Finding a Builder Part II

The day after Boo wife and I had our first tour of the 1950's Cape Cod house on a quiet cul de sac we decided to contact a builder to have them take a look at the house, give us some ideas as to what might be done and maybe some rough estimates as to costs. The business card I received 6 months ago from the builder we met at the home show was sitting on my desk. I typed in their web address and did a quick BBB check to see if anything was grossly afoul. Superficially things looked OK.

I sent an e-mail stating our situation, that we had met at the Homearama and we were interested in a remodel/new construction and wondered if they would be able to meet to discuss, I also stated I would be happy to pay a consultant fee if needed.

The e-mail back to me was simple, even though it sounded like a sales pitch I sensed sincerity in the words. To summarize the e-mail: "Our business is about families and building relationships. We'd be happy to meet you and take a look at the land and home. There is no cost involved."

So we met Alan and his associate Brad, at the 1950's Cape Cod and had a nice conversation about options and building. It turns out that Alan lived in the neighborhood and builds most of his homes and remodels in this area. He has lived here for many years and was an early adopter of green technology in home building.

Truth be told Boo wife and I didn't do a lot of comparison shopping when it came to choosing a builder. This is very atypical for me, as I am usually the one reading Consumer Reports when it comes time to buy almost anything. Then once I find the best whatever, I start looking to find the best price. You would think with a project like this I would have taken more time, but sometimes you have to trust your instinct and besides, at the time, there really weren't many established, reputable builders in our area using the technology these guys were.

As I mentioned in a previous post we didn't get the 1950's Cape Cod, but Brad and Alan came out on a cold and snowy day in mid March to meet my Father-in-Law and me so we could take a look at and walk the five 1.5 acre lots up for sale.

Turns out it would be another 12 months before we even started building. During that time we met with Alan or Brad on numerous occasions discussing almost every aspect and details, crunching numbers, going through initial selections, and getting estimates etc. The only time they asked for any money was after the second round of blueprint changes, and that was because the architect was asking for a payment for work already done.

They worked with us for these 12 months with only a verbal commitment from Boo Wife and I and without a signed contract. Is this typical of all builders? I don't know the answer to that question, but I do know that these guys did it.

NEXT: Selling our Home (The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly)