You may think “Of course they are licensed and insured!”, but you would be surprised at how many “professionals” do not carry sufficient insurance or maintain their licenses. Make sure the builder has any and all licenses required for building in your location. In North Carolina, you can search the North Carolina State Board for General Contractors website here: https://nclbgc.org/search/license

Also, make sure they carry sufficient general liability insurance to cover accidents or damages that may occur at your job site.

It never hurts to ask for references when it comes to entrusting your home to someone. Ask for a list of clients that are open to discussing their experience with the builder with you. Also, find out if the builder has worked on projects similar to yours in the past.

Will lien waivers be provided? Make sure the contract you will be signing covers a clear plan including project description, timeline, payment schedule, applicable warranty, and liability insurance information, and any other relevant information pertaining to your specific project. If you have any questions about the contract, bring them up before you sign.

This dives more into the contract and payment schedule, but it’s very important to understand the accounting and billing expectations of your projects.

We know it’s easy to want to go out and buy items for your new home, who doesn’t love shopping?! It’s a good idea to find out how to best navigate purchases, especially if you have a cost-plus contract.

Everything to do with finances and payments should be discussed before you sign any contract. Making expectations clear from the beginning makes for a smoother project where everyone is on the same page.

Do you have time for my project? You want to hire a qualified, professional, and experienced home builder for your project, but you also want to make sure that builder has enough room in their current workload to accommodate your project from start to finish. Simply asking how much availability they have can help avoid headaches down the road if your project gets delayed or doesn’t meet timeline projections.

Customizations should be discussed from the start of the project. Making it clear from the start how changes will be handled will save many headaches down the road.

Truth be told, change happens. It's easy for homeowners to want to change their minds throughout a project, however, this can not only be costly but delay your project's completion. It's easy to know upfront how changes are handled, what fees will be charged for changes, and any other relevant information to change orders.

It’s always a good idea to dot your i's and cross your t's and in this case, that means discussing the details of permits, inspections and clean-up. Find out if the builder handles all of these or if any of them fall on you to complete.