Why NOT to choose your specialist architectural builder on price

Doing your research, however, isn’t stupid and so here are some important things to remember if you are comparing builders on price:

• A grouping of quotes should be giving you some clues as to what the right price is to complete the project- ensure you are comparing apples with apples and not saving $15,000 on the flooring because one builder has included the highest spec timber flooring compared with another builder who has only included laminate flooring in the quote. Your architectural home is a bespoke build- ensure these kind of decisions are clear for your builder before pricing and that it is the correct product specified in the quote.

• Ask your builder what savings they have sourced for you- a good builder would have worked hard to build relationships with different suppliers in order to get clients a good deal on price and some builders even belong to memberships which allow clients to access some pretty amazing reductions. This is another reason comparing apples for apples is so important. Selecting an architectural builder that has just handed over a quote to you, without being transparent about what is in it often leads to future issues, especially where the builder has made an error with the quote because it has been put together quickly and without enough time and thought. Bespoke builds should be carefully sorted through and the time should be spent to get the most accurate pricing possible.

• Ask the builder how your price has been created- was it an educated guess, or was it prepared by a QS and builder to ensure it has covered all foreseen expenses. Naturally in the building process of architectural bespoke homes, there will be variations, and you will have times that you will change your mind about a decision you have made-but these things don’t need to be a problem if they are handled by a professional team. When a QS is used to put together a quote they ensure that the final quote is transparent and accurate.

What do you do if your builders all come in at roughly the same price- how do you know which one you should choose to work with?

We have put together our top tips for how to know you are choosing the right architectural builder.

1. You need a builder who is clear on the process they use, right from the beginning. How do you get started with them- for example, what will you be required to do and how does the process move forward? You need to know who will be working with you during the process, who will be the person you talk to about invoices and payments, who will you talk to about your build and how often? One of the advantages to our company is that Rob is one of the first faces you meet when you come to us with an enquiry, and then you catch up with him regularly throughout the build- sometimes weekly, otherwise fortnightly. And yes, it will be him too handing over the keys at the end of your build. For most of our clients, this isn’t where seeing his face ends either, as we build such strong relationships with our clients throughout that they remain in our lives as friends from then on. We really pride ourselves on this part of the personal service.

2. It is also vital that you chose to work with a builder who is the expert at what he does, and that what he does is what you are looking for to be done. Ferguson Builders Ltd are the experts at architectural new build homes in Queenstown. We have worked hard to gather the best, strongest team of guys that we could have and we are so proud of and confident in our team as the best people to get your architectural home built for you.

3. If you are not going to be living in Queenstown during the build, you want to know, of course, that you will still be able to be involved. At Ferguson Builders we use an awesome project management software that allows you to track your build 24/7. Buildertrend has been an absolute game-changer for us for communicating with clients and within our company. Throughout your build, you will get to see as much through Buildertrend as you would if you lived here in Queenstown and could visit the site. As well as this Rob will catch up with you as regularly as he would if you were here, over Zoom or over the phone, depending on your preference.

4. Lastly and certainly not the least important is that you need a builder that you feel comfortable with, and can trust. It is a long period of time that you will be dealing with this person and company for and it is important that you can see yourself getting along with them. We are very transparent about who we are- we are a family business with family and relationships at the core of all we do in our business. We feel that our transparency is very important and fundamental in helping us to build a relationship where we can communicate well with our clients and trust each other. Ask yourself- ‘do I feel like I know who this person is, have they been open and transparent with me about their lives both in the trade and outside of their business? Things like whether they have a family and which sport and hobbies are important to them can really help build a relationship. The relationship should be one where you could you sit down and have a beer with your builder or enjoy a meal at the end of the process to celebrate the success of the build? It is important too, of course, to know about their experience in the building trade and the collective experience of the team. All of these considerations together are some of the most important and yet are often overlooked by clients when choosing their builder.

5. A good and trustworthy builder will have information about themselves available for you- you shouldn’t have to ask for it. A quick visit to their website should tell you a lot about the company, the team and the architectural work they have done. A good website will also share information with you about the person you are dealing with and who they are. And then, of course, there are plenty of places to see for yourself- check how their social media used- is it full of pictures of building sites and materials, or can you also get a feel for who these people are, who their team members are, do they have a positive team vibe and can you relate to what you see and read?

We hope you find this to be a helpful list of suggestions for selecting your architectural builder if you have anything you’d like to know about us- check out our website, social media or get in touch and ask- we love to chat.