Finding the right builder can make or break your project.
I’ve seen homeowners spend months, sometimes years, dealing with the aftermath of choosing the wrong team. And I’ve also seen projects that went so well that the homeowners became friends with their builder.
The difference? Usually comes down to doing some groundwork before you sign anything.
When you’re about to invest a significant amount of money into your home, whether it’s a full custom build or a major home renovation, you need someone who gets what you’re trying to do.
Not just the physical work, but the vision behind it. Someone who won’t disappear when problems come up. Because problems will come up.
Let’s talk about how to find that person.
9 Ways To Choose The Right Builder For A Custom Home Or Major Renovations
There’s no magic formula here. But there are steps that actually work.
Some of these might seem obvious. You’d be surprised how many people skip them anyway.
Define Your Project Scope and Goals Clearly
Before you even start looking at builders, you need to know what you want. And I mean really know.
Are you building a 2,500 sq ft custom home? Doing a second-story addition? Gutting a 1950s ranch and turning it into a high-performance home? Each of these requires different expertise.
I’ve worked on projects where the homeowner came to us saying they wanted “a renovation,” but they hadn’t thought through whether they wanted to preserve original features or start fresh. That matters. A lot.
Write it down. Square footage you’re adding.
Performance targets you want to hit. Whether you care about preserving character elements or not.
Your timeline, if you have one. Whether you’re planning to live there during construction (I don’t recommend it for major work, but some people don’t have a choice).
Budget comes next, and we’ll get to that. But you can’t even have a real conversation with a builder until you know what you’re asking them to do.
Research Builders With Relevant Experience
Not all builders do all things well.
Some specialize in high-performance new builds.
Others focus on heritage home restorations. Some do production homes and won’t be interested in a custom project with specific performance goals. And some say they do everything, which usually means they don’t do anything particularly well.
Look for builders who have done projects similar to yours.
If you’re planning a Net Zero home, find someone who’s actually built one.
If you want to retrofit a century home, you need someone who understands old building assemblies and won’t just slap spray foam everywhere and call it done.
Ask to see their portfolio. Actual projects, not stock photos. Better yet, ask if you can visit a completed project or talk to previous clients.
Builders experienced in full property transformations, such as complete home makeovers, are often better equipped to manage structural, design, and compliance complexities from start to finish.
When they’ve done it before, they know where the problems hide.
They know which permits you’ll need. They know how long things actually take, not how long they should take in theory.
Verify Licensing, Insurance, and Certifications
This isn’t exciting, but it matters.
Every builder should have proper licensing for your area.
They should carry liability insurance and workers’ compensation coverage. If they don’t, walk away. I don’t care how good their work looks or how competitive their price is.
When something goes wrong on a job site, and you hired someone without proper insurance, you could be liable. That’s a risk you don’t want.
Certifications can tell you something too.
A builder who’s taken the time to become a Certified Passive House Tradesperson or get LEED accreditation probably cares about building science. That said, some excellent builders don’t have certifications, so it’s not the only thing to look at.
Ask for proof. Don’t just take their word for it.
Review Reputation and Client Testimonials
Google reviews can be manipulated. We all know that. But patterns tell you something.
If a builder has 30 reviews and 25 of them mention poor communication, that’s probably true.
If multiple people say the builder disappeared for weeks at a time, believe them.
But go beyond online reviews. Ask the builder for references from projects in the last two years. Recent ones, not from five years ago.
Then actually call those references. Ask specific questions. Did the builder show up when they said they would? How did they handle unexpected issues? Did costs stay close to the original quote? Would you hire them again?
One bad review out of twenty might just be a difficult client situation. Five bad reviews with the same complaints? That’s who they are.
Evaluate Communication and Transparency
Here’s something I’ve learned: how a builder communicates during the quoting process is how they’ll communicate during your project.
If they take three days to respond to your emails now, they’ll take three days when you’re asking about a problem on site.
If they’re vague about costs or timelines now, they’ll be vague when you’re trying to make decisions later.
Pay attention to whether they listen. When you explain what you want, do they hear you? Or are they already telling you what you should want instead?
