First, check the license
A new house in Virginia needs a Class A contractor license. The classes, per Fairfax County’s contractor guide (Fairfax County, guide for prospective contractors (license classes)):
| Class | Covers |
|---|---|
| Class A | $120,000 or more per contract, or $750,000+ of work in 12 months |
| Class B | $10,000 up to $120,000 per contract, or $150,000 up to $750,000 in 12 months |
| Class C | Over $1,000 up to $10,000 per contract, or up to $150,000 in 12 months |
Look up any builder by name or license number on the DPOR license lookup, and check the disciplinary action search while you are there.
About experience
- How many new homes have you finished in the last three years, and how many on lots the owner already had?
- Can I see two finished homes and one under construction?
- Have you built in my town and dealt with its permit office?
About price
- What exactly does your price per square foot include: permits, demolition, site work, design?
- Is your contract fixed price, cost-plus or a guaranteed maximum? (what that means)
- What are your allowances for finishes, and are they realistic for what I want?
- How are change orders priced?
About the process
- Who will run my job day to day?
- How will I see the schedule, budget and photos? (Horizon Building, for example, gives clients a 24/7 dashboard.)
- What happens if the build runs late?
About after
- What warranty do you give on structure, systems and finishes?
- Can I speak with three past clients, including one whose project had problems?
How to compare the answers
Put the answers in one table. Look for the builder whose price includes the most, whose process you trust, and whose past clients would hire them again. The lowest per-square-foot number is rarely the lowest final price.
