Getting a List Of Building Materials
So you plan to build your own home? Check. Your location and design are selected? Check. You have secured a home construction loan? Check. You have your list of building materials? If haven't answered "check" to that one, you should make it a priority. Here is a list to help you get started on acquiring your building materials.
1.  Your package for your home construction loan includes paperwork that the
contractor
needs to fill out and confirm, including a list of materials.
2. When it comes to the line-item breakdown of costs, be thorough in determining
their
necessity. |
3. If the contractor wants to replace your lender's form with his own, something
fishy may be going on here. Doesn't he have thetime to complete the lender's
form?
4.If the contractor wants to give you a total price without a breakdown. That will
be unacceptable to your lender, so it's unacceptable to you, too. The breakdown
should include as much information as possible to ensure that you end up with a
high-quality, well-built home.
5. If the contractor says he "doesn't have time" to complete a materials list. You
should insist on it and the list should include all the materials, including
fixtures. Visit a showroom, go through a catalog, and select the fixtures you want
right down to the model numbers. The contractor should sign this list as part of
the contract. This will prevent your disappointment when, at the end of the
project, all you can afford are the most inexpensive fixtures -- the ones you don't
want.
6. If you don't understand what the materials and prices entail, don't hire a
contractor solely on the concept of lowest price. You need a list so that you can
determine exactly where your money is going and that the list includes
everything you need.
7. After you have the list, it's smart to get another written estimate so you can compare prices. That way, you can discuss cost
savings and discrepancies with your contractor before any work has begun.
Remember: If the contractor balks at providing you with this list, maybe you should balk at using this contractor.
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