With so many builders to choose from selecting the right one can be a difficult task. We have put together a sampling of examples you should look for before you make your selection.

Since your home is probably going to be the largest investment you will ever make, it is important to make certain you are getting the most for your money. Many builders will take short cuts and sacrifice quality to increase profits. While some of these short cuts will not jeopardize the stability of your home they do lower the overall value and quality you deserve.

Visual Clues
The first step in evaluating your builders overall abilities are obvious visual clues you may see throughout. If you see defects on the surface, they are most certainly indicative of issues underneath.

First let’s look at the finishing touches:
This photo of an exterior recessed light shows a builders lack of attention to detail. While this defect is not structural it does make you think of what else the builder did that you cannot see.

 

Here is an example of a proper installation
Attention to detail shows that the builder focus is more on the product than the profit.

 

 

 

Here we have what should be a quick and easy soffit installation that shows a lack of overall vision

 

 

 

This installation is equally effective but shows the attention to detail that will be visible throughout the entire home

 

 

 

One of the more difficult things to see and understand is structural integrity. When building a home there are basic details that need to be followed. If a mistake is made in any aspect of the home’s structure the entire home will suffer.

Below we see a roof that seems to ripple. This is caused by two factors; the builder used too much spacing between rafters or used sheathing material that was under-rated. This could be a combination of both issues and could have major consequences as the home ages. The consequences could range from structural failure to a leaky roof. Either way the home owner will have to deal with the results.