diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index d7d965f..57b3233 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ let request = ChatRequest::builder("llama3:8b")
     .build();
 ```
 
-When the model decides to call a tool, the response `message.tool_calls` field will contain the tool name and arguments. You can then execute the function and send the result back via `Message::tool_response(...)`.
+When the model decides to call a tool, the response `message.tool_calls` field will contain the tool name and arguments. You can then execute the function and send the result back via `Message::tool_response(...)` which returns an `OllamaResult<Message>`.
 
 ## API Reference
 
@@ -151,7 +151,9 @@ When the model decides to call a tool, the response `message.tool_calls` field w
 
 | Method | Description |
 |--------|-------------|
-| `new(server_address)` | Create a new client pointing at an Ollama server |
+| `new(server_address)` | Create a new client with a 30-second connection timeout |
+| `default()` | Create a client connecting to `http://localhost:11434` |
+| `builder(server_address)` | Create a client with custom configuration (see below) |
 | `version()` | Get the Ollama server version |
 | `tags()` | List all available models |
 | `ps()` | List currently running/loaded models |
@@ -159,11 +161,22 @@ When the model decides to call a tool, the response `message.tool_calls` field w
 | `chat(request)` | Chat conversation (streaming) |
 | `pull(request)` | Pull/download a model (streaming) |
 
+**`OllamaClient::builder(server_address)`** -- `.connection_timeout(Duration)`, `.build()`
+
+```rust
+use std::time::Duration;
+use ollama_rs::OllamaClient;
+
+let client = OllamaClient::builder("http://localhost:11434")
+    .connection_timeout(Duration::from_secs(60))
+    .build();
+```
+
 ### Request Builders
 
 **`GenerateRequest::builder(model)`** -- `.prompt()`, `.system_prompt()`, `.format()`, `.options()`, `.stream()`, `.think()`, `.images()`, `.suffix()`
 
-**`ChatRequest::builder(model)`** -- `.messages()`, `.tools()`, `.format()`, `.options()`, `.stream()`
+**`ChatRequest::builder(model)`** -- `.messages()`, `.tools()`, `.format()`, `.options()`, `.stream()`, `.think()`
 
 **`PullRequest::builder(model)`** -- `.stream()`
 
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index 391cce0..69a73b5 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+use std::time::Duration;
+
 use async_stream::stream;
 use futures_util::{Stream, StreamExt};
 use serde::{Serialize, de::DeserializeOwned};
@@ -22,6 +24,8 @@ use crate::{
 pub mod error;
 pub mod types;
 
+const DEFAULT_CONNECTION_TIMEOUT: Duration = Duration::from_secs(30);
+
 #[derive(Clone)]
 pub struct OllamaClient {
     server_address: String,
@@ -38,7 +42,17 @@ impl OllamaClient {
     pub fn new<S: AsRef<str>>(server_address: S) -> Self {
         Self {
             server_address: server_address.as_ref().to_string(),
-            client: reqwest::Client::new(),
+            client: reqwest::Client::builder()
+                .connect_timeout(DEFAULT_CONNECTION_TIMEOUT)
+                .build()
+                .expect("failed to build reqwest client"),
+        }
+    }
+
+    pub fn builder<S: AsRef<str>>(server_address: S) -> OllamaClientBuilder {
+        OllamaClientBuilder {
+            server_address: server_address.as_ref().to_string(),
+            connection_timeout: DEFAULT_CONNECTION_TIMEOUT,
         }
     }
 
@@ -142,3 +156,56 @@ impl OllamaClient {
         self.stream_response(request_address, request)
     }
 }
+
+pub struct OllamaClientBuilder {
+    server_address: String,
+    connection_timeout: Duration,
+}
+
+impl OllamaClientBuilder {
+    pub fn connection_timeout(mut self, timeout: Duration) -> Self {
+        self.connection_timeout = timeout;
+        self
+    }
+
+    pub fn build(self) -> OllamaClient {
+        OllamaClient {
+            server_address: self.server_address,
+            client: reqwest::Client::builder()
+                .connect_timeout(self.connection_timeout)
+                .build()
+                .expect("failed to build reqwest client"),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn new_creates_client() {
+        let client = OllamaClient::new("http://localhost:11434");
+        assert_eq!(client.server_address, "http://localhost:11434");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn default_creates_localhost_client() {
+        let client = OllamaClient::default();
+        assert_eq!(client.server_address, "http://localhost:11434");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn builder_creates_client() {
+        let client = OllamaClient::builder("http://myserver:11434").build();
+        assert_eq!(client.server_address, "http://myserver:11434");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn builder_with_custom_timeout() {
+        let client = OllamaClient::builder("http://localhost:11434")
+            .connection_timeout(Duration::from_secs(60))
+            .build();
+        assert_eq!(client.server_address, "http://localhost:11434");
+    }
+}