Building Your Lake Home

You might have a dream of building a lake home for retirement, for enjoying summers at the lake or for an investment. No matter what your reason for owning a lake home by starting out with a good builder and knowing some of the basics about home building, you will be able to have a positive experience during the home building process.

Start by looking in your area for a builder that suits your needs and has a good reputation in the area. Make sure that the builder is sensitive to your needs and will listen to what you want in a lake home. Notice whether promises are kept or broken. Some contractors are skilled at giving good impressions early but lack the character to do what they say. You can save yourself many headaches by learning to spot this deficiency early on.

Ask your builder the following questions:

1. How many years of experience do you have in building lake homes?
2. What special skills and qualifications do you have to offer?
3. What happens if the project goes over-budget?
4. What type of homes do you normally build?
5. How much input will we have into the design of the home?
6. Are you licensed and insured?
7. Who is responsible to get building permits?

Take your time when looking for a builder. Some of the best builders in the area may be booked up several months in advance, but they also may be able to fit you in as many times builders work on several homes at one time. For instance, as the concrete is drying and setting up at one location, they may be doing the framing on another home.

Have a one-on-one meeting with the builder and see if he/she is open to your ideas and suggestions. Does the builder give you his/her complete attention? Or is he busy taking phone calls during your meeting? If so, the builder might not devote his/her full attention to your project. Then ask to meet some of the key staff who will be working on the home. Do the employees seem professional and interested in their work?

By taking your time when looking for a builder, you will go a long way in the process of having what you want in your lake home. Make your dream home a reality by taking things one step at a time - and starting with a qualified builder.

For more information about what to look for when building your lake home go www.bluestoneconst.com.

Jim Raboin and Larry McCulley are co-owners of BlueStone Construction (http://www.bluestoneconst.com) and have over 20 years of experience in the building industry. Jim has been in the building industry since the early 1990's and is a visionary who has built BlueStone on the idea of giving more than is expected. Jim has close to 15 years of residential construction experience and is fast becoming known as a new kind of developer/construction leader in the Brainerd Lakes region. Larry McCulley has been in the building industry since 2000. He has built BlueStone by taking what he has learned from our clients and creating truly unique lakehomes that reflect their lifestyles. Achieving excellence through relationship building is his passion. Larry has 7 years of commercial and residential construction experience and received his bachelors degree in construction management from Minnesota State University Moorhead.