Time is money, and making decisions before their deadline is important. Your builder has a set schedule that he or she follows, and is the basis for the timeline provided to you when you signed the contract. While most of the project’s progress is up to the builder, some of the key decisions are up to you, and if decisions are not made in a timely fashion, your home construction can be subject to delays and potentially more costs. The following tips can help to ensure that you make your decisions efficiently and effectively to minimize delays and frustration:
Understand your allowance budget from the beginning. If you have in your mind that you want hardwood and tile, but your allowances allow for laminate and carpet, then you may have a problem. Getting to know the cost of things like flooring is useful and necessary so that you can manage your own expectations, and choose products that will work with your budget and for you.
Avoid ordering special order items close to your deadline. It seems like a no brainer, but when you see that hardwood made especially in Timbuctoo, and you have to have your flooring chosen in two weeks, it may not be wise to choose that particular product. The sales person may ‘guarantee’ delivery by a particular date, but many factors can throw that date off kilter and then your project could face a potential delay. This doesn’t mean that you should avoid ordering a product you’ve fallen in love with, but rather further validates the need to make your decisions early on, so that there is plenty of time to order and install.
Get to know the project timeline. Nobody likes to feel rushed, so a great way to avoid it is to be proactive. If you know your cabinets have to be chosen in a month, you should begin speaking with the cabinetry company right away to understand their pricing and options. If your builder has not provided you with this timeline, ask, it is something they would be working from already and should be easy to relay the key dates to you.
Familiarize yourself with your builder’s suppliers. Whether it’s a big box store, or a local company, getting to know what choices your builder’s preferred supplier has to offer you is important. Doing this early on in the build, allows you the time to digest the choices and understand their strengths and weaknesses. Sometimes if a supplier is unable to provide you with the products you want, your builder can suggest another supplier, but always keep in mind budget and the special relationships the builder may have had with the first supplier that could provide you with a better overall value.