Good builders ask questions. They want to understand your priorities.
They might push back on ideas that won’t work, but they explain why.
Red flag: builders who promise everything will be easy and nothing will go wrong. That’s not transparency. That’s sales talk.
Compare Detailed Quotes, Not Just Price
Getting three quotes is standard advice. Fine. But comparing them is where people mess up.
The lowest price is almost never the best choice.
Usually it means something’s missing from the scope of work, or they’re planning to use cheaper materials, or they underbid and will try to make it up with change orders later.
The highest price isn’t automatically the best either. Sometimes you’re just paying for overhead.
What you want is detail. A good quote breaks down costs by phase or by trade.
It specifies materials. It explains what’s included and what’s not. It gives you a realistic timeline.
When quotes vary by $50,000 or more, dig into why. What’s different? Is one builder including things the others aren’t? Is one planning to subcontract work that another does in-house?
You can’t compare apples to apples if you don’t know what you’re looking at.
Understand the Contract and Payment Structure
Read the contract. I know it’s boring. Read it anyway.
Make sure it includes everything you discussed. Scope of work. Materials specified.
Timeline with milestones. Payment schedule. How changes and unexpected issues will be handled. What warranties are provided.
Payment structure matters more than people think. You should never pay the full amount upfront. That’s obvious. But the schedule should also make sense.
Typically, you’ll pay a deposit, then payments tied to project milestones.
Maybe 10% to start, 25% when framing is done, 25% when it’s closed in, 25% when interior work is substantially complete, and the final 15% when everything’s finished and you’ve done a walkthrough.
The exact percentages can vary, but the point is that payments should align with work completed.
This protects you and keeps the builder motivated to keep moving.
If a builder wants 50% upfront, that’s a problem. They should have enough working capital to buy materials and pay subs without holding your money.
Assess Project Management and Team Structure
How does this builder run their jobs?
Some builders are on site every day managing the work themselves.
Others have project managers who coordinate everything while the builder runs the business. Some use a combination.
There’s no single right answer, but you should know what to expect.
Who’s your point of contact? Who makes decisions on site? How often will you get updates?
Ask about their subcontractors. Do they use the same trades on most projects, or do they bid out every job to whoever’s cheapest? Long-term relationships with subs usually mean better quality and fewer scheduling headaches.
What happens when there’s a problem? Every project has them.
How does this builder handle conflicts between trades, or material delays, or something that needs to be redesigned?
The builders who’ve been doing this a while have systems.
They might not be fancy, but they work. New builders often wing it, and that’s when projects go sideways.
Trust Your Instincts and Comfort Level
After all the research and quote comparisons and reference checks, there’s still a gut feeling part.
You’re going to be working with this person for months.
You’ll be making decisions together. You’ll need to trust them when they tell you something has to change or will cost more than expected.
If something feels off, even if you can’t quite put your finger on it, pay attention to that.
Maybe they talk over you. Maybe they dismiss your concerns. Maybe they’re pushy about upsells you don’t want. Maybe you just don’t click.
I’ve seen people ignore red flags because the price was good or they were tired of looking. It almost always costs them later, either in money or stress or both.
On the other hand, when you find a builder who gets what you’re trying to do, who explains things clearly, who seems genuinely interested in your project… that’s worth something. Even if they’re not the cheapest option.
This is a partnership, basically. You need someone you can work with when things get complicated.
Conclusion
Choosing a builder isn’t something you should rush.
Take your time with this. Visit their projects if you can. Talk to their past clients. Read the contract carefully. Make sure their experience lines up with what you’re trying to build.
The right builder will save you money in the long run, even if they don’t have the lowest bid.
They’ll anticipate problems. They’ll know how to solve things when plans change.
They’ll communicate clearly so you always know where things stand.
The wrong builder will cost you in ways you can’t even predict yet. Delays. Quality issues. Stress. Sometimes legal problems.
Do the homework now. Set your priorities clearly. Know your budget.
Then find someone who’s done similar work, who communicates well, and who you actually trust.
Your project deserves that much.
