Your Plainfield, Naperville, Oswego and Aurora Real Estate Experts

You don't have to be a construction expert to check a builder's work, but you do need to know what signs to look for.

Checking a builder's credit history, references, and credentials provides some reassurance that your money is in capable hands, but the work itself speaks volumes about the level of quality you can expect.

Rather than visiting a model home or showhouse, walk through houses the builder has completed for ordinary clients. Extra attention to models and show-homes means they may not be the best indicator of a builder's typical level of quality. I recommend not only going to an actual house they've built, but also a house that's currently under construction.

Ask homeowners whether the builder delivered the homes on schedule, what problems they may have surfaced after the move-in, and how they were resolved.

Get a list of all the homes the builder has constructed in the past year. Builders tend to give out the names of their most satisfied customers, but you want to hear as many viewpoints as possible.

Of the many elements involved in building a house, the interior trim is the most revealing. If a builder allows substandard trim work, chances are the less visible work is substandard as well.

Home building is not a perfect science, and certain flaws are to be expected. For example, hairline cracks occur as a concrete foundation dries and the house settles. What you should be concerned about are major cracks -- 1/4 inch or wider--especially if they happen before the house is finished.

If you are building a home for the first time and feel uncertain about judging the fine points, hire a professional third party, such as a home inspector or construction manager or real estate professional knowledgeable in construction, to accompany you.

Serving the needs of the Naperville, Plainfield & Oswego areas

How can Total Solutions Realty help?

If you happen to live in Naperville, Oswego, Plainfield area, I would be happy to refer you to some reputable builders and/or take you through some homes while they are being built and show you what to look for. We can be reached @ 630-218-2000.