New Construction.
With new construction the contractor will usually provide the homeowner a total flat budget bid for the finishes of the home. They try to balance a solid bid with developing a cost that is appealing to the client to try to get the bid. Areas where some contractors may provide a more affordable bid to clients is bidding with less expensive finishes that may not be the quality of finishes the homeowner wants. I consult with the clients prior to going to the contractor for a bid and determine if they already have a finished budget in mind... The homeowner will have hundreds of decisions to make before the home of their dreams is completed. Some decisions however are very important to the overall look of the home they desire. The cost of the below items will have a very large impact on the overall look and quality of the home but the costs of these items can vary significantly depending on the client's selection.
Case Study #1
This was a new construction project where the owner wanted a clean modern look to the finishes with a masculine twist. Owner was concerned about cost overruns in the overall construction project so the budget was very important to the homeowner. We worked together with a specific budget and were able to provide a beautiful finished product within his budget. I designed and selected the finishes for the kitchen, two bathrooms, all lighting fixtures, mirrors. and laundry room utility sink area.
Since the property has acreage and has a small working orchard there was consideration to provide flooring that was durable, and easy to clean therefore wide plank luxury vinyl flooring was selected. I worked in coordination with the contractor to assure the tiles, countertop materials, appliances, flooring and plumbing fixtures (ruff in and finish fixtures) were ordered and available within the construction timelines.
FAQs
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What are the benefits of detail selections upfront are:
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1. Saving on cost overruns by knowing upfront what quality of finishes will be in home
2. Savings with limiting change orders
3. Alleviated much of the client’s stress decisions and budget
4. Easier to analyze competitive bids to make a more accurate informed decision.
How does the homeowner keep costs down and still get the look of the home of their dreams?
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I worked with a client who was on a tight budget to build his home. When bids started coming in from the contractors a dollar budget amount was provided as a total cost allocated for the finishes within these bids. The important question is - What quality of finishes did the contractor assume when they provided the finish bid? I analyzed the architectural plans and specifications for determining what finishes were needed per plan. I arranged for meetings with 11 vendors and suppliers to meet with this client and me to preview finish options. (At this time the client was able to better understand differences in quality of materials and differences in cost) We discussed what items could be selected with little affect to overall quality of home as well as what items the client may want to spend a little more money from the budget to retain the desired quality look of the home. I then provided the client a detailed spreadsheet of the inventory of all selections with costs and a budget for these items that were within the contractors overall bid for the finishes. Once final decisions were made by the client on these selections, I coordinated with the vendor/suppliers to determine delivery dates to coincide with the contractor's construction schedule.
Who do we work with?
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What can new construction include?
Consumers: who need assistance with navigating the complex process of building, remodeling or decorating their home.
Contractors: who have clients who are in need of assistance with decisions on designing their remodel, and the selections of finished products.
Real Estate Agents: who have listings that need design improvements that will help sell the home; Real Estate Agents who have buyers that need assistance with envisioning home improvements prior to their home purchase.
a. Tile/Stone for bathrooms and kitchen
b. Kitchen appliances
c. Countertops for kitchen and bathrooms
d. Cabinets in kitchen and bathrooms
e. Type of interior doors and exterior doors
f. Hard surface flooring and/or carpeting
g. Bathroom fixtures
h. Glass shower doors
i. Door handles/hardware
j. Light Fixtures- both interior and exterior
k. Garage doors