The Homeowner’s Role in the Building Process
Partnering with your builder for the best results
Homebuilding has changed significantly over the last hundred years, especially since the 1950s, when the housing industry boomed after World War II. Building a home in a classic, hands-on way is far from standard practice these days, as home construction has evolved from a trade or craft to a systematized process with many moving parts.
Today’s builders manage a variety of construction materials and methods, coordinate many trade partners and suppliers, and deal with countless building codes and regulations. The complexity of these arrangements can distance homeowners from the actual building process and cause uncertainty about where they fit in.
In fact, a homeowner’s role during construction is more important than ever. The homeowner is still, ultimately, a leader in the project. By gaining a solid understanding of the building process, a homeowner can participate more fully with the rest of the team.
Consider the following ‘leadership training’ tips that help define a homeowner’s role on a project:
- Education is key. It pays to learn about the building process and gain an understanding and respect for the pace, phases, and materials that go into a home’s construction—that’s one reason we offer this newsletter. This knowledge helps the client communicate with the builder and provides confidence as the new home moves through stages of completion.
- Meet deadlines. Builders set deadlines for decisions so that materials and labor will arrive on the job site at the right time during construction, enabling steady progress. With that in mind, builders need homeowners to agree on reasonable deadlines for their decisions, such as selecting cabinets or flooring, and then stick to them. Meeting these deadlines helps keep the construction schedule on track, and it sets a good example for the builder and their suppliers and subcontractors!
- Respect the change order process. Make sure the contract includes a formal process for managing change orders, which are decisions made (or changed) after an agreed-upon deadline. Most projects will have some changes, but they always cost money and often impact the schedule. It may take time to remove one product, wait for delivery of the new product, and install it, especially with today’s supply chain challenges. As professional builders, we do our best to accommodate requested changes. For their part, homeowners need to understand the impact a change order has on costs and the schedule—and be prepared to deal with resulting trade-offs.
- Communicate. Communication is critical, so we ask our clients to share concerns, issues, and ideas. Come into the homebuilding process with an open mind and feel free to ask questions. It works best to keep a list and ask questions during a scheduled meeting with the builder, but an occasional phone call (during business hours) is fine.
As a professional builder, we are proud of our business operations and systems. We partner with each of our clients. We understand and respect the relationship we have with our homebuyers. Our savvy customers meet us part of the way, by educating themselves, sticking to deadlines, and asking thoughtful questions.
Building Success 101
Q: What’s a “change order”?
A: A change order is a request to alter or substitute a product, design feature or plan edit that has already been approved, delivered, or installed. When you request a change, your builder will likely have a process in place to confirm the request and make sure it is done to your satisfaction. The farther along the construction path, the more costly a change order could be in terms of actual dollars and time, so it’s best to make informed decisions early and try to stick to them during the building process. In other words, put forth the effort with your builder in the Project Planning phase! It has been proven to be worth tens of thousands of dollars if not more.
By: Bryan Phillips