30 Questions to Ask When Buying a New Construction Home in Utah

What you need to know now about questions to ask when buying a new construction home:

• The single most important question is what’s actually included in your base price versus what gets added as an upgrade. Get it in writing before you fall for a model home full of options you haven’t paid for.
• Warranty coverage, HOA fees, and closing costs cause more buyer regret than floor plans ever do. Ask about all three before you sign a contract, not after.
• Ask these in writing and keep the answers on file. A builder who stalls on licensing, warranty terms, or HOA fees is the one most likely to leave you guessing mid-build.

Keep reading and you’ll walk into your builder meeting with 30 specific questions organized by the stage of the process where each one actually matters.

Why These Questions Matter More Than the Floor Plan

Buying new construction is not the same transaction as buying a resale home. There’s no inspection contingency built into most contracts, no seller who’s already lived with the house’s quirks, and no way to walk the finished product before you commit to it.

The National Association of Home Builders reported that the average newly built home dropped to 2,411 square feet in 2023, its smallest footprint in 13 years, while buyers still expected the same list of must-have features in less space. That squeeze is exactly where vague answers from a builder turn into expensive surprises. The questions below exist to close that gap before your signature does.

Every question on this list gets easier once you understand the order construction actually happens in. See the full path from contract to keys. Explore: How a New Home Gets Built With McArthur Homes →

Builder Background and Reputation

1. How Long Has the Builder Been Building Homes in This Market?

A builder’s regional track record tells you more than their national ad budget. Ask how many homes they’ve closed in your specific county in the last three years, not just how long the company has existed nationally.

• A builder new to your market may not know local soil conditions, permit offices, or subcontractor pools.
• Ask for the exact number of closings in your target community, not a companywide total.
• Longevity matters less than consistency. A builder with 10 steady years beats one with 30 rocky ones.

2. Can I See Completed Communities and Tour a Model Home?

Yes, and you should insist on it before signing anything. Touring a finished community shows you how the builder’s homes age after move-in, not just how they photograph on day one.

• Walk a home that’s been lived in for at least a year, not only the staged model.
• Look at exterior siding, driveways, and landscaping for early wear.
• Ask to see a home currently under construction at the framing stage.

3. Can I Talk to Recent Buyers Before I Sign Anything?

A builder confident in their process will connect you with recent buyers, ideally from the last six to twelve months. Their willingness to make that introduction tells you almost as much as the conversation itself.

• Ask buyers specifically about communication during construction, not just the finished product.
• Request at least two references from your target community, not company-wide favorites.
• If a builder refuses or stalls on this request, treat it as a real answer.

4. Is the Builder Properly Licensed, Bonded, and Insured?

Every general contractor building homes in Utah is required to hold an active license through the state, and verifying it takes about five minutes. Confirm the license is current, matches the exact company name on your contract, and has no active disciplinary flags.

Utah’s Division of Professional Licensing runs a free public lookup tool where you can search any contractor by name, business, or license number and see whether it’s active and in good standing.

5. Has the Builder Had Complaints, Liens, or Legal Disputes?

A clean record matters, but so does how a builder handled the disputes they did have. Ask directly, then verify through the state’s disciplinary search rather than taking the answer at face value.

• Check for mechanic’s liens filed against past projects through the county recorder.
• A single resolved complaint from years ago is different from a pattern of unresolved ones.
• Ask how the builder’s warranty team, not just sales, handled past disputes.

Pricing, Contracts, and Design Decisions

6. What Comes Standard, and What Counts as an Upgrade?

Ask for a written list separating every standard feature from every optional upgrade before you tour the design studio. Verbal promises about what’s “usually included” mean nothing once you’re sitting across from a designer with a price sheet.

Typically Standard in 2027

• Laundry room and mudroom
• Programmable thermostat
• Garage storage and a front porch

Commonly Sold as Upgrades

• Quartz or upgraded stone countertops
• Built-in outdoor kitchens or fireplaces
• Smart-home security packages

A 2024 survey published by the National Association of Realtors found that laundry rooms, Energy Star-rated windows, and patios ranked among the features more than 80 percent of buyers consider essential or desirable, which is exactly why smart builders build them in as standard rather than upsell them later.

