How to choose a home builder in Sri Lanka

01 Ten checks before you sign

Ask every builder you are considering for the same things. A good builder will be glad you asked.

1. A priced, line-by-line BOQ before you commit. A single rate per square foot hides what is and isn’t included, so the real price only appears later, as extras. A bill of quantities (BOQ) lists every item, quantity and rate, so you can compare builders properly and see exactly what you are paying for. Ask for: The full BOQ, and how accurate they will stand behind it being.
2. Qualified people who check the work. Structure, foundations and cost control need a civil engineer and a quantity surveyor. Find out who actually comes to site, not only who signs the drawings. Ask for: Who will check the work, and how often they are on site.
3. Projects you can see, finished and under way. Photos are easy to borrow. A finished house you can walk through, or a site you can visit mid-build, shows you the quality of the work and how a site is run. Ask for: A visit to a finished project and to a live site, and a chat with a past client.
4. A written programme that is checked regularly. A start date and a finish date are not a programme. You want the stages in order, with someone checking progress against them. Ask for: The programme, and how often it is reviewed with you.
5. Payments tied to measured work. The safest way to pay is for work that has been done and measured, not large sums in advance. With a BOQ, each stage can be measured on site and billed at the agreed rates. Ask for: How each payment is worked out, and what is measured before you pay.
6. A clear way to handle changes. Most builds change along the way. Changes should be priced and agreed in writing before they are built, or the final bill will surprise you. Ask for: How a change is priced and approved before it is made.
7. A site visit before the price. Ground conditions, access and what is already on the plot can change the cost. A builder who prices without seeing the site is guessing, and the guess usually comes back as an extra. Ask for: Whether they will visit the site before giving you a figure.
8. Help with drawings and approvals. Council drawings, structural drawings and the building permit have to be right before work starts. A builder who handles them, or works closely with your architect, avoids delays. Ask for: Who prepares the drawings and who takes care of the permit.
9. A proper handover, and cover after it. At handover a defects list (snagging list) should be closed out before you get the keys. After that, a defect liability period should cover problems that appear later. Ask for: The handover process, and the defect liability period in writing.
10. Regular, honest communication. You should know where your build stands every week without having to chase. If you will be away, ask how you will see progress. Ask for: Who your contact is, how often you will hear from them, and how.

02 Red flags

• A rate per square foot that is far below everyone else’s, with no BOQ behind it.
• A large advance before any work has started.
• A price given without anyone visiting the site.
• No written programme, contract or defect liability period.
• No finished house or live site you can visit.
• Vague answers about who will actually be on site.
• “We’ll sort the details later” about anything that affects the price.

03 Rate per square foot or BOQ?

A rate per square foot is a quick way to get a rough idea, and our own cost guide and online estimator give you a range in seconds. But a rough idea is not a price. Two quotes at the same rate can include very different foundations, finishes, fittings and allowances.

A BOQ breaks the whole house into items, such as excavation, concrete, blockwork, roofing, plumbing, electrical and finishes, each with a quantity and a rate. You can compare builders line by line, see where the money goes and decide where to spend or save. During the build, the same BOQ is used to measure progress and to price any change.

04 How payments should work

Pay for work that has been done. With a BOQ, each stage of the build is measured on site and billed at the agreed rates, so every payment is tied to something you can see. Keep a record of every payment, and ask for any change to be priced before it is built.

If a builder wants a large share of the price before work starts, ask why, and what it covers.

05 How GRIT measures up

We think every builder should be judged on these checks, including us. Here is how we work:

• BOQ before you commit: every BOQ is prepared in-house by a quantity surveyor, line by line, and we guarantee 95% BOQ accuracy.
• Qualified owners on site: GRIT is owned by a civil engineer, Anuk Shanen Perera, and a quantity surveyor, Madusha Hapuarachchi. Anuk is on site across every active project. Meet them.
• Work you can see: our projects include houses in Negombo, Katana and Seeduwa and a four-level coastal villa in Unawatuna, and our model house in Periyamulla is open for visits.
• A programme checked weekly: a site meeting every week, with cashflow monitored alongside the programme.
• Payments against measured work: progress is measured and billed against the BOQ you agreed.
• Handover: a defects list closed out before you get the keys, then a one-year defect liability period.
• A free first step: the first conversation and the site visit cost nothing.

Read what our clients say in our reviews on Google.

06 Questions people ask

Who are the best home builders in Sri Lanka?

It depends on where and what you are building. Look for a builder that gives you a priced, line-by-line BOQ before you commit, has a civil engineer and a quantity surveyor checking the work, can show you finished houses and live sites, bills against measured progress, and puts a defect liability period in writing. Compare two or three that pass these checks on the same drawings. For houses in Negombo and along the west coast, GRIT Constructions works this way.

Is a cheaper rate per square foot a better deal?

Not necessarily. Without a BOQ you can’t see what the rate includes, and the difference often comes back later as extras. Compare full BOQs instead.

How much advance should I pay a builder?

As little as possible before work starts. The safest arrangement ties each payment to work that has been measured on site against the BOQ.

What should a building contract include?

The drawings, the BOQ, the price, the programme, how payments are calculated, how changes are priced and approved, the handover process and the defect liability period. Ask a lawyer to review it before you sign.

Do I need an architect as well as a builder?

You need proper drawings. Some builders, including GRIT, prepare council, structural and MEP drawings in-house, or work alongside your own architect. See design and estimates.

Can I check a builder’s work before I hire them?

Yes, and you should. Ask to visit a finished house and a live site. Our model house in Periyamulla is open for visits, and you can book a time on WhatsApp.