What happens at a pre-construction meeting with a builder?

Building a new home is always exciting; you are finally realizing the dream you have had for a long time. You have purchased the land, got your permit and found your home builder. What is next before commencing the building phase? Well, you need to have a pre-construction meeting with your builder. It is an essential step to take because without a formal meeting neither side can fully understand the project.

Establishing an overall strong relationship with your builder will benefit all throughout the construction period.

What should I expect from this meeting?

A builder can assist you in your choice. They are well versed in the sectors they work on and are familiar with the issues of service, proximity to schools and services. They often have a clear idea of ​​the price of land and the area sought.

An accomplished home builder ought to have no issues guiding you through the building project and answer your related questions.

A meeting with your builder allows you to take a complete tour of your new project. It is precisely this time when you might want to make some changes or come up with new ideas in regards to your house. You can also go through the contract again and ask specific questions if you aren’t clear on a particular point.

In addition, it is the perfect time to choose a starting date for your construction manager to start building. A starting date must be suitable for both parties and it could be arranged during the meeting.

During this meeting, you will review all the technical and administrative elements of the construction of your house. This includes a complete review of the construction plan piece by piece. Together with your builder, you can review the electrical plan (placement of switches, sockets, circuit breaker and etc.) placing of the water heater and plumbing structure in general. You can choose the colours, plastering, cupboards, external cladding, insulation of the house and pretty much everything.

To be prepared for the meeting you need to think about everything about your house and take notes of the important things you want to ask or bring up. You need to have a clear image of your house in your mind to be able to express it to the builders.

Review your plans and imagine yourself flowing through your rooms. Imagine your future plans and the location of your furniture. If you think you have to change something, do not hold yourself back and talk about it. Builders will appreciate as much information as you can give them because at the end of the day, they want to deliver a high-quality project to their customers and it is not possible without knowing what the customer wants in the first place.

Price negotiation can also be a part of the meeting if you haven’t signed the contract yet. It is obvious that as a client you will try to bring the price down as much as you can but you should be reasonable doing that. Keep in mind that the builder is providing you with this service to make a profit; they won’t be accepting anything that doesn’t match their expected profit. At the same time, you should not be accepting any offered amount without at least asking what you are paying for.

Two of the greatest factors in any project are time and budget. Having an idea of your financial plan and time period you’re happy with will help you plan things more efficiently.

The final phase of a pre-construction meeting would be finalizing the contract. Once the contract is signed by both sides, it is safe to say that you are halfway to your new house. Before signing the contract, make sure you have read it thoroughly. If you want to change some points, go for it and discuss it with the builder.  All you have left to do is just waiting for the builders to do their jobs.