Building/Buying a New Construction Home?

[danielocean03]

My wife and are have been looking for a larger house with more room lately, and we've started looking at building instead of buying an established home. We spent part of this afternoon with a rep from M/I Homes, we liked the floorpans and area this particular development was in, but I was wondering if anyone has built with another builder they would recommend (or recommend avoiding.)

We're not 100% set on building, but we're looking into it now. The idea of going with a builder that has a guaranteed buyout program for our existing home instead of trying to play the two-mortgage shuffle is appealing to us.

 

[Vigilant]

My wife and are have been looking for a larger house with more room lately, and we've started looking at building instead of buying an established home. We spent part of this afternoon with a rep from M/I Homes, we liked the floorpans and area this particular development was in, but I was wondering if anyone has built with another builder they would recommend (or recommend avoiding.)

We're not 100% set on building, but we're looking into it now. The idea of going with a builder that has a guaranteed buyout program for our existing home instead of trying to play the two-mortgage shuffle is appealing to us.

I "built" an MI McMansion, look at another builder is my recommendation! Waaay to many warranty woes in the first two years. These were the gotta fix woes, not the look bad ones. M/I, or their subcontractors were horrible! ETA: This was a subdivision home, if you are building on your property, it may differ?

 

[Leadeye]

We built on ground that we owned about 5 years ago. Happy with the house which my wife designed.

 

[WebSnyper]

We built with Estridge back in 2006 timeframe. We have been quite happy so far, and at the time they had a really good warranty program and looks fairly similar now ( Estridge )

Estridge went out during the housing crash and came back but they have some info on their website about that Estridge

They seem to be in some pricier areas now then when we bought.

Building with them was a great experience compared to the awful one when we built our first house. I was dead set against building again after our first experience with another builder (company is deservingly dead and gone now), but I would build with Estridge again.

 

[bocefus78]

My only advice is to get a realtor. Buying new with a realtor won't cost you a penny more than if you don't have one, and you have representation on your behalf.

I'd also consider selling your home with a realtor while building. You are coming into the hot season for selling and even after paying a realtor, I'd bet you get more $ for your current home instead of a buyout.

If you need a realtor, my mother has been selling in hamilton county for 30 plus years and is widely known and well respected. Pm me for her contact info if interested.

 

[VUPDblue]

We built with Ryland, which has since become CalAtlantic, and had a great experience. Their attention to detail was top notch and the whole experience was painless.

 

[WebSnyper]

My only advice is to get a realtor. Buying new with a realtor won't cost you a penny more than if you don't have one, and you have representation on your behalf.

I'd also consider selling your home with a realtor while building. You are coming into the hot season for selling and even after paying a realtor, I'd bet you get more $ for your current home instead of a buyout.

If you need a realtor, my mother has been selling in hamilton county for 30 plus years and is widely known and well respected. Pm me for her contact info if interested.

We did this as well. Our realtor was involved with us on our sale, as well as was our buyer's realtor even when purchasing from a builder. In the past I would not have thought a realtor would have been useful in dealing with a builder, but he was.

 

[17 squirrel]

Have you thought about being your own contractor ?
The savings can be significant, or you can reinvest the savings into a larger, more upscale option friendly home.

 

[vitamink]

We built with MI and are very happy. A friend built with Ryland and were extremely upset. What I will say about MI is I have never had or been in a more energy efficient house in my life. Our energy bills are less than when I lived alone in a house 5X smaller.

The issue with whomever you go with is they aren't the ones building your house. The same subcontractors used to for pouring cement at MI are used by Ryland, Drees and the others. You might end up with a 1 guy who knows his **** with 4 other guys on work release. That said, all you have to do is visit your house as its being built often. Problems will pop up you just need to catch them early. In all honesty the only real issue we had was they incorrectly installed a flashing on the roof, but it was caught before there was a problem.

My Ryland friend had his house built backwards as in the cement was poured with the plumbing on the left side when it should have been on the right. They just ran the piping through the ceiling back to the other side and gave him free stainless appliances to make up for it (I'd be pissed and backed out). But that's what I'm talking about. 4,000 people will be in your house. It just takes one moron to screw it up. Get a real estate agent and if you don't have a basic knowledge of construction bring someone with you that does. I love my house it's perfect.

 

[w_ADAM_d88]

My wife and I built with Arbor homes about 6 years ago and were/are pleased. My brother inlaw just built with Arbor in the same community and his house is nothing a housefull of issues.

 

[AtTheMurph]

Why would anyone want to build when you can go see and walk around a house that is already built? You will also know the build quality, problems, and know what you are getting.

Did the build deal once and never again.

