Tips for choosing the right builder

Ivan Stanicich likens the process of choosing a builder to starting a new relationship.

‘‘If you’re dating somebody for the first time, you’ll do background checks, that person might have been referred to you by a friend, the nice guy looking for love in the right places, we know him kind of thing.

‘‘Or if you’ve had a bad experience, it’s a bit like a broken marriage, you’re generally a little more dubious about selecting the next partner.’’

Either way, Ivan says entering into a partnership with a builder or building company requires honesty and an upfront approach from both parties.

‘‘You’re entering into a relationship essentially, you really want to trust each other, you’re going to be giving this person or business a lot of your money and a lot of your trust.

‘‘You’ve got to be comfortable and get a feel for it, it’s just like finding a new partner,’’ says Ivan.

Before starting any relationship, the first step is to ask around friends, family and colleagues to see if they have had any experiences with builders or building firms.

Also go online to do background searches of builders and/ or companies, and visit the Registered Master Builders and Certified Builders websites for guidance on finding the right builder for you.

‘‘The first thing people do when making a decision is to have a look online – if you’re going to eat out you look at reviews, if you want to buy a certain product you look at reviews…’’

‘‘Referrals and word of mouth in the building industry are powerful tools, they are a genuine indicator of whether a person or firm is good and trustworthy.

‘‘Background searches can tell you a lot, whether they are residential or commercial builders, what they specialise in, how long

He is aware of just how important the client relationship is yet is constantly amazed at how unprepared homeowners can be at their first meeting.

‘‘Often, they haven’t done any homework, they don’t know what questions to ask or what they want, or they’ll be unaware of the process, though that is understandable.’’ have they been in business, have didn’t work out as well as it By that Ivan means they will they changed names several should have.’’ commonly ask one particular times, who are the directors/ Ivan completed his apprenticeship question that often infuriates shareholders, for example.’’ as a carpenter joiner back in many builders, that is, ‘‘how

If those searches and referrals 1984. He purchased Fowler Homes much do you charge per square aren’t done, or fall on deaf ears, in 2000 and since then has been a metre’’?

Ivan says homeowners really are member of the Registered Master ‘‘What they should say is ‘we entering a lottery, you just don’t Builders Association. need to build a three or fourbedroom know what you’re going to get. Since taking ownership of home, with two

‘‘People tend to know that Fowler Homes, he has been successfully bathrooms, a double garage, on a when something is too good to be designing and building flat section and we need it to cost true it often is, and yet people ignore new residential homes and light $400,000, can you help us?’’’ it and wonder why the process commercial buildings. Continued next page.