Is it sensible for us to ask our designer to identify his subcontractors and permit us to talk with the primary subs before we go into a contract with him (and after)?

It may seem reasonable from your point of view, however, not very realistic. Subs come in and out of a job place. If one is not readily on hand another one is called in.

Once you have agreed on a Contract with a builder, he is your 'one point of contact.' The subcontractors are his subs - not yours. Keep in mind you have engage him for his building management knowledge to complete the job on time and on cost.

That means he must have total control and so by you talking to the subs honestly you are creating confusion. You can't have two superiors on a job.

Uncertainty costs you more money. When you or your spouse talks to a sub, you are not occupied in a social conversation. Let's say you create an innocent comment about some part of the subs work - like you regret choosing those tiles in the bathroom and have seen some better ones. That is all you said!

Can you observe how a sub could use this against the builder when questioned why he hasn't finished the bathroom yet. "Well the client told me couple of days ago that they were modifying the tiles to another type." It doesn't matter that you did not say that - but it caused uncertainty and delayed the job by at least couple of days or more.

As an alternative of wanting access to the subs, with whom you have no proficiency, you should concentrate on assuring the builder has the proper permits and insurance for building. Most especially for workman's comp and for liability.

Some clients realize that they can be held responsible, if the builder doesn't have the right insurance.

Let's say that a child went on to the place after the builder has left for the day. Decides to go up to the roof and jump. Guess who's accountable? Confirm the references of others clients he's built for.

Many home building clients have very little spatial ability and cannot picture an overview of the space being customized for them - they just cannot visualize the finished house, never mind what the finished shades and tiles look like.

Because of this, they sense the need to be able to make modification at any stage of the project. This is what is behind this question of being able to converse to the subs. You can make alteration to your home design at any time as long as you know that each change will cost you heaps and blow your budget sky high.

To make these alterations you ask the architect to apply for a cost estimate from the builder for each change. You then can settle on if you can afford it or not. If your request is made at the most awful possible (most expensive) time, you will be told that as well.

What's the answer to all this? Plan all the decisions about what you requires and have them included in your plans and specifications.

A builder expects the house buyer to be practical and realistic in their expectations. The time you spend in setting up and thinking about what you want in you house is worth real money to you. If you are not nice at planning, an Interior Designer will be critical to your final contentment.

If you can't make up your mind on the necessary aspects of the design, go and inspect samples of what you do like and get the Interior Designer to incorporate what you want in the plan.

The biggest troubles that most builders run into are house buyer who change what has been approved to or is unrealistic in what they want. This is why we have our house buyers sit down with an Interior Designer.

The ASID can sit down with you and aids you visualize exactly what you require and aid you make any compromises you may have to make.

It is very costly to make modifications during a project. Let's say that you wanted a 17x20 kitchen. Sounds like a huge kitchen. Probably too huge. But, once the cabinets and appliances start coming in you recognize that it's too small and want the kitchen to be larger.

This may cost you an additional $50k to make those modifications. You may save yourself a small fortune by first working with ASID on floor