 

[vitamink]

Because you can see the build as it happens and get problems fixed before they cover the issue with drywall. Just because you see someone's normal house doesn't mean that you'll see the substandard plumbing joints that will fail in 5 years. Like the story I mentioned about my friends house that was built backwards. He accepted the fact that the house was built backwards (I wouldn't) and required 1 mile more of plumbing to make it work. All of that is now hidden in the walls. If he decides to sell the house, someone is going to live in a house that looks great but will have constant plumbing issues.

im a firm believer of not buying someone else's problem. Even if you buy in a neighborhood of "well built" homes, the name of the builder means nothing. Was the electrician going through a divorce or advised that he would be laid off after your house was completed? Did the plumber have a stroke 4 months ago? Was the mason training a few apprentices and nonchalantly checked their work occasionally? All of those issues can be hidden in a home.

 

[Brandon]

Ryland= they pick a design for a single house and the whole neighborhood will look like it.
Estridge= the model we looked at was leaking (roof leak in the storm).
MI= parents built an MI house. Full brick front - they framed for only first level to be bricked and did not want to fix it. They did. Vaulted ceilings were not framed correctly, 2 rooms have hvac outlets under the wall, chimney built to short.
hanson and horn (pretty sure they are not around now) dad built his current home with them. Aside from the usual cookie cutter homes and using the cheapest finishing materials unless you upgraded. Probably the best built house we have lived in.


As mentioned above, visit a house that is being built very often. If you don't know what you are looking at, bring someone who does.

 

[BuckeyeBrad]

I do work for most of the major builders in central Indiana . I wouldn't have a problem building with MI. As someone stated before, very energy efficient. All 2x6 exterior walls. Depending on the community you build in most of the super intendents are pretty knowledgeable and care about building a good product. Drees would probably be my first choice if money wasn't an issue. For the overall price point and quality, I would choose Ryland

 

[VUPDblue]

I'll echo Vitamink on energy efficiency. My Ryland home is amazingly efficient. While building this home, we lived in one of the cheap and flimsy rental homes, I think a Davis home. Our new home is almost 3X as big, yet our energy costs are lower.

 

[BigBoxaJunk]

I'd also echo Vitamink's advice to visit the site as often as you can. We had a house built on our lot (TK Homes), and I made it a point to be there as often as I could, and I was able to prevent several potential problems, and you'd be surprised how they suddenly get a little more careful after that first time you with-hold a check until something gets fixed.

A friend who is a painting contractor asked me if the job superintendent hated me after we were all done. I said "No, I don't think so." To which he replied "If he doesn't hate your guts, then you probably didn't his best effort.

Another thing. My father-in-law made a video of the process for me, walking around with his camera after each phase of the work was done and he gave it to me on a VHS tape when it was done. I can't tell you how many times I've used that video to locate plumbing and wiring and other things. If I was doing it now, I'd take as many digital images as I could while they were building.

 

[vitamink]

Big boxa junk- TROOOF!

take frikkin pictures. I took pictures of the basement, the framing, the pipes, the electrical etc. I can hang a shelf without a stud finder now. I also took a picture of all of the electrical, sewer, and cable lines running into the house with a tape measure from a known point. Now I can play trees without issues.

if you end up going MI you're welcome to walk around our house and see it. MI has about 6000 floor plans. Ours is unique to the neighborhood as there is only 1 other one that is slightly similar. Ours is also all brick as I don't like painting. What's good about MI is that they'll build a show house and then immediately sell it as most people have absolutely no imagination and just say "I want this". They then will build a different model deeper in the neighborhood so that you don't end up with 400 of the same house.

 

[looney2ns]

Why would anyone want to build when you can go see and walk around a house that is already built? You will also know the build quality, problems, and know what you are getting.

Did the build deal once and never again.

You've heard the term "Putting lipstick on a pig" haven't you? It's a regular occurrence in homes.
Energy efficient only happens if a multitude of things are done correctly.

Don't depend on inspectors doing a proper job.

 

[sidewinder27]

Remember when your talking to the builder rep they are not working for you. If you hire an agent it doesn't cost you and you get representation. Shoot me a pm I would be happy to talk to you and help you. I am a Broker with F.C. Tucker.

 

[CHCRandy]

I would be leary of any of the "production builders" building my home if it was my dream home, where I planned to stay. I would hire a custom home builder who does a low number of homes every year and puts his heart and soul into everyone. CP Morgan and Davis destroyed the quality homes of yesteryear.

I would hire a Larry Good, JR Lazaro, J&C Contracting or any of the small guys who are actually involved in the home being built on a daily basis. Of course it's not as easy having a custom home built...compared to the national builders.