7. What Happens to My Deposit if I Need to Cancel?

Read the cancellation clause before the pricing page. Ask what percentage of your deposit is refundable, at what point in construction it stops being refundable, and whether that threshold is tied to a calendar date or a construction milestone.

• Some contracts refund earnest money in full before the structural meeting.
• Others tie forfeiture to specific milestones like foundation pour or framing completion.
• Get the exact dollar threshold in writing, not a percentage range.

8. Are the Price and Included Features Locked in the Contract?

Ask whether your purchase price is fixed once signed, or whether the builder retains the right to adjust for material cost increases. Also confirm the included features list is attached as a contract exhibit, not just referenced verbally.

• A price that’s “locked” but references a separate, changeable spec sheet isn’t fully locked.
• Ask for the included-features list as a signed addendum, not a sales brochure.
• Confirm whether lumber or steel price swings can trigger a change order on your contract.

9. What’s the Difference Between the Base Price and the Design Studio Total?

The base price rarely reflects what most buyers actually spend. Ask your builder for the average design studio spend among recent buyers in your specific floor plan, not a companywide average across every price point.

Walking into a design studio without a budget ceiling is how a $450,000 base price becomes a $500,000 final number. Set your upgrade budget before your first appointment, not during it.

Once you know the gap between base price and design studio total, it helps to see the process behind those decisions. Walk through how selections actually get made. See: Our Design Studio Process →

10. How Are Change Orders Priced and Approved?

Every change order should require your written signature and a stated price before work begins, never after. Ask whether change orders carry an administrative fee on top of the material and labor cost.

• Confirm the turnaround time for a change order price quote.
• Ask whether change orders can extend your completion date, and by how much per item.
• Get a sample change order form before you sign your purchase contract.

11. Can Materials Be Substituted if Something Is Delayed or Discontinued?

Supply delays happen even to well-run builders. Ask what the process looks like when a specified material is backordered: does the builder substitute automatically, or do they call you first with options?

• Ask for two recent examples of substitutions the builder made in the last year.
• Confirm substitutions must be equal or greater in value, stated in writing.
• Ask how substitution decisions get documented in your file.

Construction Timeline and Site Access

12. What’s a Realistic Completion Timeline, Including Delays?

Ask for the builder’s average actual completion time over their last 20 closings, not their fastest example. Then ask what typically causes their delays, whether it’s permitting, weather, or material lead times, so you know which risks apply to your build specifically.

Most single-family new construction in Utah runs somewhere between five and nine months from permit to closing, though township-specific permit review timelines can add weeks on either end.

13. How Often Can I Visit the Job Site While It’s Being Built?

Ask for the builder’s site visit policy in writing, including whether visits require a scheduled appointment or a superintendent escort. Unrestricted access sounds friendly, but scheduled visits with a superintendent present usually produce better answers to your questions.

• Confirm whether weekly progress photos are provided if in-person visits are limited.
• Ask which construction stages are open for a walkthrough versus a photo update only.
• Clarify liability coverage for buyers visiting an active job site.

14. Can I Hire My Own Independent Inspector?

Yes, and a builder who welcomes this request is a good sign. Ask specifically whether your inspector can attend the pre-drywall stage, since that’s the one point where wiring, plumbing, and framing are all visible before walls close them in.

• Schedule your independent inspection before the pre-drywall milestone, not after closing.
• Ask whether the builder’s own quality inspections are documented and shareable.
• Budget $400 to $600 for a qualified new construction inspector in most Utah markets.

15. What Happens if Construction Runs Past the Estimated Date?

Ask whether your contract includes any penalty, credit, or protection if the completion date slips significantly. Also ask what happens to your current housing plan, like a lease end date or a bridge loan, if the timeline extends.

• Confirm whether rate lock extensions are covered by the builder or fall on you.
• Ask for the builder’s communication protocol when a delay first becomes known.
• Get any delay-related credits in writing rather than as a verbal assurance.

Timeline questions become a lot more concrete once you understand what actually happens at each construction milestone. Here’s what one of the biggest milestones really involves. Read: What Happens at a Structural Meeting →

Warranty, Quality, and Support After You Move In

16. What Does the Structural Warranty Actually Cover?

Most builder warranties in the U.S. follow a tiered structure: roughly one year on workmanship and materials, two years on major mechanical systems, and up to ten years on load-bearing structural elements. Ask your builder to confirm their specific durations in writing, since coverage lengths do vary by company.

