4 business practices that set a custom builder apart
Choosing the right custom builder for your new home, commercial space or renovation project can be very stressful. Your concerns about construction quality, costs, budget and timelines are just part of the equation. You’ll also want to know how well your own individual expectations about the entire process align with your builder’s style. In other words, how well will you be integrated into the planning, and how often will you receive progress updates and other communications from your builder.
Another factor to consider is the experience and skills of the craftsmen and other professionals who will be involved in your project. Will the tradespeople be employed directly by the builder or does he/she hire subcontractors to perform the work? It can also be very valuable to learn how well each builder is connected to the architects, designers and realtors in the area.
How can you evaluate how well your custom builder will meet these needs? Look for four key business practices:
- A convenient, online method to track the progress of your project
The process of building a commercial, custom home or extensive remodeling project is complicated. Materials must be ordered, and tradespeople scheduled precisely to maximize production and stick to timelines without unnecessary delays. But more importantly, you, as the project owner, need to be kept informed.
Scheduling and communication processes can vary widely among builders. An online project management tool with a built-in mobile app like the one we have at Scholl Construction is designed to keep you totally informed about the progress of your project from anywhere, at any time.
You can simply log on from your computer, phone or tablet to view crew schedules, check on timelines for finalizing custom selections, review the budget and costs of change orders, and even send messages to the full Scholl Construction team. Emails are delivered to the entire project team, so the appropriate person gets the message and can follow up with you as quickly as possible.
- Dedicated project managers
One point of contact makes communication so much easier when navigating a process as complex as a custom construction project. Will the builder assign a dedicated project manager to your project? Will you be able to reach that person easily?
At Scholl Construction, your dedicated project manager will be intimately involved in every step of the project. A weekly face-to-face meeting is encouraged to go over the progress, address upcoming selections that need to be made and set expectations for the next week. You will also be encouraged to contact your project manager with questions or concerns at any time to ensure you are comfortable with the progress of your project.
- A wide network of highly skilled tradespeople
More often than not, a custom construction project will require unique skills to deliver the finest workmanship. Rather than trying to maintain a full staff of all potential craftsman that could be needed for any job, the best contractors cultivate relationships with a wide network of skilled tradespeople.
During the last 16 years of building and renovating custom homes and commercial spaces, Scholl Construction has developed trusted relationships with a full range of skilled craftsmen, architects and engineers who can be relied on to bring your dreams to reality. We are able to select the right people with the right skills and expertise to bring your dreams of your project to fruition within your budget. All the tradespeople we work with specialize in their field, are highly skilled and are properly licensed and insured.
- Professional referrals
Of course, most builders will cite satisfied clients as their best source of referrals. But don’t underestimate the value of referrals that come from architects, interior designers and realtors.
Architect referrals will let you know that the builder is excellent at translating the vision of the design into the reality of the living or work space. The same holds true for interior designers. Realtors see a lot of different construction styles and results when working with clients and are able to evaluate the quality of a builder’s result vs. other builders in the area.
Of course, the referral process goes both ways. We are proud to have well-developed relationships with a network of architects, designers and realtors to provide you with confident referrals should the need arise during the course of your project.
Give Scholl Construction at 815-479-0910 a call to discuss your custom commercial or residential project. We are confident we can help you realize your dreams and meet your expectations from start to finish.
