| CHOOSING
A BUILDER STEP 1
Determine what type of house you want. Make
a list of builders who build that type of house in your price range. To
find information on builders in your area and what type house they are building,
look in the real estate section of the newspapers, read articles and ads, view
the list of builders who belong to the Home Builders Assn. of Salina, local real
estate agents, or ask friends and relatives. STEP
2
Now that
you have a list of builders Find
out about their reputations and the quality of their work by visiting a home they
have built and talking to the owners Ask
builders on your list for the addresses of their recently built houses, subdivisions,
townhouses, or condos and try to talk to people who live there. Questions
to ask those people who live there. - Are
you happy with your home?
- Did
the builder do what was promised in a timely manner?
- Would
you buy another home from this builder?
Inspect
the quality of the homes the builder has built. Look at the quality of the cabinetry,
carpeting, trimwork, and paint. Remember
just because a home is less expensive than another does not mean it is a better
value. Likewise a more expensive homes does not automatically assure higher quality. Look
at the warranty provided on the home. Many builders offer some form of written
warranty. Many builders back their own warranties on workmanship and materials
typically for one year. Others have warranties backed by an insurance company. Find
out from each builder what kind of service you can expect after the sale. Typically
a builder makes 2 service calls the first usually 30 to 120 days after the move-in,
and the second near the one year mark. | 