Coverage Type	Typical Duration	What It Usually Covers
Workmanship and materials	1 year	Drywall cracks, trim, paint, minor fit and finish issues
Major systems	2 years	Plumbing, electrical, HVAC components
Structural elements	10 years	Foundation, load-bearing walls, roof framing

17. How Are Punch-List Items Handled After I Move In?

Ask for the exact process: who do you contact, what’s the response window, and is there a dedicated warranty team separate from the sales and construction staff? A builder with a standalone warranty department typically resolves issues faster than one routing every request through the original sales rep.

• Confirm the average response time for a submitted warranty request.
• Ask whether punch-list items are tracked in a shared portal you can check.
• Clarify what counts as normal settling versus a warrantable defect.

18. What Energy Efficiency Standards Does the Home Meet?

Ask whether the home is Energy Star certified or built to meet those standards even without formal certification. Homes earning the EPA’s Energy Star label are independently verified to exceed minimum energy code requirements by at least 10 percent, covering insulation, windows, air sealing, and HVAC performance.

• Ask for the home’s projected HERS index score, not just a general efficiency claim.
• Confirm whether a third-party energy rater inspects the home before closing.
• Ask what the builder’s average buyer utility bill looks like in your specific floor plan.

19. Who Do I Call if Something Breaks in the First Year?

Get a direct warranty service number before closing, not just the general sales line. Ask what qualifies as an emergency response versus a standard service ticket, and what the guaranteed response time is for each.

Warranty coverage is only useful if you actually understand what it means for your specific home. See exactly what’s covered and for how long. Review: Our Full Warranty Terms →

Community, HOA, and Costs Buyers Often Miss

20. What Are the Exact Monthly HOA Fees, and What Do They Cover?

Ask for the current fee amount in writing along with the HOA’s most recent budget or reserve study if one exists. A fee that looks small on a sales sheet can climb fast once a community’s amenities are fully built out and maintenance responsibilities shift from the developer to the association.

Community and homeowner associations are now standard in new construction. NAHB’s Eye on Housing research found that 65.7 percent of new single-family homes started nationally in 2024 were built within one, and in the Mountain division, which includes Utah, that share climbs to 81.6 percent.

21. When Will Roads, Landscaping, and Amenities Actually Be Finished?

Ask for a specific completion date for common area amenities, not a general “as the community builds out” answer. Confirm whether your HOA dues start accruing before or after those amenities are actually usable.

• Get the amenity completion date in writing as part of your community disclosure.
• Ask what happens to dues if the developer delays amenity construction significantly.
• Confirm who maintains unfinished common areas in the meantime.

22. Are There Special Tax Assessments Tied to This Neighborhood?

Ask whether the community includes a special improvement district or similar assessment tied to infrastructure like roads, sewer lines, or parks. These assessments show up on your property tax bill separately from standard county tax and can run for a decade or longer.

• Request the exact annual assessment amount and its remaining term in years.
• Ask whether the assessment is a fixed dollar amount or tied to home value.
• Confirm the assessment transfers with the home if you sell before it’s paid off.

23. Which Utility Providers Serve This Community, and What Do They Cost?

Ask which company provides power, gas, water, and internet, since new communities sometimes fall outside a city’s standard utility footprint. Utility connection fees for new construction can also be billed separately from your closing costs.

• Confirm whether the connection fee is included in your purchase price or billed separately.
• Ask for a typical monthly utility range from a recent buyer in the same floor plan.
• Check whether the community uses a secondary irrigation system with its own separate fee.

24. Is There a Master HOA on Top of the Neighborhood HOA?

Some communities carry both a sub-association for your immediate neighborhood and a master association covering a larger planned development. Ask directly whether both exist, since that means two separate fees, two sets of rules, and two boards to track.

HOA structure and community amenities vary a lot from one McArthur neighborhood to the next. Compare what’s included before you choose where to build. Explore: Our Communities →

Financing and What’s Due at Closing

25. Does the Builder Offer Incentives for Using a Preferred Lender?

Ask what the incentive is worth in real dollars, whether it’s a rate buydown, closing cost credit, or design studio credit, and whether you’re still free to shop other lenders without losing it entirely. Some builders reduce the incentive rather than eliminate it if you go outside their preferred lender list.

