ᐅ Preliminary selection / Final selection / Initial consultation with the home builder
Created on: 12 Feb 2017 08:54
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Winniefred
Winniefred12 Feb 2017 08:54Hello!
We are still in the early stages of planning our house. Yesterday, we had our first meeting with the prospective home builder. It went fairly well. We like the system they offer, and the price is still within a reasonable range (based on initial estimates^^).
However, the topic of preliminary selections came up. This builder is local, so their selection center is only about 45 minutes away. The advisor, however, firmly insisted that no home builder offers preliminary selections and that they don’t do it either (because then lots of people who aren’t even customers would walk through the selection center, etc.). Only after signing the contract. Even though I voiced my concerns, he was not willing to discuss it. That really upset me. Overall, the advisor seemed like a typical salesperson, in a negative way. He named a few extra costs from the list, for example for solar panels, etc. If I order a new car at a dealership, I don’t sign first and then find out what the standard features are and what the extras cost.
Since I’ve been reading this forum for some time, I know from a reliable source that many builders do offer preliminary selections. Should we now rather walk away from this builder? He pretty much lied to our face—who knows what else he might be hiding?
Of course, we will get several quotes from other builders; we’re not in a rush. We hope to build in 2019 if everything fits. But the system was really our favorite, and it still would be regardless of the advisor—if it weren’t for the issue of no preliminary selections.
What are your experiences? Who has bought without any preliminary selections? Is it maybe possible to skip this advisor and discuss it with someone else at the company?
I have serious concerns. In retrospect, we would have no “leverage,” no basis for negotiation, and probably who knows how high extra selection costs...
We are still in the early stages of planning our house. Yesterday, we had our first meeting with the prospective home builder. It went fairly well. We like the system they offer, and the price is still within a reasonable range (based on initial estimates^^).
However, the topic of preliminary selections came up. This builder is local, so their selection center is only about 45 minutes away. The advisor, however, firmly insisted that no home builder offers preliminary selections and that they don’t do it either (because then lots of people who aren’t even customers would walk through the selection center, etc.). Only after signing the contract. Even though I voiced my concerns, he was not willing to discuss it. That really upset me. Overall, the advisor seemed like a typical salesperson, in a negative way. He named a few extra costs from the list, for example for solar panels, etc. If I order a new car at a dealership, I don’t sign first and then find out what the standard features are and what the extras cost.
Since I’ve been reading this forum for some time, I know from a reliable source that many builders do offer preliminary selections. Should we now rather walk away from this builder? He pretty much lied to our face—who knows what else he might be hiding?
Of course, we will get several quotes from other builders; we’re not in a rush. We hope to build in 2019 if everything fits. But the system was really our favorite, and it still would be regardless of the advisor—if it weren’t for the issue of no preliminary selections.
What are your experiences? Who has bought without any preliminary selections? Is it maybe possible to skip this advisor and discuss it with someone else at the company?
I have serious concerns. In retrospect, we would have no “leverage,” no basis for negotiation, and probably who knows how high extra selection costs...
There are different types of providers. Some are very open and allow EVERYONE to visit their model showrooms, including price tags, without any exceptions (for example, eco Haus from Neumünster in northern Germany – highly recommended!). Others offer this option only to interested customers who genuinely plan to build. Then there are those who provide everything that a specific building center offers. In that case, you can simply visit the center yourself and view everything (which naturally gives you the widest selection).
Signing off on the selection process without seeing the samples is somewhat like buying a pig in a poke. You definitely need to see what you are actually going to get. If they don’t want to show you, just choose a different company. Otherwise, at the very beginning, the selection might be too early or set at the wrong time with some providers. In those cases, it’s better to go with more transparent companies that are more open.
Signing off on the selection process without seeing the samples is somewhat like buying a pig in a poke. You definitely need to see what you are actually going to get. If they don’t want to show you, just choose a different company. Otherwise, at the very beginning, the selection might be too early or set at the wrong time with some providers. In those cases, it’s better to go with more transparent companies that are more open.
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daniels8712 Feb 2017 09:51My opinion:
If a construction company has its own selection center and does not allow a preliminary selection, there are often significant additional charges later.
Our construction company provided us with a list of suppliers they work with. There, we could make selections in advance and negotiate and settle directly with the suppliers, without the construction company adding any markup.
If a construction company has its own selection center and does not allow a preliminary selection, there are often significant additional charges later.
Our construction company provided us with a list of suppliers they work with. There, we could make selections in advance and negotiate and settle directly with the suppliers, without the construction company adding any markup.
First of all: just because you believe you have read something about various preliminary selections here, doesn’t mean you know it from a reliable source.
I have spent most of the last three years reading about 95% of the posts in this forum — if such statements about preliminary selection have actually escaped me, could you please link one or two or send them to me via private message?
In that respect, he didn’t lie to you either.
Edit: excluding open selections at building and specialist centers.
When you order a new car, you don’t walk through a showroom where all upholstery options and equipment variants are displayed. There are maybe two or three models... it’s the same with a new build, only that it usually involves either a single house or a display village.
A house is simply not a configurable item.
You can get prices for all features and optional extras — if he doesn’t provide you with detailed cost breakdowns, I would reconsider working with him as a partner.
If I, as a home builder, could choose my clients, I wouldn’t take you. There is too much mistrust on your side, which is not good for any partnership.
I have spent most of the last three years reading about 95% of the posts in this forum — if such statements about preliminary selection have actually escaped me, could you please link one or two or send them to me via private message?
In that respect, he didn’t lie to you either.
Edit: excluding open selections at building and specialist centers.
When you order a new car, you don’t walk through a showroom where all upholstery options and equipment variants are displayed. There are maybe two or three models... it’s the same with a new build, only that it usually involves either a single house or a display village.
A house is simply not a configurable item.
You can get prices for all features and optional extras — if he doesn’t provide you with detailed cost breakdowns, I would reconsider working with him as a partner.
If I, as a home builder, could choose my clients, I wouldn’t take you. There is too much mistrust on your side, which is not good for any partnership.
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