Ask the right questions and make sure your home is built right!
Going through the experience of building our own home taught us lessons we never expected. While we’ve successfully sold hundreds of homes, including new construction properties, nothing compares to the insights we gained from personally going through the process.
One of the biggest surprises? Construction managers often lack the level of experience we assume they have. As consumers, it’s easy to think these professionals know everything about managing the building process, but that’s not always the case. During our home build, we realized many are still learning, and sometimes they’re just figuring things out as they go.
For example, our construction manager had only been in the role for eight months. While he was eager to learn and had studied the craft, there were certain things he simply couldn’t know with so little experience. I found myself stepping in to coach him through parts of the process, which was unexpected considering my own limited experience in building investment homes.
“If something doesn’t feel right, speak up and ask questions.”
This brings me to an important point: don’t be afraid to ask questions. Never assume your construction manager knows everything or that things are being done the right way. If something doesn’t feel right, speak up. Many times, they may not have the answer, or they might be trying to figure it out on the fly.
In our case, I had to tell our construction manager more than once, “That’s not a good answer. Go back and try again.” This is where having solid representation comes in handy, whether it’s a realtor or someone else advocating for you. You need people on your side who can challenge what’s being said or done, ensuring you get accurate information and the best possible outcome.
Building a home is a huge investment, so stay proactive, ask the tough questions, and don’t settle for less than what you expect. If you need help in making sure you have the right construction manager to handle your construction project, you can call me at (571) 210-1818 and I’d be happy to help.
