. They go through all the town requirements to maximize the number of building lots for a subdivision and when approved, they clear a 250’ canyon thru the forest where the road and houses are going to go. These builders have several plans to choose from ranging in square footage and number of floors, bedrooms and baths to meet most every buyer’s desires. The house plans are proven. The same subs are used to go from house to house on a rigorous schedule to keep on budget and on schedule. These houses usually go up in 2-3 months. The degree of “customization” is minimal. Cabinet style and material, countertop material and color, lighting fixtures and, “What color vinyl siding did you want? We have white, yellow, blue and beige.” I’m not knocking it, that’s what my first house was, and it was a good house for the 20+ years we lived there.

2) On the other end you have the true custom home builder. You talk to several builders and sooner or later you’ll find one. One that not only do you feel comfortable with them but the builder feels comfortable with you and what you want to do. You will then go to an architect and come up with a house plan. The builder will work with the architect and make suggestions to save costs and incorporate into the house design the images you have in your mind. It is very time consuming, but in my opinion well worth the wait. It will take around one year to build a 4000+ square house from the time the foundation is in. Proportionately longer as the square footage and level of detail increases. The biggest obstacle is, especially if you want a Bedford new construction is… LAND. We’re running out of it. Every Sunday you drive around thru the new developments and keep your boots handy so you can walk anything that looks good. You finally find a lot you fall in love with. You walk the land and picture your house situated on it just so and it’s beautiful. You wonder who owns it and is it for sale. More than likely it’s owned by a builder. That’s their inventory and their life blood. But, it’s not a builder you know. That’s OK, because I probably do. (Read more about buyer’s agents). If I don’t know the builder, I probably know someone who does. If not, I’ve been through the process enough and know how to sift through the rhetoric of the interview and get a feel for them as a company, builder and person. I am particularly fond of the term President Regan coined while in office regarding the reduction and elimination of nuclear weapon with the USSR. He said, “Trust, but verify.” Builders should have references letters and a portfolio or names to call. Some may have previously built homes on the market to see first hand. How has their work stood up to the test of time? Would previous buyers of their homes build with them again?

I’m going to give you my top reasons why people are so negative after they go through building a new house.

1) The biggest reason people have a negative experience in the new construction process is they weren’t properly prepared for what to expect by their realtor, or they bit off more than they could chew by going it alone. They drive around and find a town that they want to call home. They stroll into a local real estate office and say to the person who’s manning the front desk, “We’re interested in a new construction in town.” (YOU can’t see what happens next, but the real estate agent is screaming and pumping their fists in the air screaming, “YES, YES, YES”) All YOU see is a big smile and all YOU hear is, “Oh wonderful. Why don’t you come in here and let’s take a look at what we have.” It’s what I call, “The blind leading the blind.” How do YOU think this experience will go? True story - I had a piece of land listed. I was walking the lot with the buyer and the buyers’ agent and was asked by the buyers’ agent what I thought of a builder. The agent used the first name of one local builder and the last name of another local builder. Then she asked if she could drive her young son to my office to use out rest room. She apologized and hurried off to avoid an accident not to be seen the rest of the visit. Your buyers’ agent is making a fair sum of money to represent you and provide the experience you don’t have. Make sure he or she is knowledgeable enough to be representing your interest.

2) The next reason people have a negative experience in the new construction process is they didn’t get what they were looking for. The images people have in their mind are not easily transferred to paper plans. What they end up living in isn’t the same as what they imagined in their mind. It can happen in a number of different ways. It may be the architect you sat down with in the beginning of the whole process that didn’t tell you that a 3’ hallway isn’t going to have the same feel as a 4’ hallway. You don’t know. It doesn’t look small on paper… It may be the builder that is more concerned with other issues, so they don’t suggest things that could be done NOW for a fraction of the cost of doing it latter, if it’s even possible to do later. For example the basement is a nice size. Is it possible and how much would it be to have a day light walk-out? To have 10’ ceilings so the heat ducts can be concealed under a drop ceiling without making it claustrophobic or maybe consider using steel “I” beam to replace a triple 2x12 and a Lally column every 4’ so that pool table can have a home. I call this the, “coulda, woulda, shoulda” regrets.

3) Again, I have to go back to the agent you hire to represent you. You hired an agent because you either don’t have the knowledge or time to oversee the day to day progress of the house. After all the papers are signed and the home is underway, a lot of agents get lost until the final walk thru. This is GREAT for the builder - no accounting to anyone until the weekend when you bring the family in for a look and you see things you don’t like. “That’s not the door we ordered!” or “Isn’t there supposed to be an 8 foot opening going into the family room instead of a 4 foot opening”? Honest mistakes happen. Physically seeing things will sometimes cause people to change their mind during framing. Easy fixes if caught early. Personality should play a big roll in who you hire to represent you. Ask yourself if your agent is tactful and bold enough to get what YOU want without aggravating the builder and subcontractors. Do you trust them to do the “dirty” work so you can maintain a good relationship with the builder? Builders want to build a house that the buyer will be so happy with they tell their friends and even come back as their situation changes to build another new house. I believe there’s no reason why that can’t be accomplished every time.

Give me a call or email me to set up an appointment to sit down and talk about where you want to go, and I give you my word, I’ll do my best to help you get there along with your sanity.