When deciding to buy a new home, choosing the right home builder in Toronto is the most important choice to make. Because a company is building the home, you are essentially buying into the company. The company's skill, customer service and commitment to quality will play a substantial role in your overall enjoyment of the process and excitement about moving into a new home. It is important to know the qualifications, skills and expertise of a home builder before hiring them.
In Toronto, many companies offer home building services. Choosing the right one requires research and asking questions. Some of the questions you can answer yourself, but others will need to be answered by them. These questions include:
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Who is the company? How long they have been operating, specialties and other information?
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What kind of quality do they produce?
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How are they to deal with? Friendly? Cooperative? Understanding?
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Are they reliable? Are they compliant, should issues arise after the home is complete?
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What kind of reputation do they have?
After you have answers to these questions, the next step is determining what you want and communicating your ideas to them. The builder will then be able to convert your ideas into a plan that can be executed. Some things you will need to consider are the size of the home (including bedrooms, bathrooms and garages), the general layout of the home, any exterior green space, driveways or outdoor structures, any special considerations, public transit, nearby services and shopping, schools, and the distance to and from work. Once you are able to communicate your vision, you are ready to provide it to the homebuilder.
Now, the question becomes how to find a reputable company and weeding out any bad ones immediately. The first step is to ask friends and family for recommendations. If they have suggestions, follow up on them. If not, another great way to find direct information is to drive around your neighbourhood and speak to a neighbour who had a home built recently and ask them about their experience. If this fails to deliver a result, searching the web, the classified section of the newspapers, the Yellow Pages or visiting a builder's sale office can help you take that first step.
Once you have met several different companies, communicated your vision and obtained estimates, you can then look deeper into each of your top three picks. Price alone should not be the only consideration. Reputation is probably the most important factor, and remember to ask the questions mentioned earlier. A higher quote from a reputable builder is preferable to a lower quote from an unproven one. Ask the homebuilder asmany questions as you can think of. Get to know how they operate. Learn about their projects and how they treat their clients. Ask about any perks they offer such as warranty, after-sale support and customer service.
Once you are confident that you have the right company in mind, a mutually agreeable contract is mandatory. Meet with your lawyer to approve the contract, which should outline all work to be done by the builder. At this point, you are well on your way to a great build experience and a new home in Toronto.