New Haven Homes

Partnering with your builder for the best results

Home-building has changed significantly over the last hundred years, especially since the 1950s, when the housing industry boomed after World War II. Building a home in a classic, hands-on way is far from standard practice these days, as home construction has evolved from a trade or craft to a systematized process with many moving parts.

How the best homebuilders insure homeowner satisfaction

Have you heard of a “punch list”? This is construction industry jargon for a checklist of things that need to be completed, repaired or replaced. It’s a quick and easy reference to the status of the work, as well as a useful way to communicate with our trade partners and clients. Most importantly, the punch list is a key tool to make sure our homes meet the high expectations of our custom home buyers.

For best results, narrow down the options up front

Allowances—that is, budgeting general costs for items before the specific items are chosen—are a fact of life on many projects. Some homeowners have trouble making decisions before work begins, most commonly for appliances, cabinets, floor coverings, and plumbing and electrical fixtures. In those cases, the builder can assign a dollar amount to each category and let the homeowners choose specific products later.

Post-contract changes need not be a problem, but they absolutely need a clear process

Professionals who build fantastic homes for satisfied customers share some important traits. One trait is an obsession with details, and another is clearly communicating those details to the homeowners. Great builders are great communicators, and part of being a great communicator is documenting every part of the job.

How professional builders avoid some of the most common and costly construction mistakes.

Most people judge a home by the obvious: a floor plan that’s a joy to live in, a streetscape that wows passers-by, great natural lighting, and lots of storage. The list goes on.

But some less obvious details have just as great an impact on the homeowners’ satisfaction over time. While homeowners have little control over these details, a professional builder with a sustainable business will make sure they get done right.