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Choosing a Builder: some points to consider

At Platinum Development Corp., very simply put, we deliver what we promise. Our contracts are very specific, so what we promise is not vague and open for a lot of extra costs. Our customers know very clearly what features are or are not included. We specify in our contracts a move-in date, and a penalty (on us) if we do not meet that deadline. Most builders are unwilling to include this in their contracts, but because we are experienced, and we can accurately estimate how long a project will take us, we write this guarantee into all our contracts. Our past clients have found this to be valuable when planning for (existing home) closing dates, “temporary residence” lease terminations, etc. We have never exceeded a specified deadline on any home we’ve built.

For a printable version of this guide click here

Listed below is a checklist to aide you in asking the necessary questions when selecting a builder for your new home:

	Question	Platinum Development Corporation	Other Builder
1	Do you include a guaranteed move-in date in your contracts? And is it backed-up by a penalty if you don’t get us in by that date?
2	Will I be dealing only with the owner of the company, and therefore won’t be pushed off to a field superintendent or salesperson?
3	Can I expect to have regular on-site meetings with you to review my home’s progress and to answer all of my questions? How often is "regular"?
4	Can I expect that all work is directly supervised by the Owner of the company, and that an inexperienced superintendent is not supervising construction?
5	Do you genuinely care about the satisfaction of your customers and the quality of the homes you build?
6	Are you able to provide me with references?
7	Are you experienced in building on all types of parcels, including acreage as well as tight “in-fill” lots, and parcels with difficult topographies?
8	Are you experienced with special circumstances, such as engineered septic systems, geothermal HVAC systems, engineered-fill foundations, etc.?
9	Do you provide your clients with fixed-price contracts, meaning clients are not hit with unexpected costs?
10	Do you provide your clients with a lot of direction during the building process, such as providing them with a Selections Schedule (details what selections need to be made and when) to help them make selections in an orderly fashion?
11	Do you provide your clients with thorough, detailed contracts, eliminating uncertainties about the building process? How many pages is your typical contract? And can I expect that it will specify all the many details of building a home, down to the type and thickness of the subfloor, size and species of trim, the number of towel bars, etc.?
12	Do you have an in-depth understanding of how the construction draw process works and have you worked with numerous lenders?
13	Are you experienced in building a wide array of homes, from the smaller to the estate-sized homes?
14	Do you offer a Do-It-Yourself program?
15	Are you a licensed builder? And are you a member of any builders associations?
16	Is building homes your main business?
17	Have you ever been sued by a client?	NO
18	Have you ever had a lien placed on one of your projects by a subcontractor or supplier?	NO
19	Do you have current Liability and Workers Comp policies?

Click here for a printable version (PDF)