Choosing a Builder
Creating your dream home should be one of the most exiting and rewarding experiences of your life. Our goal is your satisfaction living in your beautiful quality-built home.

To guide you through this exciting project, we would like to pass on some ideas and tips we have learned after helping our Customers create over 1,000 homes in the Rochester-area.

Below is a list of items to consider when choosing a builder or to live in a recently built home.

Is the builder a member of the Rochester Homebuilder Association?
Most builders who belong to this organization are professionals with a positive history in the community.

Look closely at the homes the builder has under construction or has already built.
Is this the quality you desire?

Get references.
Request the names of several recent customers and call them for a recommendation. Drive by the home and see if it is comparable with what you want. Ask if the builder was easy to work with and open to specific needs. Was he willing to make changes or explain if he could not accommodate?

Do you have a firm price for the house including specifications and details?

Do you feel comfortable and have an easy rapport with the builder?

Does the builder have experience in the size, type, and price range of the home you are contemplating?
Ask to see homes he has completed in your price range. In some cases you will be looking at an entire subdivision.

Is the builder also the developer?
Does he sell lots to other builders? In cases where there are a number of builders in the same subdivision there may be inconsistencies in the style, elevation, or value of the home. This may be an issue if you sell the home.

Look at the builder's model and a home under construction.
If a builder erects less expensive homes, he will often use a lower quality group of subcontractors. If he builds middle- to upper-end homes, he will then employ subcontractors and craftsman using higher quality materials with a greater level of expertise.

Beware of a builder who does most of the work himself.
Craftsman and contractors who specialize in one field are skilled experts and do the best job. If your builder does everything from basement footings to roofing and trim, ask yourself how good he is at each task, as he does not have the same level of experience as a specialist.

Is he a full-time homebuilder? Is he organized?
You should be presented with plans and specifications that are organized and professional. Does he have an office and experienced staff?

Make sure everything is in writing.
Does he have a system for change orders? Insist on a copy of every paper you sign. This will prevent disputes later.

Who owns the company?
Drive around the subdivision and look for him. This serves two purposes; it shows you are interested, but more importantly it lets you know if he is on the site. A builder who is there during working hours will watch your home better than a foreman. After all, the builder has a reputation to maintain.

Carefully compare, item by item, what is being proposed in the house plans.
If there is a large difference in price between builders, it will almost always be in the quality of the labor and materials. Be sure you understand what is considered standard and upgrade in the home. At Viola Homes we assume our Customers want high quality finishes as standard. Some builders present a lower price, but Customers will have to upgrade to get the quality they need.

Ask the builder how long his subcontractors have been working with him.
Exercise caution if they are all relatively new. When a long and solid working relationship exists, there is less chance for mistakes.

Look at quality of the products in the home.
Check the factory warranties. If the builder uses an item with a 10-year factory warranty, chances are excellent the product will last that long. Beware the one-year warranty; it is probably not as good a product.