Build Your Tiny Dream Home, Not Your Tiny Home Nightmare
Having a tiny house built for you instead of building it yourself, is a great idea if you choose the correct builder. It is generally easier and cheaper to have a tiny home builder construct your tiny dream, to assure it is built correctly, safely, and up to building code. There are plenty of skilled builders who would love to construct your tiny home if given the chance. And many of them will custom build your home to your specifications and desires instead of their own. But what are some red flags you should look for, when trying to decide if the tiny home builder is the right one for the job?
If you notice any of these red flags, find another builder.
The builder promises discounts for left over materials from a prior job.
You want to assure you home is built soundly, and with quality material. Left over materials can be damaged or not structurally sound to use. Additionally, if a builder has left over material from the previous job, they may have bought too much on purpose to gouge the price up more, or be skimping on materials during the build to maximize their profits.
Business information such as mailing address or licensing status cannot be verified.
If the builder does not have a permanent address or uses a P.O. Box, he or she may not be planning to stick around very long. Builders who are here today and gone tomorrow are generally bad news.
Answering services without a separate listing in the phone book or a direct line to the person you are working with to discuss your build.
If the builder doesn’t want to take the time to personally talk with his or her customer, they probably will not be a good fit. Sure they are busy, but never too busy to stop and assure the clients needs are being taken care of, all questions are being answered, all concerns are addressed, and the customer is satisfied to the fullest extent. If the builder doesn’t care about the customer, he or she doesn’t care about the tiny home they are constructing.
Not affiliated with a recognized trade organization.
Most recognized trade organizations have specific requirements to join. If the builder is not affiliated with a professional organization that is widely known, they are probably not the quality builder you want on the job.
Refuses to provide references.
A tiny home builder should want to provide references to their customers to not only show what great work they have completed in the past, but also illustrate how they met their customers needs to guarantee complete satisfaction. An unwillingness to provide references is a great signal to the consumer that the builder is hiding something they do not want you to know.
Using high pressure sales tactics such as threatening to dissolve the deal if you do not sign the contract immediately.
If you feel as though you are being pressured by the builder to add a costly feature or build your home in a way you do not want, say goodbye to the builder. He or she does not have your best interest in mind. Instead they are probably wanting to cut corners, risk building an unsafe home, or being shady for their benefit only. Building a home for their customer should be about building dreams, not constructing a large paycheck.
Final Thoughts…
There are plenty of great home builders out there to choose from. And don’t fear, most do not want to scam you or build an unsafe home you will not absolutely love. However in this time and age you cannot be too careful. Being observant to the red flags we have discussed, looking into things that do not seem right, and asking questions to clarify your worries, will help guide you to the right builder for you and your new home.
Until next time, live tiny!