• Get the exact incentive dollar amount in writing, not a percentage estimate.
• Ask if the incentive still applies if your outside lender’s rate is lower.
• Confirm the incentive isn’t contingent on using the builder’s title company too.

26. What’s Due at Contract Signing Versus at Closing?

Ask for a full breakdown: earnest money at signing, any design studio deposit, and the final closing cost estimate. New construction often front-loads more cash than buyers expect, especially once design selections are added to the purchase price.

• Request an itemized estimate of total cash needed before closing day.
• Ask whether design studio selections are due in full before closing or rolled into financing.
• Confirm your lender has reviewed the builder’s specific closing cost structure.

27. Can I Lock My Interest Rate Before the Home Is Finished?

Ask your lender specifically about extended rate lock programs designed for new construction, since standard 30 to 60 day locks rarely cover a five to nine month build. Extended locks typically carry a fee, but that fee is often smaller than the cost of a rate increase over a longer build.

Financing questions get easier once you can see every option side by side. Get answers on rate locks, incentives, and lender options in one place. Visit: Our Financing FAQ →

Lot, Floor Plan, and Design Decisions

28. How Is My Lot Premium Determined?

Ask for the specific factors driving your lot’s premium: size, grade, view, cul-de-sac placement, or proximity to community amenities. Builders should be able to explain the premium in specific terms rather than a flat, unexplained number.

• Request a lot map showing premium tiers across the full community.
• Ask whether the premium is negotiable if the lot has sat available for a long time.
• Confirm whether grading or retaining wall costs are included in the premium or billed separately.

Lot selection affects almost everything else about your build, from sun exposure to your basement plans. Here’s how to evaluate a lot before you commit to one. Read: How to Choose the Right Lot →

29. Can I Customize the Floor Plan, or Only Choose Finishes?

Ask specifically what level of structural change is allowed on your chosen plan: moving walls, adding square footage, or only selecting finishes and fixtures within a fixed footprint. Production and semi-custom builders vary widely here, and the answer affects both your budget and your timeline.

• Ask for examples of structural modifications the builder has approved on this plan before.
• Confirm any structural change requires a revised engineering review and added cost.
• Get a firm deadline for finalizing structural changes before framing begins.

Structural flexibility varies by floor plan, so it helps to see the full lineup before deciding what’s possible. Browse every available layout. See: Our Floor Plans →

30. What Orientation Will My Home Have on the Lot?

Ask how your home will sit relative to the sun path, since orientation affects natural light, summer cooling costs, and which rooms get afternoon glare. This is easy to overlook on a site plan and expensive to fix after the foundation is poured.

• Ask to see the specific home orientation on your assigned lot, not a generic plan rendering.
• Confirm which rooms face west if summer cooling costs are a concern for you.
• Ask whether window placement can shift slightly to address orientation issues.

What to Do With This List

Print it, or save it to your phone, and bring it to your first builder meeting. A builder who answers most of these questions clearly and in writing, without hedging, is showing you exactly how they’ll handle the next nine months of decisions together.

If you’re just starting to look, focus first on the builder background and pricing sections. If you’re already under contract, the warranty, HOA, and closing sections matter most right now. Tell us where you are in the process, and we’ll point you to the specific answers for McArthur communities.

Buying Stage	Priority Questions to Ask
First builder meeting	Builder background, licensing, standard vs. upgrade list, floor plan flexibility
Before signing the contract	Deposit and cancellation terms, price lock, change order process, lot premium
After the structural meeting	Timeline, site visit policy, independent inspection scheduling
Before closing	Warranty terms, HOA fees and assessments, utility providers, closing cost breakdown

Frequently Asked Questions About Questions to Ask When Buying a New Construction Home

Your Next Home Deserves a Straight Answer to Every One of These

A builder who welcomes 30 pointed questions before you sign is a builder confident in their process. That confidence, not a glossy brochure, is what actually protects you over the next five to nine months.

We’ve walked thousands of Utah families through exactly this list, community by community, because a buyer who understands the process end to end makes fewer stressful decisions along the way and ends up happier with the home at the finish line.

You’ve got the questions. Now bring them to a team that expects to answer every one. Schedule a no-obligation conversation with our team. Contact McArthur Homes →