Builders often brag that they build a quality home. Unfortunately, most homeowners are unable to measure quality. Here are some questions to ask a builder to determine their level of quality:
- Do you earn continuing education each year to understand proper procedures for materials and construction methods?
- Are there written rules for subcontractors to follow (called a subcontractor agreement) to ensure a safe, clean and quality job site?
- Does an architect inspect the site often to verify adherence to architectural documents?
- Is there a written “good neighbor policy” to prevent hard feelings from your future neighbors and to establish work rules on your site?
- Do you use a thermal imaging camera to inspect the quality of the insulation installation?
- Do you use a laser to verify that walls and floors are straight and level prior to completion of rough framing?
- Do you perform moisture tests at all walls and floors prior to installation of finished materials?
- Is there a site management plan that shows tree protection, site storage, portable toilet location, safety fencing and areas to park?
- Do you have a client/project management software to handle all of the details of project management?
- Have you been building a project similar to mine for at least 15 years?
If a builder answers “no” to ANY of these questions, they are not a quality builder. Most builders can answer “yes” to only two or three of these questions yet they still call themselves a quality builder. At A. Perry Homes, we are proud to demonstrate the importance of all these questions and their impact to the quality of your home along with the process by which we go through to build it. Since the word quality is overused and abused, we prefer to be considered the “most respected” builder. To us, it means much more than quality. We are quality builders with integrity, respect for our clients, respect for our community, and at a great value. We understand this is our client’s dream home and the experience should be an enjoyable one.
Occasionally someone will say, “They don’t build them like they used to.” I often say, “Thank goodness!” Modern materials perform far better to materials made just 10 years ago. New insulation techniques, vapor barriers, high-performance heating and cooling equipment and smart home technology require architects and builders to sharpen their understanding of ever changing technology and its impact on a quality built home. In fact, products such as high-performance insulation or steam humidifiers can be hazardous when installed improperly. Designing and building a custom home or remodeling project takes a deep understanding of science, material performance, changing building codes, sophisticated project management tools and a deep bench of subcontractors that have similar values. Your investment into your home is a significant one, why would you trust it to someone who cannot qualify as a quality builder?
Our homes are built to such a quality standard that we can offer our new home clients a limited lifetime warranty. We are the only builder able to do so. Each home, like a car, requires maintenance to be performing properly. We offer our clients a maintenance program that schedules service items and handles all of the details of homeownership.
1220 Washington Ave.
Wilmette, IL 60091
847-549-0668
aperryhomes@gmail.com
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