Hello Houzz fans,

I've been wondering lately who uses home builders and developers why should use their services? So here, I've come across so far to four key standards,

- People on a budget who often find it cheaper to build their own home than to try to buy a pre-existing home, especially if they already own a piece of land.

- People with special needs who's health, learning or behavioral disabilities may have to custom-build a home to accommodate their special needs.

- Environmentalists who are part of the green movement or simply want to live in a bacteria-free environment often find it easier to build a new energy-efficient home rather than trying to upgrade an existing home and,

- Highly independent people who have the desire, finances, and ability to choose to custom-build the whatever size and style of home they want, instead of hunting for an existing home that is perfect for them.

Then we have the types of home builders and developers.

- Certified green builders that are trained to build homes in a way that saves energy and protects the environment who often use sustainable materials and install energy-efficient windows, solar panels and heating and cooling systems.

- Urban designers who focus on creating homes for people who live in cities and other thickly settled neighborhoods with small building lots designed to accommodate a large number of people and to reduce traffic around the building site.

- Re-modelers who upgrade existing homes to meet homeowners' specifications, whether that means adding extra rooms, renovating existing rooms or making the home more energy efficient and,

- Local builders who are mostly local business people who contribute to property values, as well as to their community by providing well-paying jobs and buying from local suppliers, as well give back through local charities.

So, having in mind all above; It'll be interesting to narrow down a fragment of a high-quality builder (incl. in your area), not just by gross revenue and total closings, but attention to detail, attractive design features and most important by the quality of workmanship, products, and materials.

All professional, experienced, knowledgeable and courteous feedback, suggestions and ideas, as well "red flags" and "stay away's"; not recommended and safety issues are more than welcomed. Hopefully the same to enhance our knowledge and in the meantime to contribute to Houzz community.

Building a home is a major life decision and once we gather all the information, we should take our time and consider which builder will really be the best fit for us. We’ll be living with that decision for years to come so give let's ourselves time to ponder and evaluate.

...(sorry for the long read).