ᐅ Preliminary selection / Final selection / Initial consultation with the home builder
Created on: 12 Feb 2017 08:54
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Winniefred
Hello!
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...
Winniefred12 Feb 2017 10:46Yes, I hope so too. Thanks for the tip about the prices. At least, for example, he already mentioned yesterday that a price of up to €25/m² (about $27/sq ft) for tiles is included. He also gave us some details from the list—for example, what the solar system would cost, what the chimney would cost, and so on.
With our home builder, we were also able to see in advance what is included as standard and what incurs an additional cost. Other builders also offered us the opportunity to visit a model home or showed us some examples beforehand. I would find it unprofessional if a company refused to provide a preliminary walk-through or sample viewing.
Best regards,
Sabine
Best regards,
Sabine
D
daniels8712 Feb 2017 11:08Winniefred schrieb:
Yes, I hope so too. Thanks for the tip about the prices. At least, for example, he already mentioned yesterday that a price up to 25€/m2 (about 2.30 USD/sq ft) for tiles is included. And he also named some items from the list to us—for example, what the solar system would cost, what the chimney would cost, and so on.But only for materials. Usually, there is an additional charge for tile formats larger than 60x30cm (24x12 inches) due to the increased installation effort. The same applies to different installation patterns.
Winniefred12 Feb 2017 11:10Oh yes, okay, that’s good to know as well. We will look into that too, thanks!
D
daniels8712 Feb 2017 11:18Often, people make the mistake at the beginning of thinking that the standard options are enough. However, many things are, for me, absolute must-haves. For example, blinds in south- or west-facing living rooms are not something I would choose. During summer days, they are usually kept closed most of the time. With external venetian blinds, you get protection from direct sunlight while still allowing plenty of light in. However, these do come with a significant additional cost.
If you have a wooden staircase and later realize you really like oak flooring, you’ll want the staircase to match. And the basic shower enclosure is not nearly as nice as a walk-in tiled shower with a rain showerhead and a thermostat.
Believe me, almost every homeowner goes through this.
If you have a wooden staircase and later realize you really like oak flooring, you’ll want the staircase to match. And the basic shower enclosure is not nearly as nice as a walk-in tiled shower with a rain showerhead and a thermostat.
Believe me, almost every homeowner goes through this.
For one project, we were allowed to visit the selection center in advance without any consultation. The standard was marked by two tiers, and at least for doors, wall, and floor coverings, the simpler tier was not suitable for us; if space is tight, the higher tier would work.
The builder we are working with has a small showroom in the basement where the different qualities, options, and tile sizes are determined beforehand. But nothing beyond that. I think that is fine.
The builder we are working with has a small showroom in the basement where the different qualities, options, and tile sizes are determined beforehand. But nothing beyond that. I think that is fine.
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