Whether this is the first time you've engaged a luxury home builder services provider or you have plenty of experience, it's a good idea to think about how you want to approach the process of picking one. Here are four tips to consider when hunting for a luxury home builder.

Seek Transparency

You'll likely conduct meetings with several builders, and the folks you'll be working with must be transparent in their handling of simple issues. Ask questions about which contractors and suppliers they use for jobs. Learn how they would prefer to structure the payment process. Discuss the company's overall building philosophy.

As you do, keep an ear out for clear answers to questions. If someone can't give you a straight answer about how they prefer to deal with basic parts of the job, you can only expect worse when you get to the more complicated elements. Transparency is a difference-maker.

Examine Their Previous Work

Most companies have portfolios that show off their work. When working with a luxury home builder, it's best to stick with a firm that has a solid record of delivering the type of house you're shooting for. If you want a mid-century modern home, for example, it's probably best to avoid a business that seems to deliver an endless stream of Spanish colonial revival houses.

Don't be afraid to find pictures of houses you love. Cut them out of magazines or print them off the internet. Get pictures of various builder's previous work and do side-by-side comparisons to see who gets closest to your desired look for the house.

Test Their Communication

Use emails, texts, and phone messages to see how well a luxury home builder communicates. Have them send you a few PDFs and pictures. Ask them a few follow-up questions electronically. Take note of who gets back to your quickly and how well they try to provide answers.

While you want reasonably fast communication, don't be overly impressed with quick but hollow responses. Look for who can get you answers, and take note of who is honest about it when they have to put in more work or consult with someone else to get an answer right.

Check References

Contact the references for every builder you're interested in hiring. Talk with the other homeowners about how the company handled roadblocks and challenges. If they've sold their homes, ask what the sale value was and when they sold it.