When you’re building a home, there’s a natural temptation to focus on price—and to trust that the lowest bid means the best deal. But if there’s one truth we’ve learned over the years at Conquest Builders, it’s this: the quality of your contract is just as important as the quality of your construction. And the price is one of the many important parts of the agreement. Look at the photo above. This is one of the homes we are contracted to finish for clients who had poorly written agreements with two other builders that failed.
A solid, fair contract protects both the homeowner and the builder—and without one, even a beautiful project on day one can lead to financial headaches, miscommunications, or worse, down the line. The company might fail, leaving you fully exposed financially with little in return. A custom home cannot be purchased like a commodity. When we’re shopping through a store of already-made items, it’s easy to find the lowest price and immediately grab the item you wanted, achieving the best price, and maybe the best value. But this is different. In this case, we are making the item. We only have so much money (the agreed upon amount) and are looking to make the best item possible. Our pricing is always based on the most-current information to mitigate risk and provide our client with the best possible outcome.
The Heart of a Good Contract: Completion vs. Payment
One of the most important contract principles we emphasize at Conquest Builders is payment alignment with project completion. Neither the builder nor the homeowner should ever be more than 20% ahead or behind in payment relative to how much of the project is actually finished.
This simple safeguard keeps expectations clear and finances balanced throughout the build. It prevents situations where a builder is overpaid before delivering results—or where a builder is underpaid and forced to front project costs out-of-pocket, putting the job at risk.
There are rare exceptions—like long lead time items such as custom garage doors, certain windows, and specialty entry systems—but these are documented and agreed upon in advance.
Our contract has been reviewed and approved by multiple banks and praised by industry professionals for reducing risk while keeping the process transparent. We didn’t just settle for a standard contract—we built one that raises the bar for how fair and clear a construction agreement should be.
The Hidden Cost of “Cheap”
Builders offering the lowest prices often rely on less visible shortcuts. Over time, these decisions cost homeowners far more than the savings they thought they were getting.
Some common signs of cost-cutting include:
- Weaker concrete mixes that lead to cracks and slab failure.
- Single-pane, low-quality windows that allow significant heat transfer and sound penetration—driving up your energy bills and reducing comfort in your own home.
- Subpar insulation that fails to buffer against Florida’s humidity and temperature swings, equaling even higher electricity costs.
- Inferior HVAC layouts, including over-door grills instead of central and auxiliary returns, which limit airflow and efficiency.
- Overall lower craftsmanship and minimal attention to detail.
These choices don’t just reduce your quality of life—they create a home that costs more to maintain, is harder to resell, and may not stand the test of time.
Heirloom-Quality, Every Time
At Conquest Builders, we believe that even our most affordable builds should be worthy of becoming someone’s forever home. We don’t cut corners—because we’re not just building for today. We’re building homes that last generations.
That philosophy is embedded not just in the materials and systems we use, but in the very structure of our contracts. We want our clients to feel informed, secure, and respected from the first signature to the final walkthrough.
The Takeaway
Before you sign with any builder—us or anyone else—take the time to understand the contract. Make sure it protects you and them. Ask about how payments are tied to progress. Understand what you’re getting, and what you’re not.
The strongest foundation you can have isn’t just poured in concrete—it starts with a well-written agreement.
If you want to build a home that lasts, with a team that believes in fairness from day one, we’re here to help.
