Find the Best Home Builders in Indianapolis, IN

How to choose a home builder in Indianapolis

When you’re in the market to build a new home, choosing the right home builder is just as important as choosing the floor plan or design. Considering the construction of a custom home can take anywhere from three to 12 months, the relationship between you and your home builder needs to be based on trust and clear communication.

So how do you find the right home developer in Indianapolis? Start by deciding what you want out of your new home. What style of home design do you prefer? What features do you need? What features do you want? What amenities can you do without? How do you value things such as:

• Energy-efficiency?
• Natural gas vs. electric?
• Warranties?

Once you have a vision in mind, try reading online reviews to gauge home builders’ reputations, responsiveness and reliability. Also, speak with family, friends and colleagues that have recently completed custom homes. Ask them:

• What custom home builder did you hire?
• Are you happy with your new home?
• Did you encounter any challenges during construction?
• Did the builder fix problems promptly and to your satisfaction?
• Would you work with your builder again?

Use their experience to help guide your search. If you don’t know anyone that’s had a custom home built in Indianapolis, other reliable sources for home builder referrals include:

• Local realtors
• Local lenders
• Local design professionals
• The Indiana Builders Association
• The Builders Association of Greater Indianapolis
• Homeowners in recently-built subdivisions

Questions to ask a home builder

Once you have a list of potential home builders, it’s time to start scheduling consultations and meeting with them. You should feel comfortable asking any questions relevant to the construction of the home, the overall buying process or life in the community.

Get as many specifics as possible. The developer’s responses will tell you a lot about their qualifications and commitment to customer service. Plus, the more information you gather in the beginning, the fewer surprises you’ll encounter later.

These 15 questions are a great starting point to finding the right Indianapolis home builder for you:

• How many years have you been in business?
• How many homes have you built in Indianapolis?
• How are you different from other home builders?
• Can you provide references from recent home buyers?
• Do you build from a book of existing plans or can I provide my own?
• What standard features are included and how much customization can you do?
• What energy-saving features do you include in your homes?
• What inspections will take place throughout and after the construction process?
• Is landscaping included in your pricing?
• Will there be a homeowners association or any additional rules and fees for this neighborhood?
• What kind of warranties do you offer?
• Do you have an established financing plan or preferred lender?
• What are the estimated property taxes?
• Are there any other major developments planned for this area?
• Who will oversee the construction of my home and who will be my point-of-contact person for questions?

How much does it cost to build a home in Indianapolis?

When you take the low property taxes and other monthly homeownership costs into consideration, building a custom home in Indianapolis may be more affordable than you think. Even for someone with a modest income, Indy is the cheapest place to own a home among the nation’s 15 largest cities.

Here are some of the top locations for new home communities in the Indianapolis area:

• Westfield
• Fishers
• Noblesville
• Carmel
• Greenwood
• Brownsburg
• Avon
• Zionsville
• Greenfield
• Plainfield
• Bargersville

Custom homes in Indianapolis usually start in the upper $100,000s, with custom home building costing $86 to $128 per square foot, not including the land.

Of course, many factors affect the price of your new home, including the:

• Price of the lot
• Cost to prepare the land
• Square footage
• Amount of customization
• Quality of materials
• Brand of appliances

In Indianapolis, premium upgrades such as hardwood floors, marble countertops, top-of-the-line appliances, crown molding and soaker tubs account for about 10% of the cost of a custom home.

Considering Indianapolis’ hot, humid summers and cold, snowy winters, some of the wisest home upgrades are smart heating and cooling devices along with energy-efficient windows and appliances. The more energy-efficient your builder can make your home, the less you spend on utility costs every month. Beyond any financial savings, an energy-efficient home also helps reduce your family’s impact on the environment.

In general, prefabricated homes are less expensive than traditional construction, so home buyers looking for cheap custom homes should explore those home builders as well.