Having a new home built is an exciting time for your family, but there are a handful of things that can go wrong and thus dampen your excitement. Dealing with a builder can sometimes be difficult in the wake of a problem, but you don't have to go up against this formidable foe by yourself. An attorney who focuses on real estate cases and has experience with new-home construction issues will be able to look over your case and determine if you have grounds for legal action and then represent you accordingly. Here are three different times that you'll want to hire a real estate attorney during new-home construction.
Home Not Done On Time
When you hire a builder to build a home for you, you'll get a date at which time the residence will be finished. In many cases, the home is done before this date, but there are also situations in which the home isn't complete by the deadline. The builder may blame various issues, such as a problem with the delivery of certain materials, but the bottom line is that your house isn't ready when the builder said that it would be. This is a prime example of a time that you need to hire a real estate attorney to represent your interests.
Cost Disputes
Generally, once you agree to a certain cost for the construction of the new home, the topic of money won't come up again. However, you might occasionally run into an unscrupulous builder who comes to you partway through the project and asks for more money. Whether the builder is trying to take advantage of you or simply did a poor job of estimating and quoting the project, you'll be in a difficult position. You shouldn't have to pay more if you've already signed paperwork, and your real estate attorney will make this point clear.
Something Not Done As Discussed
When you opt for new-home construction, you'll have a chance to thoroughly go over plans for the house to ensure that you're happy with every last detail. However, when the house is built, you might be surprised to see that something doesn't appear as you expected it to. There can be times that a builder either makes a mistake or attempts a shortcut during the construction, leaving you with someone that wasn't what you wanted. Your real estate attorney will pressure the builder to make this right.
