“What kind of light fixture goes on the bathroom wall by the mirror?” My electrician and I were doing the all-important walk-through on his first day on the site, marking locations for light switches, plugs and pot lights, noting where double switches were needed and which way doors were hinged. There were so many questions: “Does the ceiling fan have a remote?” With many new-home construction projects, these questions cannot always be answered; the owner has not made the purchase yet.
However, ours was a slightly different approach to the procurement of fixtures, finishes and appliances. I had purchased virtually everything needed inside the house weeks if not months in advance.
I’ll be the first to acknowledge that most contractors cannot make these purchases on behalf of their clients nor can they necessarily compel their clients to do so either. But if you are able to spell out the many advantages to clients, it really makes life easier down the road for the plumbers, the electricians and the HVAC system installers.
- Savings: I spent the winter cruising the internet, seeking out the best prices on the things my wife and I wanted for our new house (admittedly I am lucky we are on the same page!) I was able to buy exotic bamboo plywood at a distributor clearance sale. I took advantage of seasonal specials that certain big-box stories offer on various fixtures, even kitchen cabinets. I bought our windows and doors before a big price increase from the manufacturer took effect. Tiles, tubs, toilets, pedestal sinks, vanities…it’s a long list. In all, I saved several thousands of dollars by buying judicially throughout the months leading up to my project.
- Budgeting: By doing this, I was able to monitor our budget as I went along, avoiding what is often inevitable at crunch time when a home is getting ready for the near-final touches: the dreaded Purchase Decision Overload.
- The Domino Effect: By knowing, for example, what our flooring would be, we could purchase with confidence the kitchen cabinets. By knowing the style of our tubs and sinks, we knew what would look good in terms of faucets.
- Instant feedback for the trades: When the electrician started quizzing me on my lighting, I could say “Here; I have the fixture. Have a look.”
As a result, my trades have been able to do their best work by knowing exactly what sconce, pot light, tub, cabinet and so on will be installed, and where. I also have to admit, it was also fun researching and purchasing these items during the lead up period. It kept our impatience at bay as the snow fell.
Where did we keep all our treasures? We rented one, then later a second, heated storage unit in town. The monthly rent for 2 large units of under $250 was more than made up by the savings gained.
And now we are at the stage when we can crack open the vault and start bringing items to the site to assure us of the perfect install. It’s all very exciting!
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