What it takes to be great American home builders

How much local experience do they have?

If you are looking for a custom house build, working with the biggest home builders in USA may seem appealing but are they really going to have the local knowledge that you need to ensure your plans get approved and your permits get issued on time? Working with a local firm brings with it a huge network of dedicated craftspeople and experts, as well as those hard-won relationships with local government offices, that may just help smooth over any delays in permits being issued.

What services should top US home builders really offer?

While the largest home builders in America might be experts at producing huge numbers of identical homes at low prices, will they have the flexibility and imagination to give you the house, addition, or remodel of your dreams. Working with a full service general contractor, like Fortress Home, you'll find someone who can help you realize all your dreams, not just deliver standard home builders floor plans and cookie cutter homes.

Top house builders should not only build your home, they can help with planning, budgeting, getting permits, sourcing the best materials, hiring the most qualified laborers and craftspeople, while ensuring everything is managed on time and to budget.

Do the top 10 home builders all have the same quality process?

When working with the largest house builders you need to check what their quality and audit processes are. Do they stick to the level of local building codes or exceed them? Have they got both an internal and external audit process when looking at quality? How transparent are they in their quality management systems?

When talking to local or big house builders, don't forget to ask for full details of their quality management system to ensure you're getting the best work possible.

What are their credentials and certifications?

Choosing a contractor is about more than just home builders rankings. Ensure they are fully licenced and bonded in your local area. Are they fully insured so that you're covered in case of an accident or unforeseen occurrence or if there are problems with the property further down the line? In Chicago you can check with the Department of Buildings to ensure your contractors are fully registered and licensed.

You can also check how long their business has been operating. A well established business that has been around for at least 5-10 years offers less risk, especially when it comes to servicing a warranty in years to come.

We also recommend checking with your local Better Business Bureau to see if any complaints have been filed.

What do their customers say?

One of the most important things to do is get references from a contractors' existing customers, and if at all possible, talk to them face to face. This will give you the most honest and thorough experience of working with a contractor, as well as a clear picture of their standard of work, quality process, budget adherence and how well they stick to schedule.

Checklist when talking to existing customers

Here are some things you should ask existing customers about:

• Are you happy with your new home?
• Did you have any problems with your new home?
• If you had any problems, how were they fixed? Were they fixed quickly?
• Would you recommend someone else buy from this builder?
• If it was a custom build, were there any delays? How were they dealt with?
• For custom builds, did they stick to the budget?
• Did you enjoy working with them?
• Were they easy to communicate with?

What else have they built?

When looking for American home place builders it's always a good idea to draw up a shortlist of possible companies and go and visit some of their previous projects. You might also be able to remove some candidates from your short-list at this stage, if they don’t have any projects similar to your dream build.

If they make commercial as well as residential properties you may even be able to go inside and check out the finish and workmanship in person. While looking at local builders house plans can be useful, it's better if you can see the completed buildings in the flesh. Maybe you can even talk to some of the people who work or live there about their experiences with the building.

When looking at an example of a builder's work there are a variety of things you should check:

• How is the quality of the construction both inside and out?
• How is the quality of any cabinetry and trimming?
• How well are the carpets fitted and is the paintwork done to a high standard?

Don't be afraid to ask questions and look inside fitted units, in the basement or the roof space (if accessible). Information is your best ally at this point and more you have, the better informed choice you'll be able to make.

Working with Fortress Home

At Fortress Home we are one of the top residential construction companies in Chicago with over 20 years of experience. We can help you every step of the way, from choosing the right design for your new build, to ensuring all the plans and permits are in place. We'll ensure you have a detailed budget that includes information like the price per square foot so you really understand the true cost of building a home.


We like to think of ourselves as some of the best of Americas home builders. As a family owned business we take real pride in our work and our relationships with our customers. We are part of the local community in Chicago and want to ensure a tradition of high quality construction in the city that we love.