Home > Home Builders > Become a Custom Home Contractor; Get a Certified Home Builders License

Become a Custom Home Contractor; Get a Certified Home Builders License

The future of custom home contractor professionals and other certified home builders in America remains good, despite a sagging economy and worrisome financial reports. The reason is simple.

While the labor market struggles, one thing remains the same. The American dream. And part of that dream is a luxury custom home design that meets the family needs, and enhances quality of life. A major reason why custom home construction has maintained its footing, albeit at a low level. But sure to rise again once our economy gains ground.  

The home front will always be high priority with American families, regardless of economics. Ensuring that custom home contractors and other certified home builders will remain an integral part of our nation’s workforce.

Custom Home Contractors

A custom home contractor is a new home builder who constructs houses using unique custom home designs and floor plans. Custom home construction that allows the client to dictate the floor plan, lot size, and accessibility of their new luxury custom home design. Besides budget, lifestyle, and personal preference, demographic and weather factors often influence what type new custom home design certified home builders construct.

For example, new home builders in Texas construct more brick houses than Arizona new home builders, who may focus more on stucco. A contractor with a Florida builder license might get more requests for single-story energy-savvy custom home designs and floor plans. With wide open rooms and lots of windows, to let in all that wonderful sunshine!

Custom home contractors offer nearly endless unique custom home options. Everything from a luxury custom home design fit for Hollywood Boulevard, to an energy-savvy custom home, high in the mountains. To a modest-sized dwelling in the suburbs, constructed using builder spec home plans. Certified home builders also offer a variety of custom home construction programs to fit individual budgets and needs. Consider the following:

Designer Home Builders
Most custom building professionals construct homes using custom home designs and floor plans created by an architect. Designer home builders, however, are skilled at developing their own custom home designs. Designer home builders draw their own blueprints for unique custom home designs and floor plans. Formulated to the exact specifications of the luxury custom home client.

Build on Your Lot Home Builders
Many luxury custom home contractors are “build on your lot home builders”. They construct unique custom home designs on land owned by the client. Custom home construction is often easier for build on your lot home builders, since the land is usually construction-ready. This allows custom building professionals to focus their full attention on building; an energy-savvy custom home, or any other type luxury custom home design.

Builder Spec Home Plans
Some certified home builders purchase land and construct luxurious custom home designs using builder spec home plans. The custom home contractor will look for a buyer after construction is complete. Custom building professionals who utilize builder spec home plans build homes based on what they speculate a buyer will want. The hallmark of spec home plans is usually luxury custom home appeal.

Spec home plans typically include sought-after attributes. For instance, builder spec home plans might feature trendy energy-savvy custom home elements. Or builder spec home plans might highlight the most popular aesthetic custom home design trends. Regardless of focus, spec home plans generally utilize features associated with luxurious custom home design.

Environment and Energy-savvy Custom Home Contractors
Environmentally focused homeowners have made energy-savvy custom home design widely popular. With 36 states projecting water and other resource shortages in the near future, designer home builders are taking the initiative. They are focusing on resourceful custom home construction strategies, and innovative ways to enhance energy-savvy custom home designs. More and more certified home builders in America are integrating resource-saving products and features into luxurious custom home design.

How to Become a Custom Home Contractor

Certified home builders who help people obtain the luxurious custom home of their dreams can enjoy a rewarding and lucrative career. So take your first step! Schedule and pass the home builder license exam for your state; become a certified unique custom home builder.

A new home builder license, however, does not cover all aspects of custom home construction. For instance, electrical wiring and plumbing installation both require separate licensing. Each state also has unique requirements that new home builders must meet before obtaining a new home builder license.

Consider the following examples of new home builder license requirements:

• Texas home builder license - technically, custom home professionals do not need a Texas home builder license, to build for pay. New construction might require a Texas home builder license in some locales. And unique custom home construction that includes HVAC, plumbing, or electrical wiring services require separate licensing for each specialty service. Although a new home builder license may not be state-mandated, some Texas cities require new home builders to register and/or acquire a Texas home builder license for certain types of custom home construction within that vicinity.
• A Tennessee home builders license is required of designer home builders and other custom home professionals before beginning or even bidding on projects exceeding $25,000. This includes costs for materials and labor. There is no state-issued Tennessee home builders license for projects under $25,000. In those instances, individual counties determine whether or not a home builder license is required. Note: no exam requirements currently exist to acquire a home improvement Tennessee home builders license.
• A Florida builder license is required of all custom home contractors in that state. Not only for custom home construction services, but when providing any paid-for service that alters a structure’s load-bearing wall. (Exceptions; drywall installation or replacement.) Three new home builder license categories exist; general contractor (unlimited services), building contractor (commercial and residential up to three stories in height), and residential contractor (one, two, and three-family residences not exceeding two stories in height). A Florida builder license exam must first be taken and passed. Note: exams consist of 3 sections, administered over 2 days. A total of 18 hours.
• Some type Alabama home builder license is required statewide. Custom home contractors must acquire a contractor builder license for commercial or residential projects exceeding $50,000. A certified home builder license is required for residential projects between $10,000 and $49,999.  An Alabama home builder license or custom home contractor license can be obtained after paying an application fee and builder license fee (under $300, total). This is, of course, after the Alabama home license exam has been taken and passed.

