It’s as much about the experience as the result. Some homeowners have asked: How does a builder know when a project has been a success? Well, there’s good news—the answer to this question is one of the things that defines a great builder.
Why this is a great question to ask a builder. The National Association of Homebuilders estimates that it takes at least 3 to 5 years to create a sustainable building business. Most builders never get there: residential contractors have a failure rate higher than nearly every other business type, surpassed only by restaurants. Only the strongest competitors survive this winnowing.
Building a new home is a dynamic and exciting process. As professional homebuilders, Merlin Custom Home Builders’s goal is to make the process smooth and transparent for our clients. Once the job is underway, things happen quickly, so we work with clients to make decisions well ahead of time to help ensure they get their new home on schedule and within budget.
Failure to make timely decisions is the number one culprit behind schedule and cost overruns. Homeowners play a key role in preventing these problems. Some homeowners find it a challenge to make their final selection of products and materials. It’s easy to see why—with practically limitless choices in countertops, fixtures, tiles, windows, and other products, it can be difficult to settle on one model, style, or color.
Here’s a quick quiz... It’s four or five months into a new custom build. The home is weather tight, plumbing and wiring have been roughed in, the insulation is in place, and drywall has been screwed to the walls and ceilings. The drywallers are sanding the seams in preparation for that first, shiny coat of paint. How do most homeowners feel?
How homeowners benefit from the established builder’s systems and relationships. The first question is what defines a professional builder and then it is how to find the right one. The State Nevada has a great resource for evaluating general contractors and homebuilders in Las Vegas and throughout the state. The Nevada State Contractors Board provides a wealth of information about current and past licensed contractors. It notes when a contractor became licensed and if they are still licensed. It states the construction amount limits the Board approved for each contractor, the exact trade their license covers and lists all disciplinary actions the board applied to licensed contractors.
Many of our buyers are less interested in “green” construction than they are in homes that offer health, comfort, and low ownership costs. The Merlin Custom Home Builders Team has been building homes with the “green” concept in mind for 25 years. From the early days when we recommended additional insulation, better performing windows and tighter homes, Merlin Custom Home Builders’s homes were and are built for generations of families. Both Steve and Bart are Certified Green Builders by the NAHB. Robert Brown (our estimator) has completed the 40 hour HERS training course. Merlin Custom Home Builders installed Southern Nevada’s first two large custom energy saving “gas fired chillers”, set up numerous solar systems throughout the valley and built two homes completely off the grid. Merlin Custom Home Builders appreciates that “green” is different for each of our custom homes and works with our homeowners, presenting options, associated costs and, when possible, payback timelines.
Homebuilding has changed significantly over the last hundred years, especially since the 1950s, when the housing industry boomed after World War II. Building a home in a classic, hands-on way is far from standard practice these days, as home construction has evolved from a trade or craft to a systematized process with many moving parts.
Or buy my own carpet... Builders get these questions a lot. Here’s why a Yes answer is seldom in the homeowners’ best interest. It’s not unusual for new-home clients to ask their builder to use a trade contractor with whom the clients (but not the builder) have an established relationship, or to let them buy their own plumbing fixtures or other items. Most builders won’t agree to this. Sticking to familiar subcontractors is a policy that’s in the best interest of the builder and the homeowners. The reasons have to do with the business relationships between builders, suppliers, and subcontractors.
reception@merlincontracting.com
6408 S. Arville Street
Las Vegas, NV 89118
Office Hours:
Monday- Thursday 7:30am – 4:30pm
Friday 7:30am – 1:30pm
Unlimited, Full-B category General Contractor’s License #43785 from the Nevada State Contractor’s Board
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