Construction Period

Construction period

At best the construction period will be the most frustrating of all the phases of the buying and building process. It is comical but understanding that over the years customers after signing their building agreement with their builder will leave the builder’s office and head out to the property and what to see if any work has begun, they come back day after day looking for the same thing.

Many builders will supply a construction schedule to the owners outlining when work is expected to be competed. This schedule can help to avoid much confusion and frustration of when work will be completed.

"The House Isn't Being Built Fast Enough"

If you are an owner that wants to be onsite everyday I will warn you that you may be doing more harm than good. (see Access to the Construction Site.) Plan two or three non regular times to visit the site. Try to visit the site more in the evenings after the work day is over.. This will allow you more time to explore the home without intruding on the subcontractors. Bear in mind that if you are visiting the site frequently you'll find that the construction pace varies from day to day. That is typical for residential construction. If you do find mistakes, errors, or poor workmanship the best course of action for getting it corrected is to go through the builder's chain of command. Calmly explain exactly what the problem is to the construction representative and ask if he is aware of it and /or what he is doing to correct it. This approach can make the rest of the construction process go smoothly.

"The Builder Will Never Meet the Agreement's Deadline"

To the inexperienced buyer three weeks or even one week before a deadline the home may look like it will never get finished. There is debris in the front yard, the cabinets haven't been installed, the carpet needs to be laid, etc. As hard as it is to believe it will get done. Try and give the builder the benefit of the doubt that everything will be completed on time. If you are in a situation which will require you to move into your new home exactly on time and you honestly are concerned about the builder completing the home by the deadline, talk to the builder. Make sure you and your builder are comfortable with each other's scheduling needs for completion.

Last Updated: August 06, 2005 09:07 PM