Will your builder consult with you in the design stage?
Your custom home builder should meet with you and the architect, in order to design the most cost-effective home possible within your design parameters. Architects typically are unaware of material and labor costs. Your builder should point out options to help you stay within your budget.

Will your builder build up the pad for proper drainage?
Too many homes are built without proper attention to drainage. This could lead to water in your HVAC ductwork and erosion underneath the slab. Proper elevation readings must be taken, in order to determine the correct pad height. This will also ensure that surface drainage will be directed away from the foundation.

Will your builder use a post-tension engineered slab system?
Many areas in Northeast Oklahoma contain high-plasticity clay, which expands and contracts due to temperatures and moisture content. The most effective engineered slab available today, in order to combat structural failures, is the post-tensioned slab system. This particular slab system is critical for proper structural integrity when building your new home.

Will your builder utilize “disaster-resistant” framing techniques?
Rafter clips and wind load braces should be utilized when building a luxury custom home. Anchor bolts with 3″ collars should be utilized, in order to anchor the framing members to the slab – Instead of simply shooting nails into the base plate. BMI was the first builder in Tulsa to use these methods simultaneously in the late 1990′s and has been honored to work with Tulsa’s Project Impact and Texas Tech University in developing disaster-resistant housing and safe rooms.

Is your builder a specialist in safe room construction?
If they do build them as part of your plan, are they built to the FEMA 320 Manual specifications? BMI built the first safe room in Tulsa using the FEMA design, and we recommend the construction of a safe room in all custom homes in the Tulsa area.

Will your builder use energy-efficient building techniques?
Energy-efficient housing is technology that is here to stay. Installing Solarboard roof decking will reduce your attic temperatures up to 30%. This is just one example of the way in which installing energy-saving materials and equipment will provide you with a better quality of life.

Will your builder ensure that the exterior wood is primed?
Oklahoma extremes call for a quality priming coat on all exterior wood products, prior to the paint color coat. In addition, will the right lacquer be used, so that it lasts more than a year on all interior woodwork? Many area painters only use one coat of paint on both the inside and outside of the structure, causing homeowners to have to repaint years before it should ever be required. The additional expense is minimal but provides a much higher quality paint job. These are the details you will notice for years to come.

Will your builder use experienced, trusted subcontractors?
Your builder should use craftsmen they know, inside and out. Most of the primary sub-contractors (framers, electricians, plumbers, HVAC contractors, trim carpenters, painters, flooring and tile setters have been working with BMI for at least 15 years. We use the same craftsmen in ALL of our homes in ALL price ranges in order to deliver the best product possible.

Will your builder carry full workman’s compensation and general liability insurance, in order to protect your interests?
Although it is now state law that all contractors applying for a residential building permit in the State of Oklahoma prove they carry workman’s compensation and liability insurance, many builders toe the line by canceling the insurance after permit submission. This insurance is in place to protect you and your investment while your house is under construction, and we believe you should demand that your builder keep it in force at all times. BMI has had continuous coverage for over 20 years, and will be happy to provide proof of coverage upon request.

Is your builder a member of the Home Builders Association of Greater Tulsa? Why not?
Both Phil and Bill Rhees are members of the Home Builders Association of Greater Tulsa and have been honored to serve as President of the association. We believe strongly in adhereing to its Code of Ethics, which sets a high bar in its demand for professionalism in our industry. Until Oklahoma adopts Builder Licensing, a membership in the Association is the best protection available to consumers.

Does your builder have over 40 years of experience in building homes in the metro Tulsa area?
Do they have more educational credentials than almost any other builder in Oklahoma? There is no substitute for experience when building a custom home. Whether we are building on a flat lot, or on the side of a mountain, BMI has the experience to make sure your home is safe and secure. We also know that improvements in construction techniques require that we submit to continuing education each year, making sure you are the beneficiary of the best that expanding technology has to offer.