Constructing a new home in Virginia will take much more time than buying an existing home. It is also much more exciting and thrilling. 

Exciting in the sense that you get to see the house being constructed from scratch and thrilling because you’ll be able to pick the design and materials used during construction. Of course, there are things that you need to know before you start construction. 

Let’s discuss what questions you need to ask the contractor before agreeing to have your house constructed in Virginia.

The Top Questions You Need to Ask When Constructing a New Home in VA

Inclusion of the Lot Price

When trying to discover your construction options, it is expected that plans come with a base cost. The base cost is composed of the price of the structure itself, the interior and exterior features. 

It is always important to ask if the cost of the land is included in the base cost. If it is included, ask if there are any premium lots available. Suppose the cost of the lot is included in the base price of the homea. In that case, premium lot may not be substantially more expensive than a non-premium lot depending on the development.

Still, some upgraded features might add additional costs that you cannot opt-out of during the development.

Construction Time

One of the most important questions to ask is concerning construction timeframes. You would have to be lenient on this since it is a given that contractors do experience delays due to labor, sub-contractors, and weather. 

These delays make a precise timeline difficult but not impossible. In this case, you need to ask if the build time includes securing permits for the building.

Included Warranties with the House, Standard Finishes and Purchasing of Appliances and Materials

You need to know what warranties the contractor provides to protect you from whatever mistakes during construction. They could provide short term whole-house warranty or a long-term physical warranty. 

You also need to know and have them differentiate the standard finishes from an upgrade. This also applies to what appliances will be installed and the materials used to build your home.

Inclusion of Landscaping

Of course, this would depend on the size of your yard. You need to know if the base cost also includes sod landscaping. Some contractors provide a front yard but not backyard landscaping. 

Others may landscape the entire property to your liking. Additionally, suppose there is an HOA in the development you’re interested in. In that case, landscaping may need to be installed on a specific timeframe by the HOA if not installed by the builder.  

This post is a partial list of the myriad of questions you’ll need to ask the builder of your new home. There is so much more to know. Click here for a comprehensive list of questions for your new home builder.

If you need help finding a builder for your new home, please reach out to us. If you’re buying a new development, it’s important to know that the builders’ sales associates do not represent you. Wouldn’t it be smart to have a representative walk you through the process to ensure your interests are protected? If we can represent you in purchasing your new home, please click here for our connect with us page. We’ll get back to you personally and promptly.

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