When it comes to finding a custom home builder, Scottsdale has several excellent choices — but weeding them out of the pack takes a little bit of due diligence. That’s because there are a few custom home builders in Scottsdale that are virtual con artists.
Their major tactic is to quote you a very low price per square foot for the work they perform. That will get you to talk to them, at which point they sell you on the quality, etc. of their previous jobs. All of this is just fine until you suddenly get a bill that’s significantly higher than your ‘price per square foot’ quote, and you don’t understand why. That’s when he tells you that the price per square foot didn’t include the permits, transportation costs, or other assorted and sundry expenses that are an everyday part of building and remodeling. Scottsdale — and indeed all of Arizona — has no law that states that all costs of building must be given up front, and some tricky contractors like to try to take advantage of that.
So, to ensure that you’re getting the best deal that you can from your custom home builder, here’s a few key steps you should be taking:
Require your builder to give you an all-inclusive estimate, in writing, before he starts working. This should include the costs of all the permits, all the site work, all of the water, sewer, electric, gas, and other hookups, all the material — everything.
Make sure that there won’t be any details left for you to take care of. The key phrase here is “turn-key” — as in, you turn the key, and everything else is done.
When you compare the costs of two different proposals, be sure you’re comparing apples to apples and oranges to oranges. There are many ways in which some builders try to ‘hide’ cost-reducing tricks, and in which others value quality over lower expense. Watch for 2×4 vs 4×4 or 2×6 construction, formica vs. granite, single vs. double-pane windows, etc. etc.
Of course, before you decide on ANY builder, check his references, certifications, and get a few referrals.
Subscribe to my feed
