Every fall, builders sharpen their pencils and lock in the budgets that will shape the next year. Items get debated down to the dollar. Yet one of the biggest costs rarely makes the spreadsheet: the cost of poor communication.
Across thousands of buyer surveys, "communication during the build" is consistently ranked as a top frustration. Buyers do not just want a quality home. They want to know what is happening, when it is happening, and who is listening. When that breaks down, it creates friction everywhere else: lost referrals, frustrated field teams, and inflated warranty costs.
Smart builders are now treating buyer communication as a core line item instead of a soft expense. By improving engagement at three key stages, they are boosting sales, reducing cancellations, improving the buyer experience and cutting warranty costs:
Pre-Contract: Keeping prospects engaged between their first visit and signing, drives urgency and reduces drop off.
Contract to Close: Timely updates during construction builds confidence, cuts redundant calls and prevents cancellations.
Post-Close/Warranty: Consistent homeowner communication reduces costly warranty calls and protects your reputation.
The dollars are already there, hidden in field staff time, outdated print materials, warranty calls backs and lost leads. Reframing them as "buyer communication" can justify a clean line item in your 2026 budget. Many builders also repurpose innovation budgets, share the cost across departments or partner with lenders who benefit from stronger buyer communication.
Communication is no longer a soft investment. It is one of the highest leverage decisions you can make for 2026. Builders who lock in a buyer communication strategy now will see the returns all year long in fewer headaches, happier teams and more homes sold.
We will dive into all of this in our upcoming webinar, "How Top Builders Leverage Engagement to Increase Profitability: From Walk-In to Warranty" on Wednesday, October 22, 2025 @ 10am MT / 12pm ET. If you are heading into budget season, this is your chance to see how top builders are turning engagement into profitability.
Reserve Your Spot Now, Click Here!
Want to dig deeper? Read our full guide on budgeting for 2026.
Curious what a NoviHome line item would look like in your own 2026 budget? Answer 3 questions to receive a custom estimate.
