You’ve decided that you would like to build a house. That’s great news! Selecting a custom home provides nearly endless possibilities when it comes to personalizing your dream home.
As you might have learned at some point, buying a preconstruction home can be stressful, especially when the date of completion keeps getting pushed further and further back. Not knowing when you will be in your new home is a frustrating situation that many people run into.
Knowing common reasons for delays is half the battle, and by gaining a better understanding of what might cause them, you will know what to do if they happen.
Common Causes of Delays
In a perfect world, all home builds would stay on schedule, but, in most situations, a delay or two is a normal part of the process. From permit issues to supply chain delays to workforce shortages, there are many contributing factors.
Based on our experience and keeping an eye on our customers’ experiences, here are five of the most common factors that contribute to delays:
1. The buyer doesn’t have financing.
A buyer might go through the entire prebuild process only to find out that their finances are not in order. Much like purchasing an existing home, there are several factors that contribute to your financial health when it comes to financing a home build.
2. The buyer doesn’t have land.
Even though you might have the land, buyers can sometimes run into issues if they do not take the proper steps, such as performing due diligence and zoning. Avoid getting caught off guard by hidden costs by taking an in-depth look at the property.
3. The inspector isn’t timely.
Inspection is a highly important part of the process, and it can get delayed due to scheduling errors, communication delays, or overspending. Although this factor tends to be a bit trickier to resolve because you are relying on the services of another company, you can do your research and make sure you partner with an inspector that has positive testimonials that are directly related to their timeliness.
4. The weather isn’t ideal.
The majority of a build takes place outside, which means the project is subject to the elements, and weather can dictate the pace of a project. Although severe weather can’t be avoided, a clear line of communication with your builder to identify next steps can make a big difference.
5. Materials aren’t available.
Custom selection of fixtures means that your house runs the risk of not having those materials when you’re ready for them. You can also run into issues with necessary materials, such as lumber, due to shortages or high prices.
How to Deal with Delays
If you experience one of these delays, you need a plan of action. Here’s a step-by-step process that you can follow:
1. Contact your contractor or builder.
Just like most situations, communication is key! Contact your builder to find out more information about the situation. Although delays can be frustrating, it’s important to stay calm and be willing to listen and compromise with them.
Be sure to bring any important documents or materials and take notes to ensure you’re both on the same page.
2. Get an update on the timeline.
After having identified the issue, come to an agreement on the new estimated completion time so that you can reset your expectations—especially if you are on a tight schedule. Be sure to inform the builder of any legal obligation that relies on completion of the build, such as the sale of your current home.
If you have other parties—such as the buyers of your current home—counting on your schedule, be sure to communicate with those parties to see about the possibility of extending your contract.
3. Create a check-in plan with your point of contact.
Although delays aren’t uncommon, significant changes to a building schedule are—especially those that push the completion date back by months.
To help you stay on top of any future issues, create a check-in plan with your builder so that you can receive progress reports. This will give you peace of mind that things are progressing as they should be.
4. Make sure you know how to deal with any future delays.
Multiple delays aren’t common, but they do happen. If one ends up happening to your build, be sure to have a plan in place that will help manage expectations about the future of the build.
For example, if the delays are a result of an unresponsive local municipality in regard to permits, ask if your builder is willing to shorten their contact intervals with the township to prevent so much time from passing.
Partner with the Right Homebuilder
We understand that many of the steps we listed above are steps you want to avoid. So, why not bypass them completely?
By partnering with the largest and most experienced custom homebuilder in the West, you can trust that when we create a timeline, we stick to it. And if any issues that are out of our control arise, we will be the ones to reach out to you—not the other way around.
Interested in working with Adair? Get in touch with us today!
