There is no real way to choose a builder that's going to guarantee you get the grants available at the moment. These are separate from the builders. They require you to adhere to the criteria defined by the state or federal government, as part of the COVID 19 stimulus package for the building industry. The concerns people are having are mainly related to the time frames set out as part of these stimulus packages.
To begin with, it's almost impossible to guarantee the time it takes to start building. Due to the complexity of the approval process and the individual nature of each build beware of any builders claiming they control this. They simply do not.
Each builder will have unique processes they follow. While some builders will have undertaken extensive capacity reports and developed a workflow to stagger starts in a systematic process you can be sure others will just be throwing the lot in a bucket and seeking what comes out.
Large project builders, manage the admin for the entire process so you're relying on their ability to manage the administration process to meet the incentive time frames you need to claim your money.
While there is no guarantee, knowing what questions to ask will help.
Question 1
What is your current admin time?
Well organized businesses track this time frame. If they won't share this report you want to know why? Bad sign !!!
Look for the last 6 months to see the trend.
Question 2
What increase in sales have you experienced over the past few months?
Understanding the percentage increase will help. Double the sales will increase the time to process in most cases.
Question 3
What systems and processes have you got in place to address the increase?
If you are putting your hopes on a project builder to get you to site you need to know they have a customer service strategy.
Some businesses may have hired new people. Hiring new people is only one option. Be mindful it can harm productivity before it improves!!!! This is because you need to train people. An alternative strategy can often be more effective. Companies can break down work into a block to create projections.
The main point is you will know if they are just jamming heaps of sales in and hoping for the best. This is a very bad sign !!
Question 4
Have you had any recent changes in administration?
If so what are they? Understand any changes that might affect you.
If a builder has a past track record of poor administration or customer service it is a good indication of the future.
You can search back to 2014 -2015 to get a snapshot of busier times. If a company has a reputation for being well organized it is probably a good sign.
Price is important, however, having worked for multiple builders the costs for affordable homes are almost identical among the larger builders when making comparisons item for item across brands. Reducing overheads is the best way to reduce prices. This can also affect the service and delivery. As a consumer looking for an affordable new home build, this is a potential trap. Being aware of this and doing your research might help to ensure you choose the right builder.
If you're looking at using a smaller more boutique
builder it is important to understand their capacity to start the build. Check they have room to start your home and capacity during the time window.
At Piran Property Group we help people design their dream homes and find the best value builder based on the customer's needs.
For a free initial consultation contact us today or visit www.piranpropertygroup.com
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