How do you know which one to choose?

There are so many builders in the Indianapolis area, that you can become quickly overwhelmed when choosing which one to use for your new home. Here are some guidelines to follow:

1. What type of contractor are they? There are residential and commercial contractors. You can narrow it down by only looking at the residential ones.

2. What does a contractor do? They get all the proper permits, coordinate inspections and oversee different sub-contractors to complete specialty areas, such as plumbing, carpentry, electrical, a/c, concrete, flooring, etc.

3. What kind of homes do they specialize in? Check the size & quality of the homes they have built. Are they a track home or stick built? You have large companies who focus on high volume track homes to make a profit, and they typically use lower quality materials. You can pay extra to have the nicer materials, but watch the price, because you can end up getting a better house by going to a custom builder. A good custom home builder doesn't offer the same floor plans for everyone and call it custom homes. They will actually build a design from scratch for you. The materials will be of high grade quality.

4. How do I know they are quality materials? Do your homework ahead of time by going to the energy star government website. It will show the minimum standards in all materials for a energy efficient home. Any builder that uses these standards or higher will have great materials.

5. How does the payment work? Track homes or semi-custom homes usually sell and close on the home after it is built. Many times they work with lenders who don't necessarily "care" if you can afford it or not. They just want the sale. That's why so many people are going bankrupt a couple years after they move in. A good rule of thumb is that the total mortgage payment should not be more than 1/3 of your monthly net income. Custom builders often work a little different in the payment. You would need to get a "new build" loan, in which the bank pays the builder in installments as the building process is completed. Then you have the final closing to take possession and bank would make the final payment after the build is completed.

6. Does the builder have all credentials needed? The builder should be insured. Check to see what memberships they have, such as the Chamber of Commerce, BAGI (Builders Association of Greater Indianapolis), and IBA (Indiana Builders Association). How many years have they been in business? How many houses like yours have they built? Do they offer a warranty? Always check references for both houses they have built, and their suppliers. Are they paying their bills on time? You don't want to get stuck with a bankrupt builder.

These are all general guidelines to follow when searching for a custom home builder in Indianapolis. My personal favorite builder is Moser Building Corporation (http://www.moserbuildingcorp.com/). The owner personally oversees every part of the construction process. His wife designs homes and they both work really well to make suggestions that will help you stay within budget. He tells you exactly what the cost is when you sign the contract, so you have no surprises at the end.

Good luck!