by Gary Wollenhaupt

Created on: February 05, 2009

Building a new home is the largest investment most families will make, so it pays to choose the right builder.

The most important thing to do is ask questions. Ask questions and more questions. You can't ask enough questions. Ask questions until you have all your answers.

The process for choosing a builder actually begins before you ever look at a model home. First, decide where you want to live and what type of home you want, and just how much you can spend. Solid answers for those questions will guide your choice of a builder and will make this stressful process go more smoothly.

Building a home is a very emotional time. It's the single highest dollar purchase you'll make in your life, and it represents your family's security.

Homing in on a location, which may be based on a school system or job location, will narrow the choice of builders. Look at the company's Web sites for information on floor plans, pricing and other details. Then start visiting model homes and neighborhoods.

See how the home feels and get sense of whether this builder understands the features that are important to your family.

In addition to visiting model homes and sales centers, homebuyers should walk through some homes under construction.

Ask yourself, "Does this home feel solid when you walk in it?" Builders use different degrees of structural integrity when they build homes, for example their framing and flooring systems, the kind of drywall they use on the ceiling for fire protection.

Today, many homeowners are concerned about the possibility of mold, so ask about flashing techniques used to seal openings in the house, such as windows and chimneys, against moisture.

As you narrow your choices, do some homework on the builders you like. Call your local builders association find out whether the builder you they are considering is a member in good standing. Also check with the Better Business Bureau and the Attorney General's consumer complaint division to find out whether a builder has any open or outstanding claims.

Few builders are absolutely complaint free. The question is, how does a builder handle the situation?

What you want to see is the builder's track record for resolving complaints. You want to be comfortable that your home will be protected in the event there is a problem.

Next, get a sense of how a builder's homes fare when it comes time to sell. The national average stay in a home is five to seven years, and in some starter neighborhoods it's closer to two to three years. You want to make sure your builder's name will be a selling point.

Find out if homes are moving on the market. Ask a real estate professional about resales in that neighborhood.

Become familiar with each builder's construction process and home warranty. Builders typically have milestone meetings at certain points during construction to get your sign off and review any problems. An explanation of the home warranty will help you understand what kind of help you can expect if something does not work properly, such as the heating system or an appliance.

All these things help create a picture of the builder's products and relationships with its customers.

Homebuyers should choose a builder they feel they can trust and have confidence in. Look at what each builder is doing and choose the one that is taking care of most of your immediate needs.

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