Don’t Waste Your Time Getting Those 3 Bids For Your New Custom Home

Bid Set Plans Lack Critical Details

As you set out to get your 3 bids from 3 different builders for your new custom home keep in mind contractors will be estimating the cost from plans we call a “bid set”. These plans lack critical architectural and engineering details. Don’t be fooled, no contractor can accurately estimate the cost of your home without knowing these details.

Is it a Bid, an Estimate, or a Guesstimate?

An estimate is what the contractor believes your project will cost based on their choice of materials with very little understanding of the details of your home. It is just a “guesstimate”. It can sometimes be useful though to create a rough understanding of cost, but with thousands of moving parts and pieces included in a new custom home, this cost will likely change.  Since many of our clients want to see if they’re “in the ballpark” on cost, we use proprietary software created from detailed budgets from our most recent custom home builds to provide that preliminary figure. We can adjust for square footage, and changes in pricing, etc. This figure which is based on recent, detailed data is not just a “guesstimate” but a fairly accurate estimate. A bid, however, is your contractor’s offer to build your new custom home based on detailed architectural drawings and hours and hours of calculations, research, and thought regarding your desired materials and features for your new home.

You Will Be Comparing Apples to Oranges

In getting your 3 bids from 3 different builders, unfortunately, you more than likely will not receive building specifications with those bids. What I mean is the builder probably won’t divulge the type of windows or shingles, etc.,  that will be used. Are you getting Anderson 400 Architectural Series windows or an off-brand one that may not be nearly the quality you expect? Not knowing these details about your bids, you won’t know if you are comparing apples to apples, oranges, or kumquats for that matter.  If the lowest price seems too good to be true, it is!

Bids Never Reflect a Builder’s Competency, Knowledge, or Experience

Imagine you need a tricky, intricate surgery that could be life-altering. Wouldn’t it make sense to research those doctors who possess the skills and knowledge to execute the procedure giving you the best possibility of a successful outcome?  Building your new custom home is quite similar.  You want a team of knowledgeable, seasoned professionals building your new home which includes the builder’s trade partners, and suppliers.  We have been doing business with many of our trade partners and suppliers for over two decades and we value their skill, dedication, and commitment to do the job right.  

Getting the Custom Home You Want While Staying True to Your Budget

We have had clients build with other contractors and later tell us they were dissatisfied with the process and quality of their homes. Benjamin Franklin said it well, “The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of a low price is forgotten”. The most satisfying and effective way to build your new custom home is to engage with a reputable builder early on in the design process.  An experienced builder will discuss your desired amenities in detail for your new home, and help set adequate, not lowball budgets for your project before starting the design process.  That way your builder can keep you informed throughout design meetings of where your overall cost is headed. In the end, you will get the custom home you want while staying true to your budget.