Effective Communication: The Key to Building Success

If there's one thing you can do to help ensure a successful and satisfying homebuilding experience, it is to maintain regular and productive communication with your builder and his staff. Effective communication is a key to reducing concerns and alleviating stress before, during and after the building process. Work with your builder to keep the lines of communication open at all times.

But what if you are early in the process, trying to select the right builder for your new home?

This is an ideal time to explore your level of comfort with your builder's communication style. These early communications often reflect how your builder will communicate to you during construction and after closing. In addition, builders who are effective communicators will encourage your input and provide satisfactory and prompt answers to your questions.

As you reach a purchasing decision, make sure you understand how you and your builder will discuss the project and its progress. Many builders encourage periodic walk-throughs of the house at critical stages of construction. These 'guided tours' of your home in progress can take place during structural framing, electrical and plumbing rough-in, or after drywall. In addition, find out about opportunities to conduct informal meetings or use other communication channels (such as phone calls or e-mails), and ask how quickly you can expect a response from your builder when you have a concern.

You should also talk through a detailed scope of work with your builder, which outlines the construction process along a timeline or schedule. Use the scope of work as a guide to formulate questions about the construction of your new home and gain a better understanding of the building process. The construction schedule will also establish deadlines for key selection decisions you must make, such as paint colors, lighting and plumbing fixtures and flooring materials.

An essential part of the owner-builder communication process is the change order, which is the procedure established by a builder for making changes after construction begins. Few projects are completed without some changes along the way. Familiarize yourself with this process before construction begins. In addition, learn the details of your builder's warranty and service program.

Savvy and successful builders have a plan in place for communicating effectively with their homebuyers before, during and after construction. Respect that process. These lines of communication have been developed over years and used repeatedly with home building clients. At the same time, do take appropriate opportunities to express your needs and address your situation, preferences, and comfort level. Once you've settled on a communication plan with your builder, stick with it! It is a key to a 'safe and sane' building process, providing you and your family the home you desire and deserve.

Jerome Village

Hey guys! Please check out our recent press release about our involvement in Jerome Village. We are very excited about enhancing our presence in the greater Dublin School District!

http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/print-edition/2011/03/11/compass-3-pillar-will-buy-36-lots-at.html

Our continuing success in Woodland Hall

We are excited to announce the sale of a beautiful custom traditional 2 story to Melissa and Doug Lloyd in Woodland Hall subdivision in Olentangy Schools. The Lloyds will be build a custom Cape Cod design by 3 Pillar Homes!

Woodland Hall is located just to the west of the Olentangy River and the final phase is open for building! Visit www.woodlandhall.net to see what the new phase is all about!

Another 3 Pillar custom home to start in Tartan Ridge-Dublin Schools!

A big thank you is going out to Rob Kalmar and Ning Yang for placing their trust in Zenios Michael Zenios and 3 Pillar Homes. Rob and Ning will be building a custom home, a 5 level split in Tartan Ridge. We are excited to have Rob and Ning become a part of the 3 Pillar Homes family!

The Kalmar/Ning house is set to begin construction Spring of 2011 but until then, you can visit 3 Pillar Homes in Tartan Ridge at our spec/model location, the Riley, which is a custom new home-two story with loads of upgrades, a finished basement with media center and an awesome back yard/deck/patio!

The Best Time to Build?

Whether it's saving two cents on a gallon of gas or building your dream home, everybody wants a bargain.

Everyone loves a deal. No one likes paying retail.

If you are considering building a new home, now or over the next year or two, you face a number of difficult questions...

• Can I do better if I wait to build my home?
• Will interest rates go lower?
• Have home values bottomed or will there be further declines?

On the surface, it may seem as though the housing market has yet to begin climbing out the hole it fell into nearly three years ago. But we see a number of key indicators that point to some compelling reasons why now may be the time to get the best value for your home building investment.

Home Prices: Like the stock market, it is impossible to pick the bottom of the current housing market. No one can say with certainty that we've hit the absolute bottom. Like any market, supply and demand impact price. The inventory of older homes continues to dwindle. According to the Census Bureau, the US will add over a million new households each year. The current supply of new homes coming on line is nowhere near that number. As the demand for new homes rise, so will prices.

Interest Rates: We've already seen mortgage and construction loan interest rates inch up in 2011. They are likely to maintain that trend as the overall economy and demand for new homes continues to improve.

If you determine that interest rates are likely to go up, acting now can save money. Every quarter-point change in interest rates is equivalent to approximately $6,000 for each $100,000 borrowed over the course of a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage.

Materials and Labor Costs: We are in the middle of a commodity boom. The global demand for raw materials from countries like China and other emerging markets continue to put upward pressure on commodity prices. As the price of raw materials goes up, so do housing costs.

In addition, those manufacturers, suppliers, and trade contractors who are still standing after the housing bust did so by streamlining their operations and honing their costs of doing business. They are running very lean. In all likelihood, these companies will raise prices if there is an increase in demand for new housing.

Streamlined Operations: In order for our company to prosper during this difficult business cycle, we've had to sharpen our operations and systems, cut the fat out of our ledgers and operate on thin margins. As a result we are poised to meet our current demand with better processes, improved technology and lower overhead. Those efficiencies translate into lower costs for homebuyers willing to invest in a new-home project today.

If you can look past the headlines and scare tactics, you may realize that in these times, the best time to build a new home may be about to slip away.