5. What is your design approach for custom homes, and do you typically work with an integrated design-build process or follow a more traditional design-build model? By clarifying the design approach, you will gain insight into how the project will be managed and executed. This allows you to consider what method best fits your personal preferences during the custom home building process. You can learn more about different design processes in the Budgets, Financing and Estimates section. 6. Do you have a commercial general liability insurance policy? What is the limit of the policy? A commercial general liability policy protects the builder against claims from third parties that might arise during construction. For example, if the builder damaged a neighbour’s property, or if a visitor was injured at the construction site. If a builder has a commercial general liability policy, it shows that the builder takes risk mitigation seriously. 7. Can you provide a WorkSafeBC clearance letter? All employers – including builders – are legally required to have WorkSafeBC coverage unless the employer is exempt. If you hire a builder who is not making required payments to WorkSafeBC, you could be taking on a serious financial risk. A clearance letter will confirm that the builder is registered with WorkSafeBC and is up to date with its payroll reporting and payments.
8. Have there been any home warranty claims on any of your projects? If so, how did you handle them? No project is perfect, and sometimes, home warranty claims arise. Asking this question helps you understand the builder’s experience with addressing defects and their commitment to resolving issues. 9. Tell me about a time you had a disagreement or a conflict during a new build. How did you deal with the conflict? How a builder answers this question will tell you a lot about their communication style. For instance, if it seems that the builder made a mistake on a previous project, it’s important to know that they took responsibility for it. You might also find out how the builder dealt with a previous client who may have been difficult or unreasonable. You should ask for a few references from each builder you interview so that you can visit their projects in person and speak with their references directly. You can ask references about key topics, like whether the project was on time and on budget, or whether there were any surprises. Builders should anticipate this question, and if they’re reluctant to provide references you should consider it a warning not to work with that builder. If the builder provides you with a list of projects they have built, you should look up the addresses on BC Housing’s New Home Registry to make sure the homes are registered and that the builder you are interviewing is the builder listed on the registry. 10. Do you have a few references?
We’ve included more information about interviewing references under Checking References .
Hiring a Builder in BC: A Consumer Protection Guide
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