The Dos and Don’ts to Pre Construction Design Selections and Upgrades
I recently had a design appointment with a builder to pick out final selections for a pre-construction condo we purchased in Toronto. For someone who loves picking finishes, I still found this process to be quite overwhelming. You have a short window of time to pick all the flooring, cupboards, backsplash, bathroom tiles, vanity colours, fixtures, door hardware and on and on and on!! I have a hard enough time ordering an entree off of a dinner menu in a timely fashion let alone design an entire 2 bedroom condo in an hour!
I know if the process was overwhelming for me, it will be overwhelming for a lot of people.
Here are a few things you can do to prepare yourself prior to your design meeting.
Research the colour scheme you want for the home/condo
Know the style you are after...do you like modern or a more traditional style
Understand what you don’t want/like. This is just as powerful as knowing what you do like! If you know you don’t want dark floors or you don’t want a white kitchen, then you can tell the design consultant when you arrive and they won’t include those selections to look at
There are only a limited number of samples of flooring, cabinets and tiles that are available so if you come prepared to your meeting knowing what you like and don’t like then you have already won half the battle. Showing up unprepared and then having 10 flooring samples, 12 cabinet colours and just as many countertop samples all plopped down in front of you can throw you for a loop!
For the Toronto condo I knew I wanted to go with a more modern sleek look. However, before we even started the design appointment I asked what finishes were the most popular choices for the majority of buyers that have already come in to make their selections. Once I knew what the most popular selections were, I made sure to pick a totally different look.
Since this particular condo purchase is for an investment, it is likely that a lot of the other units that were purchased are also going to be rentals. When the building is complete and a lot of these units either come up for sale or for rent, I don’t want my unit to be identical to all the other units. I want the finishes I choose to stand out so that my unit will be considered more unique and desirable if I am competing against other rentals in the building. Having a property that is more unique can also help to achieve a higher rental or sale price too!
Even if the pre construction property you are purchasing is for personal use, following the principles of choosing finishes that are unique in comparison to the other properties will always work in your favour in the long run.
All pre construction properties come with standard finishes. Depending on the price and the particular project the standard finishes can actually be quite luxurious. But with every unit there are always upgrade options.
Upgrades with a builder tend to be inevitable….but also can be very expensive. So it is important to know which upgrades are worth the extra cost and which items can potentially be done at a later date.
First things first, if it is an investment property I do try my best to avoid upgrades if possible and to be thoughtful with my design choices in terms of longevity and durability. If the property is for personal use then you may splurge on a few more features than you would if it is an investment.
In a condo unit one of the most important upgrades in my opinion is overhead lighting and potlights. Since condo ceilings are typically made of concrete, you cannot add in this type of lighting at a later date. Make sure to very closely review the electrical plan and ensure all bedrooms have overhead lighting, kitchen islands and any other areas that might need pot lights.
Items that can easily be upgraded once you take possession would be things such as cabinet hardware, plumbing fixtures/taps, light fixtures & backsplash tiles.
Items that you may want to consider upgrading through the builder could be flooring, ceiling height, cabinetry and layout changes.
Although these items can technically be changed at a later date too, you don’t want to have a ton of renovations happening once you take possession. Upgrade certain finishes if you really feel it adds value to the property and decide what smaller improvements you can make after for those final finishing touches!
Most importantly, try to enjoy the process and watch your vision come to life!
