The Top 5 Qualities to Look for in a Builder

When you’re building or renovating a home, the builder you choose isn’t just a contractor, they’re your partner in one of the biggest investments of your life. Get it right, and you’ll enjoy a smooth, exciting process with a beautiful home at the end of it. Get it wrong, and… well, everyone’s heard those stories.

Lance and Jana Hutton of Hutton Builders believe that choosing the right builder comes down to five key qualities. These are the values they’ve built their reputation on, and what they believe every builder should embody.

1. Clear, Honest Communication

If there’s one thing that can make or break a build, it’s communication. A good builder should be easy to talk to, open to questions, and never make you feel uncomfortable for speaking your mind.

“At the end of the day, you should feel like you can say what you’re thinking,” says Jana. “There are no dumb questions, and no such thing as over-communicating when you’re building someone’s dream home.”

2. Reliability

Life is busy enough without being left wondering when your builder is going to turn up—or why progress has suddenly stalled. Reliability means turning up on time, sticking to timelines, and being proactive when things change.

“The reality is, building isn’t always straightforward. But when you’re reliable and transparent about what’s going on, your clients feel looked after,” says Jana. “It’s about respect. Respecting people’s time, their budgets, and their peace of mind.”

3. Trustworthiness

When you’re building in someone’s home—and often in the middle of their daily lives—trust is non-negotiable. It’s about more than just being honest with pricing or sticking to agreements. It’s about respecting your client’s time, space, and privacy from start to finish.

At Hutton Builders, trust underpins every part of the process. Whether it’s clear invoicing, respectful site conduct, or simply being mindful of what’s shared publicly, Lance and Jana work with a deep awareness of the responsibility that comes with being in someone’s personal environment.

Trust, once lost, is hard to earn back—which is why it’s something Hutton Builders work hard to protect and maintain on every single job.

4. Professionalism & Passion for the Trade

There’s a difference between someone who’s doing a job and someone who takes ownership of their craft. At Hutton Builders, professionalism means doing things properly, staying proud of every finish, and taking every build personally.

“Lance has been doing this since he was 16,” Jana explains. “This isn’t just a job to him—he lives and breathes building. And we treat every project like it’s our own.”

The Huttons are working to shift how people perceive tradespeople in New Zealand. “Builders don’t always get the respect they deserve,” Jana says. “You go to a doctor or lawyer and trust what they say. But builders are the ones physically creating your home—your biggest asset. They should be treated as professionals too.”

“We want to lift the game. We want people to come to us because they know we’re at the top of our field. That we’re the ones who will get it right and care about getting it right. That’s the reputation we’re building—and why we believe quality builders should be respected as much as any other professional.”

5. Problem-Solving & Flexibility

No two builds are ever the same—and when challenges come up, you want a builder who knows how to handle them without missing a beat.

Lance brings over two decades of hands-on experience to the table, having trained and qualified in a time when builders were expected to do everything themselves. From tying steel and pouring footings to full timber framing and kitchen installs, his depth of knowledge spans the entire building process. It’s a skill set—and a mindset—that’s becoming rare in today’s more specialised industry.

That experience is backed not just by time on the tools, but by natural ability and grit. Lance has a remarkable ability to visualise solutions. He can look at a situation, mull it over, and see how it fits together—often spotting what others can’t. It’s this practical intelligence, combined with a photographic memory and years of real-world building, that allows him to solve problems quickly and confidently.

That problem-solving reputation has made Hutton Builders the go-to team for turning difficult builds around. In fact, around half their work comes from stepping in when other builders haven’t delivered. Whether it’s an unfinished project, poor workmanship, or a job that’s simply gone off track, they’re known for getting things sorted and finished to a high standard.

That said, Lance and Jana will be the first to say: it’s always better to get it right from the start. Being involved early allows them to plan thoroughly, build to their high standards, and give clients the full Hutton Builders experience, done once, done right.

Final Thoughts

When it comes to choosing a builder, these five qualities, communication, reliability, trustworthiness, professionalism, and problem-solving, aren’t just nice to have. They’re essential. And when they all come together, they make the building process not just manageable, but memorable for the right reasons.

At Hutton Builders, it’s not about being “just another builder.” It’s about being the builder people wait for, trust implicitly, and are proud to have had on their team. Because when it comes to creating something that matters, you want the best by your side.

Thinking of building? Choose the right builder for you.

Whether you’re just dreaming or ready to break ground, Hutton Builders would love to chat. With quality at the core and a people-first approach, they’re here to help make your next project something special. Choose the right builder - contact us today.

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