Choosing the right builder can be just as important as choosing your new home. When you purchase a home, you also "buy" the company that will build it for you. Their experience, skills and commitment to customer service will play a key role in determining how satisfied you are with your house and with the home buying experience.

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation(CMHC) offers the following tips on how to find and select a new home builder that will meet your family's needs and expectations:

• Check to see if the builder is registered in B.C. with the Home Owner Protection office and the Canadian Home Builders' Association of B.C. as registered builders must offer new home warranty coverage. (The B.C. government is no longer providing low-cost loans for "leaky" new home repairs.)
• When you visit a builder, ask how long they have been in business, how many homes they build each year and what kind of background and experience they have.
• Ask for references, and contact them to find out if they are satisfied with the homes they bought and the service they received.
• Once you have narrowed down your list, visit each builder's model homes. Go through each house in detail, carefully noting down what you like and what you don't. Take your time, and if you feel you don't know enough about construction, bring someone with you who does.
• If you're considering buying in a new development, go on a tour of the community or take a close look at the master plans. Ask yourself if this is the type of community where you could see yourself living or raising a family.
• Always bring a notebook or even a camera with you. Ask as many questions as you can think of, and write down the answers to review later.