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Hire a good architect. Start with a good plan. The plan is everything. My architect was wonderful, creative about how to use a space, happy to answer any questions I had, willing to shift and change plans as new ideas arose, and a complete professional. An added benefit of the architect is that once your plans are set, the contractor needs to adhere to those. If he goes astray without checking or explaining first, you can hold him accountable (which worked in my case when the contractor kept going off track).
Invest in an excellent contractor. Ask area homeowners you trust. Ask your architect if you like him. Ask your friends whose homes you love. Get references, follow-up, and go to see the work in-person. My confession: my contractor gave me three references. One called back with a suspiciously flawless rave. One phone number was disconnected and the contractor never sent a better number, despite my request. The third never called me back, despite several calls. I should have known. A general contractor isn’t just a builder (don’t hire him if he claims that’s all he is) – a general contractor is the president of the whole operation. He should be “an aggressive problem-solver” (a phrase one of my subcontractors coined and which I love). You need to make sure you have the same standards, the same attention to detail, the same priorities, and that you can communicate with him or her. The last is essential. Be sure that the GC can handle questions from you. Building a house is an incredibly complex endeavor, with overlapping systems and inevitable, unforeseen challenges and changes to plan. If a GC even jokes about your not needing to question anything, move on. It’s not worth it. Trust me.
Join Angie’s List. There are no guarantees in life, but a consumer-review-driven resource like Angie’s List does put the pressure on. I have found superb subcontractors (after I had to fire my contractor and act in his place) through this service. >>>
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>>> BY AMANDA RAE
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BY LIZ BIRCH
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