ARE BUILDER REFERENCES REALLY THAT HELPFUL OR JUST FLUFF?
- I’ve actually had both types of references—some that felt like a sales pitch, others that got into the nitty gritty. The second kind always stuck with me more.
- When we built our last place, the reference mentioned a delay with the custom windows. She was upfront about being frustrated at the time, but said the builder kept her in the loop and even covered some extra costs. That honesty made me trust them way more than if she’d just said “everything was perfect.”
- I get why some people want only glowing reviews, but honestly, if there aren’t any bumps in the story, I start to wonder what’s being left out.
- Not every hiccup is a red flag—sometimes it’s just construction being construction. What matters is how it’s handled.
- One thing I’ll say: sometimes people focus too much on minor delays or small stuff. For me, it’s more about whether the builder communicates and fixes things without drama.
I’d rather hear about a project that hit a snag and got sorted out than one that supposedly went off without a hitch... because let’s be real, that almost never happens.
I’m with you—if a reference sounds too polished, I get suspicious. When I checked references for our kitchen reno, the most helpful one actually mentioned a budget overrun on cabinets, but explained how the builder worked out a fair compromise. That kind of detail matters way more to me than “everything went smooth.” No project is perfect, especially if you’re watching the dollars like I do.
ARE BUILDER REFERENCES REALLY THAT HELPFUL OR JUST FLUFF?
That’s the thing—if a reference paints the whole project as sunshine and rainbows, I start to wonder what got left out. Nobody gets through a remodel without at least one hiccup, right? I always tell folks: ask about what went sideways and how it got sorted out. Did they get ghosted when things got tough, or did the builder actually show up and help figure it out?
Funny enough, I once had a client who was more impressed by how we handled a shipping delay than by anything else we built for them. It’s almost never about whether you hit some bumps, but how you steer around them. If someone’s reference doesn’t mention a single snag—c’mon, either they have the patience of a saint or there’s something missing.
Curious—when you talked to that reference about the cabinet overrun, did they seem comfortable sharing other less-than-perfect details? Sometimes folks are hesitant to be critical if they like their builder personally...
ARE BUILDER REFERENCES REALLY THAT HELPFUL OR JUST FLUFF?
You nailed it—if a reference sounds too perfect, I get suspicious too. Last year, I called a reference who raved about their builder, but when I gently asked about any hiccups, they paused and then admitted the tile order was wrong twice. Turns out, the builder fixed it fast, but it was the only time I got a real sense of how they handled problems. I’d rather hear about a mistake that got fixed than a flawless fairytale. It’s the messy bits that tell you what you’re really in for.
Totally agree, the “too good to be true” references always make me pause. I’ve found the most useful feedback comes when people admit what went wrong and how it got fixed. Honestly, a builder’s real test is how they handle the inevitable bumps. Perfection just isn’t realistic.
