10 Questions to Ask
Rising Tide Homes is a proud member of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). According to the NAHB, if you're in the market for a new home, you should shop for your builder as carefully as you shop for your home. Here are 10 questions you need to be sure you ask to help you choose a builder.
1. Will the builder give you references of recent buyers?
We are delighted to provide you with references of recent buyers and occupants of Rising Tide Homes. Here is one recent example:
2. Can I finance the construction of my home?
Rising Tide Homes is proud to provide our clients with a list of preferred lenders who offer customized financing solutions to ensure you can meet your goals for building a Rising Tide home. Our preferred lenders for construction loans include First Citizens Bank, Security Federal Bank, Enterprise Bank of South Carolina, and Beacon Community Bank.
3. What floor plans do you offer?
Rising Tide Homes offers a book of recommended floor plans, but our clients are not limited to these. As custom builders, we are able to build other plans submitted by architects or design houses commissioned by the homeowners.
4. How much will it cost to build a house?
The final price of the home depends entirely on the house plan and the design options selected by the customer. For the house plans offered by Rising Tide Homes, we are pleased to provide customers with the base price of the home and any options and upgrades available for each plan. Floor plans outside of the Rising Tide Homes book of plans, we are pleased to offer the services of our professional estimating team to our valued customers with a copy of the architectural and structural plans.
5. Can other options such as a basement or deck be added to the plan, and can some rooms be left unfinished?
Custom options outside of the standard ones offered for Rising Tide Homes house plans can potentially be added, including basements and decks. Some considerations must be made in the case of adding a basement, such as the slope of your lot. Also, some rooms can be left unfinished. These are all specifications that our builders and designers go over with our customers.
6. How much "customizing" can be done versus standard features?
Rising Tide Homes provides allowances for many features, which enables our customers to customize their home. Although we provide specific tiers to enable customers to make selections more efficiently, our builders are able to accommodate other customization options depending on the feature. Our builders and project managers work with the customer to consult on whether a particular customization is feasible and how it might impact the customer's budget. For example, the appliance package can be upgraded subject to specifications review (e.g., dimensions, layout, etc.) by the builder.
7. What other additional costs are there relating to the construction of the home?
Our pricing is for the vertical construction of the home with a pre-determined landscaping budget. Costs of site preparation, including clearing and grading, community-related costs such as HOA fees and dues are not included in the vertical construction budget.
8. Does the builder offer a home warranty program?
Rising Tide Homes is pleased to offer all of our custom-built home clients with a 2-10 Homebuyer Warranty, which includes a 2-year mechanical warranty and a 10-year structural warranty. In addition, our Customer Care Program includes a 1-year warranty, including a 30-day inspection and a 1-year anniversary home inspection.
9. How long will it take to build my home?
On average, it takes Rising Tide Homes about 7 months to construct a home after the house pad is completed and building permits are received. However, there are other phases outside of the builder's vertical construction time frame, including site/lot preparation, permitting and the local governing authority's issuance of the Certificate of Occupancy. Rising Tide Homes is pleased to facilitate and manage all of these phases, and we advise clients to plan for a 12-18 month timeline to account for these other outside factors, including potential weather and supply chain delays.
10. How effective is the builder at communicating?
Rising Tide Homes is a close-knit, familial company that treats its customers like family. Communication throughout the construction process is the precursor to this. Customers will get regular updates and real-time photos thoughout the construction process from multiple members of the Rising Tide Home team, including the builders, the project manager, the designer and the site superintendent.