Marc Harvey · October 2026 · 8 min read
Hiring a custom home builder in Whistler is not the same as hiring one in the city. The lot is steeper, the snow load is real, the Resort Municipality has its own file, and the trades you want are already booked. This is the list we would want a client to walk in with, whether they hire Balmoral Construction or someone else.
1. Who is actually on the job
Ask who will be on site most days, and whether you can call the owner. Balmoral was set up so Marc Harvey stays on the work. We take fewer projects so that is true. If a company cannot name the site lead, keep walking.
2. Whistler jobs you can see
Ask for addresses or walk-throughs, not a mood board. Our Whistler work includes Warbler Way, White Gold, White Gold 2, Fitzsimmons, Balsam, and Wedgewoods. A builder who has not finished a house in the RMOW is learning on your lot.
3. Permits and snow
Ask how they file with the RMOW, how they engineer snow load and access, and what they do when a driveway is a winter problem. If the answer is generic, it is not a Whistler answer. Start at our Whistler builder page and the permit guide.
4. Money, in writing
Published construction costs for a Whistler custom home typically run $500 to $800+ per square foot, before land. Read the cost guide. Ask what is excluded. Site work, winter premium, and millwork are where surprise lives.
5. Warranty and volume
New homes need BC New Home Warranty. Ask if they are registered, and how many jobs they run at once. A crew stretched across a dozen sites will not catch the envelope detail that fails in year four.
6. Fit
You will live with this team for a year or more. If communication is already sloppy in the interview, it will not improve when the roof is open. We would rather decline a job than take one we cannot stand behind.
