Buying New Construction in Davis County, Utah: Questions to Ask the Builder

Ask the builder to put everything in writing: the total price, what is included, the closing date, the warranty, and what happens if the schedule slips. New construction in Davis County is not a standard resale purchase, and the builder usually writes the contract, not you. The questions you ask before signing decide how protected you are.

Charisse Walker is a real estate agent with Chalker Properties Group in Salt Lake and Davis County, Utah, and a licensed mortgage lender. The buyers who do best slow down on the paperwork before they get attached to a floor plan.

This guide covers the contract, the upgrades, the inspections, the warranty, and the financing. It is general information, so confirm the details of your own purchase with the builder and your attorney or title company.

On a resale home in Utah, the standard Real Estate Purchase Contract gives you a defined due diligence period and a clear path to cancel inside it. A builder contract is usually the builder's own document, and the terms can look very different. Read the cancellation language, the deposit terms, and the deadlines line by line.

Questions to ask before you sign:

• How much is the deposit, who holds it, and when does it become non-refundable?
• Can the price change after I sign, and under what conditions?
• What happens to my deposit if the home is not finished by the estimated date?
• Do I have an inspection period, and what can I do with what I find?
• Is there a clause that limits my right to sue or requires arbitration?

A builder may say the contract is not negotiable. Sometimes that is true. Sometimes there is more room than they let on, especially on closing costs, upgrades, and timing. You will not know unless someone asks.

The advertised price is almost never the final price. Model homes show upgrades that are not part of the base home. Ask for a written list of what the base price includes, room by room.

Look closely at the items that tend to be extra:

• Flooring, countertops, cabinets, and lighting beyond the builder's standard package
• Window coverings, appliances, and garage door openers
• Landscaping, fencing, and sprinkler systems
• Lot premiums for corner lots, views, or larger parcels
• Basement finishing, extra outlets, and structural options

Then ask the question buyers forget: which options can only be added during construction and cannot be changed later? Structural changes and some wiring and plumbing choices are far cheaper to make before the walls are closed than after.

Compare the full price, upgrades included, to similar resale homes nearby. Sometimes the new home still wins. Sometimes a home that is a few years old, already landscaped and fenced, costs less all in.

You are buying a home in a place that may still be under construction. Ask what is planned around your lot, and get the answer in writing where you can.

• What will be built next to, behind, and across from this lot?
• Are there more phases planned, and what is the construction schedule for them?
• Who owns and maintains common areas, and is there a homeowners association?
• What are the monthly dues, and what do they cover?
• Can the association raise dues or add rules, and how is that decided?
• Are there any special assessments, impact fees, or utility connection fees due at closing?

Ask for the plat map and the covenants, conditions and restrictions, often called the CC&Rs. Read them before you commit. They can limit fencing, parking, sheds, rentals, and exterior colors. A rule you dislike is easier to live with if you learn about it before you buy.

You can also check the county and city planning records for approved projects near the lot. Public records are free, and they tell you more than a sales brochure does.

Yes. A new home passed a municipal inspection, and that is not the same as an independent inspection on your behalf. City inspectors check that work meets code at set stages. They are not working for you, and they are not looking for every cosmetic or workmanship problem.

Many buyers choose three points to inspect:

1. Before the drywall goes up. This is when framing, wiring, plumbing, and insulation can be seen.
2. Before the final walkthrough. This catches problems while the builder is still obligated to finish the home.
3. Before the warranty period ends. Some problems only show up after the house has settled through a season.

Ask the builder in writing whether you are allowed to bring your own inspector during construction. Some builders limit site access for safety and insurance reasons, and you need to know that before you sign, not after.

At the final walkthrough, do not rush. Open every window and door, run every faucet, test every outlet, and check the grading around the foundation. Write every issue on a punch list and get the builder to agree to a date for each fix. Do not close with a long punch list and a verbal promise.

Most builders offer a limited warranty. The words that matter are limited and written. Ask for the warranty document before you sign the contract, not at closing.

Ask these questions:

• What is covered, for how long, and what is excluded?
• Is there a separate period for workmanship, systems like plumbing and electrical, and structural items?
• Who do I call for a warranty claim, and how fast does the builder commit to respond?
• Is the warranty backed by the builder or by a third-party warranty company?
• Does the warranty transfer to the next owner if I sell?

Keep a simple log from day one. Take dated photos of anything that looks wrong, and send warranty requests by email so you have a record. Builders are busy, and a clear paper trail makes your claim easier to act on.

Financing a new build has its own timing problems. Your rate, your approval, and the closing date all have to line up with a construction schedule that can move.

Ask the builder:

• Do they have a preferred lender, and are there incentives tied to using them?
• If I use my own lender, do I lose any incentive, and what is the dollar difference?
• Can I lock my rate now, and what happens if closing is delayed past the lock?
• Who pays the lock extension fee if the delay is the builder's?

A builder incentive can be real money. It can also be offset by a higher price or a less competitive loan. Ask your own lender for a written loan estimate, and compare it with the builder's lender estimate side by side. Look at the rate, the fees, and the total cost, not just the monthly payment.

Also ask your lender how an appraisal works on a new build. If the appraisal comes in under the contract price, you may need to bring more cash or renegotiate. Know that possibility before you sign, not at the end.

• Skipping their own agent. The sales representative at the model home works for the builder. If you do not have your own agent in place before the first visit, you may lose the ability to have one represent you later. Check the builder's registration policy.
• Treating the estimated completion date as a promise. Weather, supplies, and inspections move schedules. Plan a backup place to live.
• Not pricing out the upgrades. A home that fits your budget at the base price may not at the finished price.
• Not reading the HOA documents. Dues and rules are part of the cost of the home.
• Waiving inspections. A new home is not a perfect home.
• Forgetting the extras after closing. Landscaping, window coverings, and fencing can add up quickly.

Here is a typical example, not a client story. A buyer falls for a floor plan at a model home and signs a reservation the same day. They add upgrades in the design center, and the monthly payment on their estimate rises with each choice. A few weeks later, the builder announces a closing date that is later than the sales team first suggested.

A buyer who asked the questions in this article would have known the deposit rules before reserving, would have a price for every upgrade written down, would have a backup housing plan, and would have a rate lock plan that covers a delay. The same home, the same builder, but far fewer surprises.

Do I need my own agent to buy new construction? It is a good idea. The builder's sales representative works for the builder. Your own agent works for you, reviews the contract with you, and speaks up on price, timing, and terms. Many builders require you to bring your agent on the first visit, so check before you tour.

Can I negotiate the price of a new build? Sometimes. Builders may be more flexible on closing cost help, upgrades, or incentives than on the headline price. It depends on the builder, the inventory, and the timing.

Is a new home inspection really necessary? Yes. Independent inspections catch workmanship issues and missing items while the builder is still responsible for them.

How long does a new build take? It varies by builder, weather, and the stage of the neighborhood. Ask for a written estimate and treat it as an estimate.

What if the builder is late? Your contract controls. Ask what remedies you have, if any, before you sign.

If you are looking at a new build in Davis County, bring the contract to me before you sign it. Charisse Walker is a real estate agent with Chalker Properties Group in Salt Lake and Davis County, Utah, and a licensed mortgage lender. I will help you read it, compare it with resale options nearby, and build the list of questions for the builder.

Reach out on the contact page and tell me which community you are considering. You can also read about how buying a home works and the process I follow with every client. This article is general information and is not legal or lending advice.