5 Min Read
Building a custom home is one of the biggest financial decisions you'll make, and the builder you choose affects nearly every part of the process, from your budget to the finished home. Texas doesn't require a state license for home builders, which means the responsibility for vetting a builder falls almost entirely on you.
This guide covers what to look for in a custom home builder in East Texas, including insurance, past work, the right questions to ask, and the difference between a design-build approach and a traditional contractor.
Jump to a section using the links below:
- Texas Is a Non-Licensing State
- What To Look For In A Custom Home Builder
- The Difference Between A Design-Build Company Vs. A General Contractor
- Reviewing Reputation And Warranty Coverage
- Questions To Ask Before You Hire
- Frequently Asked Questions About Finding a Custom Home Builder
Texas Is a Non-Licensing State
Texas does not require a state license to work as a home builder or general contractor. State law doesn't require a bond either, only that the business be registered with the state. Finding a qualified builder in East Texas comes down to research. Look for proper insurance and voluntary industry certifications, as well as documented permit history. You should also review testimonials from a contractor's past clients so you can gauge how they will approach your project.
Local Registration Still Applies
Some cities and counties require builders to register locally, even though the state doesn't. In Longview and the surrounding area, check with the local permitting office to confirm a builder has an active registration and permit history before signing a contract.
What to Look for in a Custom Home Builder
Once you know a builder is properly registered, check these additional credentials before you sign anything:
- Insurance. Ask for proof of general liability insurance. Without it, you could be held responsible for an injury or damage that happens on your property.
- A real portfolio. Ask to see homes the builder has actually completed, ideally similar in size and style to what you want.
- References you can call. A builder should be able to connect you with past clients or have a collection of legitimate reviews.
- A clear contract. The contract should spell out the scope of work, the payment schedule, and what happens if the project changes.
The Difference between a Design-Build company vs. a General Contractor
In a design-build model, one company handles both design and construction for the life of the project. The same team manages your plans and your build, so a change during construction gets handled directly instead of routed through a separate designer. This structure also protects your budget. Because the design and construction teams work together, cost estimates tend to reflect what your plans will take to build.
Design-build saves time too. Research from the Construction Industry Institute found design-build was the best-performing delivery method for both cost and schedule, with design-build projects delivered 36% faster during construction and 102% faster from design through completion than comparable projects built under a traditional design-bid-build model. In a traditional model, you hire an architect or designer first, then a separate contractor afterward, often through a round of competitive bidding. A change made once construction starts typically means looping in both parties separately to work out the details.
Reviewing reputation and warranty coverage
Online platforms like Google Reviews and social media are a good resource to see how a builder has done business in the past. In addition to looking at their reputation, you need to look at the kind of warranty they offer. A qualified company will have testimonials that demonstrate their professionalism and will provide some kind of warranty to back up their work. Here is what you need to specifically look for in your research.
Reviews and Complaint History
The Better Business Bureau lets you search a company's complaint history and see how it responded to each one, which shows you how a builder actually handles problems when they come up. The Texas Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division also accepts complaints against businesses operating in Texas, and while that office can't resolve individual disputes, looking for any patterns of consistent complaints can tell you that you should look for a different builder.
Understand the Warranty
Most builder warranties are tiered by category rather than covered under a single blanket term. Workmanship and materials are typically covered for the shortest period, major systems like plumbing, electrical, and HVAC for longer, and structural elements such as the foundation and framing for the longest. The actual lengths vary from builder to builder, so don't assume any two warranties are the same.
More important than the term lengths is whether the coverage is documented. A builder should give you the warranty as a written document attached to your contract, not describe it verbally during a walkthrough. Ask what each category covers, what falls outside of it, and who honors a claim — the builder directly or a third-party warranty company.
Then ask how claims work after you move in: who you contact, how quickly the builder responds, and what the inspection and repair process looks like. Routine maintenance and homeowner-caused damage are usually excluded, and a builder should tell you that up front.
Questions to Ask Before You Hire
You've done your homework, and now you are leaning toward a particular company. Now what? It's time to have a conversation with them and get to know exactly what working with them will be like. So before you sign anything, ask about their experience and how they run a project:
- Can I see a home you've completed recently?
- Who will be my main point of contact during construction?
- What's included in your estimate, and what could add to the cost?
- How do you handle changes once construction has started?
Once you've found a builder you trust, be sure they have verifiable references or a collection of legitimate reviews that can verify their trustworthiness. You should also be given adequate time to review the contract and ask specifically about warranties or guarantees. Lastly, do not forget to ask for any kind of agreements in writing.
Frequently Asked Questions About Finding a Custom Home Builder
Build Your Custom Home With Bort Custom Homes
Choosing a builder is the first decision in your custom home journey, and our team values the opportunity to build with you. Bort Custom Homes has spent over 30 years building custom homes across East Texas, and we still start every project the same way: by sitting down with you to talk through your vision, your budget, and what home means to your family.
Take a look at our recent projects to see the kind of craftsmanship we bring to every build, or explore our process to see how we bring design and construction together under one roof.
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