Kit Home Building Contractors

What this episode covers

Show Notes: General Contractors versus Sub Contractors and what is their role in the new kit home building process with an Owner Builder. Should they be involved with the design processes of a new home?  Assembly of Landmark’s panelized home package.   Transcript: Interviewer: Hello everyone. And welcome to Episode 28 of the Panelized Prefab Kit Home Building Show. With me in the studio as always is the President and Founder of Landmark Home and Land Company, a company which has been helping people build their homes where they want exactly as they want across the nation and worldwide since 1993. And that man would be Steve Tuma. Steve, how are you doing today? Steve Landmark: Excellent. How are you doing today? Interviewer: I am great actually, couldn’t be any better. Steve Landmark: It’s a great day in paradise, home building paradise. Interviewer: Home building paradise. That’s right. I wanted to spend this episode talking about contractors, something that you have some knowledge of I’m sure. I know you’ve dealt with a lot of contractors over the years. And I think our listeners would welcome the chance to hear some of your thoughts. So just open it up at the beginning, how does one go about finding and choosing the right contractor for them? Steve Landmark: Well, that’s an interesting presses because you can always go through and check out reviews, talk to the Better Business Bureau, get recommendations from friends, and sometimes you can just get one contractor that will then lead you on to other contractors. Like in my own projects, I found that excavation contractors always know foundation people. Foundation people always know the framers. They always seem to be in the same circles, working on similar projects where they always run into each other. So what we always suggest is you get a set of plans for the house and then talk to contractors, foundation person, framing contractors, plumbers, and electricians because there are a lot of people asking the contractors for beds and they would be like, “Hey, how much is that 2000-square foot home?” Well, that’s kind of calling the grocery store and asking him how much dinner is. It’s kind of funny. When I put it that way, people understand. Interviewer: Right. Steve Landmark: It’s one of the best … Interviewer: Perfect analogy right there. Steve Landmark: Yeah, it is. But the point is well-taken. It’s kind of – so if you were the contractor and said, “Hey …” and someone asked you how much is a 2000-square foot house is, there’s a lot of stuff going through your head. Is it a one story? Is it a 2-story? Where is it at? Is the land flat? Is it in the city? Is it on the country? Do you want gold faucets in there or regular nice faucets? There are so many different variables. So when you get the opportunity to talk to the contractor, you want to have something kind of definite to talk about. You want to say, “Hey, here’s the plan. I’m building on this piece of land.” And then there’s something where he can help actually help you or she can actually help you to get you an answer to your question because they are busy and they want to know that they are working on a project that has a strong chance of coming to life and becoming a reality. Interviewer: Right. Steve Landmark: So it’s not just a matter of you finding a contractor. It’s presenting it in a proper way so that the contractor says, “Hey Mr. Smith, you are a viable candidate to work with.” It’s worth putting time into putting the bid together. So you’ve got to make sure that you’ve got a good presentation and understanding of where you want to build, show that you put some effort into it, let them know the financial position of your project, are you waiting for financing, do you have financing or paying cash, whatever it may be. And then I think you will find that they have a tendency to take you seriously when y...