Quality or price?

Would you take the lowest price for your new home? How do you know your builder isn’t using cheaper sub standard materials?? How do you know the sub trades are qualified?

You may have seen a recent STUFF news article headed up “Opportunist builders, sub standard materials and shonky standards create new building crisis worse than leaky homes”

Every week in New Zealand hundreds of new home owners are risking their life savings by taking the lowest price contract on their home with the result that quality can take a big tumble. One building inspector quoted in the article noted –

“Every single building on this street raises red flags for me.
If builders don’t give a damn about what’s visible to the eye, how can they be trusted to properly
do things they know can be covered up?”

CLICK HERE if you’d like to read the full article.

So how can you ensure your new home
is up to scratch?

In choosing your preferred builder there’s a number of questions you should be asking. At Hallmark Homes we feel very confident that you will gain confidence with the measures we have in place to ensure the quality of your new home at a fair and reasonable price.

1. We’re registered Master Builders and provide comprehensive plans, specifications and contract documentation.
2. As registered Master Builders, of norm, we include a comprehensive Masterbuilders warranty in your agreement with us.
3. Our production team and trades are lead by licensed building practitioners. We employ the right, qualified people and we provide them with on going training.
4. Our LBP qualified project managers are on your site every day to monitor compliance with our quality control programme. They’re checking for square / plumb / parallel walls, substandard construction methods or materials, to ensure any short comings are picked up and rectified immediately.
5. Hallmark Homes is lead by an owner with over 30 years building experience and a passion for delivering quality. “If something’s not right. Let’s fix it – now ” says owner Mike Bonne.
6. We provide you with 24/7 free access to our customer portal where we clearly specify all materials to be used, transparently show all financial information, communicate with you on any changes or upgrades, track the work schedule to ensure we stay on time and log photos every day of your new home being built.
7. We use only approved products and materials and we back those up with comprehensive product warranties. Because every fine detail of your home is accounted for in the specifications you access within the customer portal, you can be assured of quality materials that you have approved and quality workmanship.
8. Hallmark Homes will provide you with a fixed priced contract, so no budget blowouts.

So think carefully about your preferred builder before you sign. Lowest price should raise some red flags. Look carefully at your builders experience, systems and people. Ask for referrals. Do your home work. And remember it is a balancing act between Price and Quality. Consider both carefully.