As mentioned before on the Paradigm blog, a Home Builder is ideal to help guide you through the Home Design/Build process. But before contacting a builder, you should examine your other options, investigate their portfolios, and speak with your top candidates. With this careful preparation, your project in or around Oakton, VA, can make your dream home a reality.

Interested in building your forever home but unsure of where to start? Reach out to Paradigm Homes, Northern Virginia’s full-service building company since 2007. Our founder Tim Winter believes in delivering Affordable Luxury Homes that fit every client’s vision. That’s why we make your ideas and feedback integral to our Design/Build process. Our work has supported families throughout Northern Virginia, and we’d like to do the same for you and yours. 

Below, we offer suggestions on how to prepare for a Home Build project – specifically, how to choose a builder:

Home Build Project Considerations

  1. Start seeking mortgage pre-approval
    No matter your reasons for building a new home, you will probably need financing. In this respect, you have a variety of institutions, professionals, and payment options to choose from. Expect to discuss your long-term plans and financial future with potential lenders to find the best rates.

    As long as you provide all the necessary information, your pre-approval can take as little as one to three days. Nevertheless, you must have confirmed pre-approval to begin your build project. To help with this process, we offer our preferred construction lenders that we’ve worked with and trust and can whole-heartedly recommend.

  2. Ask Around for Builders
    The home construction market has a lot of options. You can go online right now and find several contractors and builders based in Northern Virginia. How do you know who is the best? Ask for references. Who recently completed a project? What was their experience like?

You might also lookup companies’ portfolios or identify houses that you like and determine who built them. Paradigm’s gallery, for instance, gives you a sense of our range and work. Note the designs and ideas that you like and ask about them later on. Don’t see anything that aligns with your style? That’s ok, we can work with an architect to design your ideal home!

  1. Research & Sort Out
    As you create a list of potential builders, start looking each up online and read the reviews. Learn what kind of company each is and how their design process works. As you work, rule out options with an unsatisfactory price range, location, qualifications, and so on.
  2. Make a Call
    To narrow down your options, call your strongest prospects and speak to a representative about your project. Even if you aren’t a customer (yet), an employee should be happy to answer questions and learn about your vision. Ask about the company’s qualifications and process. Again, request references so that you can speak to other customers about their experience. 
  3. Meet & Ask Questions
    Once you’ve narrowed down your options to a few promising companies, you should meet with their builders about your plans. You could do so virtually, in-person at their office, or at a model home (if they offer such an option). You must determine whether you can work with this person (and team) through a demanding project.

    Learn how the company approaches every project, and keep in mind the importance of quality. If needed, you should also ask them for details about buying a lot. Learn about their process so you can get a complete picture of their work. At Paradigm, for instance, we describe our Home Design/Build process in detail with every prospective client.

  4. Pick a Team in Sync with You
    Having met your potential builders, choose one that you click with. Although you’ll have a professional relationship, you and your builder should still get along. You’ll need to communicate clearly and rely on one another to ensure a successful build. 

Your design style can be a combination of inspirations: personal preferences, online ideas, the builder’s previous projects, etc. Nevertheless, your builder should recognize your wants and needs and try to help you balance them. This is one of the reasons why Paradigm incorporates our customers’ feedback: to align our expertise and achieve their design style.

Home Design/Build Services Available Now in Oakton, VA

A builder can make or break your new home project, so why settle for anything less than an expert? At Paradigm Homes, our Home Design/Build professionals can help you to create an Affordable Luxury Home. As an experienced and reliable Home Build company, we’ve helped families throughout Oakton, VA, to create their homes for life. Now, you can enjoy all the benefits of our expertise: call us at (703) 476-5877 or complete our online form.