If you have done a large renovation project, how did you find/pick your builder ?

[Anonymous]

Hi,

We are thinking of expanding our home. I wanted to understand how folks found or decided upon which builder to use for their projects.

TIA.

[Anonymous]

Two sources: neighbors who had renovations done and our architects recommendations. Received 4 initial bids, narrowed down to 2 finalists with super detailed proposals, called all references and toured previous renovations, went with the one we felt could get the job done best. Pricing at best and final was pretty close. Initial bids were over $100k apart on a $300k job.

[Anonymous]

PP offers sound advice. We made the mistake of going with the builder our architect recommended. We also paid for the architect to project manage the job. When it came time to get tough on the builder, the architect appeared to advocate more for the builder than he did for us.

[Anonymous]

We used our architects recs initially. Got 3 estimates/proposals. Called references. It started well but ended badly so then switched to a builder highly recommended by a friend whose house we'd seen. One thing we didn't do was tour job sites. I would recommend that, especially if you've got strong views on quality.

[Anonymous]

Be careful! We found him on the news paper, checked his license and all that, everything was on contract, but him and most of the contractors are professional scammers and knows his to play hide and seek.

[Anonymous]

Took architect's recommendation and had great experience. Of course he'd also done work for our neighbor.

[Anonymous]

We spent $3M, so we looked at length. In the end, we ended using our neighbors recommendation.

[Anonymous]

Interview, interview, interview!

[Anonymous]

How many contractors should one interview for a renovation/addition?

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thank you taking the time to respond. Kind of similar question I quess, but for those that first selected an architect, how did you find the right one ? Is it the same - from neighbors ? TIA

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thank you taking the time to respond. Kind of similar question I quess, but for those that first selected an architect, how did you find the right one ? Is it the same - from neighbors ? TIA

Picked the architect by asking around, looking at local magazines and newspapers and Google searches to narrow it down to four people. Interviewed all four and requested initial estimates frm three. The architect recommended three builders, though we had the option of proposing our own as well. We went received bids from the three builders recommended by the architect. I wanted to use someone she regularly uses because while they builder is unlikely to get another big job from me, he can get another big job from the architect and will need to make sure she is happy. The architect is also helping to manage the build. I'm not worried about whether the architect can be hard on the builder if needed, I can handle that aspect if needed.

[Anonymous]

Yes, architect is usually first. We did a few things - looked at neighbors who had done additions and builds whose houses we liked and asked them to recommend (or not) their architect and builder. Then we visited architects and got a feel for style. Those that charged for a consult or would not come to us were eliminated. We really clicked with one particular architect and that is who we used.

Note that architects don't really compete on price, so it really is more a style thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, architect is usually first. We did a few things - looked at neighbors who had done additions and builds whose houses we liked and asked them to recommend (or not) their architect and builder. Then we visited architects and got a feel for style. Those that charged for a consult or would not come to us were eliminated. We really clicked with one particular architect and that is who we used.

Note that architects don't really compete on price, so it really is more a style thing.

Agree- we are on a limited budget, but went with the priciest architect b/c we liked their aesthetic. We figured what was the point of economizing on someone who is planning and organizing the whole vision of the project if we otherwise did not like the more economical options.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Took architect's recommendation and had great experience. Of course he'd also done work for our neighbor.

Similar, architect bid it out to 3 builders they've had positive experience with (2 of them over 20+ yrs., and one of them worked on the architect's house (addition)).

Got 3 bids, 2 within 3% of each other, the other out of the ballpark, so eliminated that one.

Checked refs for the other 2 and went to see one house near ours that one we were leaning to did. Refs for both were excellent.

Chose 1, it was a VERY hard choice, both seem excellent.

We're 1/2 way done now, things are going well though there are days I wonder whether the one we didn't choose might be a little better w/ communication than the one we did choose, but we are satisfied with the way the work's being done, the advice & feedback we get, and quality of work.

[Anonymous]

^^^
p.s. re architect choice, I had 2-3 names but seriously only went with one who I have known a bit through a car club we both belong to for years. I didn't even know he was an architect until the owner of the shop that works on my car told me he was an award-winning architect.

Checked out the website & some references and talked with him & his associate, and we decided they were simpatico with us.