New Home Builder License Requirements

In most cases, whenever a new home builder license is required, a home builder license exam must first be taken and passed.  Yet, even when a new home builder license is required, some states may recognize another state’s certification. For example, certified home builders with a Tennessee home builders license are often recognized by the Alabama home builder license board.

General requirements for a new home builder license:

• Apply for the new home builder license. For instance, to acquire an Alabama home builder license, candidates would obtain an application (about $30). The application must be filled out, signed, and notarized. Then returned to the Home Builders Licensure Board, with the Alabama home builder license fee (about $200). Note: although not state-mandated, for construction exceeding $10,000, new home builders in Texas might be required to obtain a Texas home builder license in certain counties.
• Take and pass the new home builder license exam – if compulsory. For instance, passing a Florida builder license exam is always required before becoming a custom home contractor in that state. Whereas a Texas home builder license exam would be given at county level, if one is required in that jurisdiction. Note: research to discover what-type exam your state mandates for custom building professionals. A Florida builder license exam, for instance, is open book. A custom home contractor Tennessee home builders license exam will include questions on business and law.
• Custom home contractor insurance. Not every state mandates that custom building professionals be insured. For instance, certified home builders with an Alabama home builder license are not required to obtain insurance simply because they have a new home builder license. Insurance may be required, however, in certain instances, under other state laws.By contrast, proof of insurance is required before even obtaining a custom home contractor Florida builder license. And persons with a Tennessee home builders license must obtain both general liability and Workers’ Comp insurance; home improvement professionals must be bonded.
• New home builder license renewal is usually annual. For example, the renewal date for custom building professionals with an Alabama home builder license is December 31st, regardless when the license was obtained. Note: renewals begin October 1st of the current year; renewals received December 1st to the 31st are considered late, incurring a late fee of around $30.) Renewals received after January 1st are considered expired. Certified home builders delinquent with renewing their Alabama home builder license must pay an expired builder license fee of nearly $300, PLUS the license renewal fee (around $200).

By contrast, custom home contractors with a Tennessee home builders license must renew credentials every 2-years. Anyone who allows their home building license to expire over 90 days must go through the entire Tennessee home builders license process again, to be reinstated. This includes taking and passing the home builder license exam. 

In addition to the above, whenever a home builder license and home builder license exam is required, state-mandated education requirements usually exist. Both to prepare for the new home builder license exam and home builder license renewal (continuing education). Education requirements for custom building professionals are for the health, safety, welfare of the public, and to help insure quality custom home construction practices.

Teaching programs endorsed by such industry leaders as the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) exist for custom home contractor candidates. Educational programs usually include:

• New home builder construction codes and standards –luxury custom home structural design, energy-savvy custom home construction, fire safety, accessibility, and more.
• Custom home construction safety and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) – creating a safe worksite with healthful work conditions for certified new home builders and all employees.
• Home Builders Institute (HBI) Workforce Development –training with focus on advancing quality new home builder workmanship, promoting career opportunities for designer home builders, and more. Note: HBI is the workforce development arm of NAHB, and serves the general needs of unique custom home contractors and other housing industry workers.
• Green custom home construction – what constitutes green custom home design; terminology, and basics of green eco-friendly custom home construction.
• Custom home design blueprints – custom home contractor and designer home builder blueprint development and/or reading.

Whether obtaining education from a community college, technical school, an industry-related program, or independent vendors online, acquire a reading materials list. This will usually consist of industry reference books, study textbooks, new home builder code manuals, OSHA regulation materials, home builder license exam information booklets, etc.

Persons desiring to become a custom home contractor should check with the appropriate governing authority. Ask about certified home builders license and home builder license exam requirements, for the state in which services will be rendered.

More Home and Garden Articles