The Selection Process: Best Practices for Successful Decision Making

There are many selection decisions to make before your renovation project moves into production.  It is our goal to make the complex simple.  The selection process is when the client makes personal decisions about the fixtures which will be installed in their home: cabinetry, appliances, counters, plumbing, and lighting to name a few.

According to our Selection Coordinator Amy Ressa, the selection aspect of the home remodeling process has multiple different impacts on the project as a whole. The client will be making exciting decisions that will turn their house into their home.  These decisions will influence the bottom line and the completion of the project. 

At RessaBuilt, we recommend the following:

• The homeowner can make an impact on their budget by sacrificing some items and upgrading others to stay within their allotted budget.  By comparing products side by side, a determination can be made if the more expensive product is going to be better than the more affordable counterpart.
• Use the preferred vendors your contractor partners with to get more competitive pricing along with better warranty coverage. Purchasing/installing your own selections outside of your contract with your builder means that any damage or problems that occur during that process will have to be dealt with fully by yourself.  Without the advocacy of your general contractor, this can become a full-time job in itself.
• Make it clear to the selection team what items are non-negotiable and are must-haves. This allows the selections coordinator to see which items they have flexibility with in terms of budget.  They are then able to make sure the items you 100% want, you get.
• Make your time count during the allotted selection time window.  Any delay in making decisions by the deadline or changing your choices past the deadline will only add time to your project and can have a domino effect on aspects of the project which you might not think are related.  While there is nothing wrong if you need to make minor changes, just always be aware of the bigger picture and possible implications of the changes.  Selections should be finished before any actual site work begins!
  
  • The importance of the former recommendation is even more relevant during this period in time as the pandemic has created shockingly long lead times on many assets.  (Over a year on some highly sought-after brands!)
• In deciding on selections, the path that is taken usually has the following format:  Exterior selections before interior and larger items before smaller items.
• Making selections for the entire house all at once can be a daunting task.  It is helpful to break the process down by category (cabinets, counters, plumbing fixtures, lights, etc.) and think about how each room will be utilized and what type of style is the right fit for the space.

Hopefully, these recommendations greatly improve your understanding of the selection process and allow you to tackle the tasks in the most efficient way possible.  Happy Selecting!