You’re excited about the possibility of building a home. But, where do you start?

Choose a Builder

When you compare builders, we think you will see what sets Hansen & Horn apart: We design homes around the way people live; we build better homes with character; and we build relationships with our customers.

We want your home to fit your lifestyle — not stuff you into a cookie-cutter design. So, from the moment you begin the process of building your Hansen & Horn home, your New Home Sales Consultant leads you through important choices, taking into account your family’s daily activities, hobbies, work and entertaining styles. When it comes to making your home your own, no one offers more options than we do. From our outstanding Design Center to our proprietary DesignFlex and custom options, you can be sure your home will bear your signature style.

Design Center
We’ve created our own Design Center, so you can make personalized choices at one convenient location. The Design Center includes samples of actual products, and a Hansen & Horn Design Consultant will assist you throughout the process.

DesignFlex™
In addition to creative home plans and a wide range of options, we’ve developed a totally new concept — DesignFlex™ — that lets you decide the best use of space within your home. With DesignFlex™, you can transform a room, not just with cosmetic changes, but by actually restructuring the space.

Standard Features and Available Upgrades
Many standard features are included in the base price of your home. In addition, we offer many upgrades and optional features so you can further customize your Hansen & Horn home.

Custom Design
Our list of popular options is only the beginning. You may also have custom features you want us to consider incorporating into your new home. Let us know what custom features you want, and we’ll assist you in every way possible to design and implement those options into your new home.

Selection Guidelines
If you’re in the market for a new home, you may find these guidelines helpful in selecting a builder.

1. Find out what companies are building in your area. Contact the Builders Association of Greater Indianapolis to obtain a list of reliable builders. You can also consult Homebuilder.com, NAHB’s official new homes listing Web site.
2. Once you have a list of builders in your area, visit recently built homes and communities. Look closely at both the finished product and home construction in progress.
3. Ask your realtor (if you have one) and others in the business community about the reputation of the builder(s) you are considering.
4. Check with local and city Building Departments to see if any complaints have been filed against the builder(s).
5. Research the financial stability of the builder(s) you are considering.
6. Ask for references from the builder(s). They should be able to give you a list of customers who are willing to talk to you about their building experience.
7. Call past customers and interview them. Ask people if they are happy with their homes and if the builder did what was promised. Ask if the home was built in a timely manner. Find out if problems were resolved quickly and to their satisfaction. Ask them if they would consider building with the same builder again in the future.
8. Visit models and neighborhoods, returning to those you like more than once.
9. Look at the quality of the construction features. Remember to look at such details as the cabinetry, carpeting, trimwork and paint.
10. Narrow your list of potential builders to a few and request an interview with each one.
11. Ask questions and take notes. Doing so will help you make comparisons between builders later. Find out about building processes, warranties, options and upgrades — ask about the things most important to you. Ask to meet the person who would be in charge of building your home. Think of this as interviewing prospective builders.
12. Evaluate for yourself the design quality of the home. Determine whether it lends itself to your lifestyle. Look at the amount of interior space and how efficiently that space is used.
13. Find out if the builder uses state-of-the-art energy-efficient features in equipment and insulation.
14. Compare warranties and services after the sale.
15. Don’t equate cost with value. Cost is not a direct measure of quality. Quality is the combination of good design, solid materials and superior workmanship.
16. Ask yourself if you are compatible with the builder(s) you are considering. Your relationship with the builder you choose will last through the warranty period, so choose a builder with whom you are comfortable.
17. Communication is the key during the building process. Does the builder seem organized? Are there policies and procedures in place to handle the entire process — pre-construction, construction and post-construction?

Buying a new home is one of the most important decisions you will make in your lifetime. Be thorough. Ask a lot of questions. Get as many specifics as possible, so you can compare intelligently. When you do your homework carefully, you can feel confident in the builder you choose.


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