It’s an exciting time—you’ve decided to buy a new home. In reality, buying a home is the biggest purchase you’ll ever make, so getting it right is important to the future of you and your family. There is much to consider—from design to location to price—but just as important is ensuring you are buying a well-built home. Quality construction can make a difference in both the short-term and long-term benefits of your new home investment. Once you find a design and location you like, take some time to find out more about the homebuilder, their reputation, commitment to quality, and take a look at their past communities. You’re ultimate goal? Ensure you are not buying a new home from a builder known for cutting corners—you may feel like you are getting a deal upfront, but you’ll end up paying for it in the end. So want to know what to look for in a well-built home? Here are four things to consider when it comes to quality new home construction.
Overall Reputation
We suggest starting out by looking into the homebuilder themselves. There is something to be said for understanding more about the team building your home. You’ll want a reputable home builder with a solid history in new home construction. Review their website, understand what they are about as a company, and why they are passionate about new home building. Get to know the sales team. They will give you inside information on the builder, construction methods, and commitment to quality during every phase of the build. Your walk-through appointments are also a good time to ask questions about the quality of the construction, added value built into the home, energy-efficiencies, warranty programs, etc.
Quality Construction
Trust us when we tell you all homes are not created equal. You may love the design, but understanding all the added value and details that go into a home behind the scenes is just as important. For example, 2×6 vs 2×4 construction not only makes your home more visually appealing, but it also increases the energy-efficiency. 2×6 construction creates greater space between the interior and exterior walls, allowing for a deeper window well and more insulation throughout your new home. The larger depth of the window and door jambs often make a home feel more classic or rich. You’ll notice these added details, and so will buyers when it comes time to resell your home. These small, yet noticeable, charming elements are some of the things that would set your home apart from others on the market. Other signs of quality construction include concrete based siding (long-lasting and versatile), use of Joist Systems vs. trusses, and quality entry doors and fixtures.
Commitment to Energy-Efficiency
You want to ensure you are purchasing your home from a builder that not only is doing what needs to be done now to build an energy-efficient home but is forward-thinking as well. Be sure to find out how “Smart Home Ready” the new construction is, and what conservation and efficiency features are included. Items such as whole-house fans, solar systems, LED lighting, quality of insulation, Low-E glass windows, tankless water heaters, and more will mean your home will cost less to operate, offer a more comfortable living environment, generate immediate returns on your investment, and improve your resale potential.
Design Details
It’s true the little things do make a big difference. You can bet a builder that is going above and beyond when it comes to design details, is just as committed to what goes on behind the scenes when building a new home. Look for signs of quality with kitchen cabinets (soft close drawers for example!), quality woodwork including oversized baseboards and window sills, floating bathroom vanities, quality appliance packages, and top of the line plumbing fixtures.
