Tying the Knot With Your Builder

The promise to love, honor and obey is spoken at the altar. The promise to love, honor and pay is implicit at the contract table. Builder-homeowner relationships might start with the same euphoria as bride-groom unions, but just as honeymoon ardor ends too soon for some newlyweds, the builder-owner bond can start breaking before the foundation concrete sets.

It doesn't have to be that way, say industry insiders. Good partnerships can last from the groundbreaking through the turning of the key with two essentials: good preparation and great communication.

Keeping homeowners in the loop is a top priority, says Randy McGovern, sales manager at Advantage Builders of America, which concentrates on home construction in Cape Coral and Lehigh Acres. "We send weekly e-mail reports to keep clients current with the progress of their project," he says. "Maybe we take a little more time than what's conventional, but that way we can better respond to individual expectations."

Vincent Borelli, founder of Borelli Construction in Naples, says it helps when buyers have a clear idea of what they want in the home. "People need to think about their lifestyle," he explains. "If they have lots of guests, they'll need guest suites. If they like informal entertaining, they might want to streamline a formal living room and allot more of the floor plan to casual space. They should also decide what style of architecture they like best."

While it's expected that owners monitor their project, Borelli cautions that too much supervision can be counterproductive. If they've chosen a professional whose reputation they respect, he believes it's best to rely on the professional.

A realistic budget is key as well, says Borelli, who has built upscale homes in Southwest Florida for more than 20 years. While a mega-million-dollar mansion might be ideal, unrealistic expectations put the builder in the position of squelching the pipe dream rather than helping to realize a practical vision. That can have a chilling effect on any relationship.

When Don Gunther had Borelli Construc?tion build his home in the Estates at Bay Colony a couple of years ago, he had more going for him than most. Gunther, a builder himself, came to the project sensitive to potential problems and keenly aware of the construction process.

"Have a good plan and be the one to establish effective communication," he says. "The architect, the builder, the interior designer and the homeowner have to be on the same page before the work begins and during construction."

The way to do it, he says, is with team meetings, prior to construction and throughout the process. "There's always going to be some conflict on a project, but the home?owner should view it as a positive exchange of opinions that should result in a better outcome," he says.

Discord can occur when homeowners want to make changes and are unaware of how costly those changes are. Gunther urges homeowners to learn what the changes will involve, rather than just balk at the price. "Everybody makes changes," he concedes. "The thing to do is make them early and talk through the solutions with the team members."

While Gunther puts a hefty burden of responsibility on the homeowner, he also charges the builder with the task of assessing what the homeowner knows and helping them gain understanding.

Attorney Henry P. Johnson of Naples says nothing boosts builder-owner amity like correct legal procedure. "The cornerstone of the builder-owner relationship is a clear, written, contractual understanding as to the scope of the work and the specifications," Johnson says. "Trouble arises when there isn't a mechanism in place that spells out exactly what is supposed to be and how to modify it."

Problems can crop up when the two parties have different perceptions of such phrases as "in a timely manner" or "with the builder's best effort," he explains. Other potential conflicts may arise when owners delay payment, change the scope of the project or when there are differences of opinion on the quality of the work.

Change orders need to be written out with specifics defined and prices declared, he says, and some need architect approval. He advocates having legal counsel review the contract. "There are standard American Institute of Architects contracts, but builder contracts are not standard," he explains.

Johnson advises homeowners to be proactive, familiarize themselves with the Florida Construction Lien Law, and make sure all subcontractors and suppliers are being paid. (How? Call them and ask, pay them directly or get a release of lien from the builder).

Building a dream home doesn't have to be a nightmare, say those in the know. The savvier the owner, the better the chance that the bond with the builder will be as solid as the house itself.