When to make selections in a new build: a builder's timeline

A selection is a decision about a product: this window, that tub, this tile. Every one has a point in the schedule after which changing it gets expensive. The job is to find that point for each selection and decide before it.

This guide organizes selections by construction phase, explains why late ones cause change orders and schedule slips, and notes which categories tend to run long. It is the logic behind the selections work Native Plans does in its new construction interior design service.

When do selections need to be final to protect the schedule?

Work backward from the day a product has to be on site. Take the supplier's confirmed lead time off that date, then a buffer for approvals, shop drawings and delivery problems. The result is the decide-by date.

There are two clocks. The build clock is what gets built around the selection. The supplier clock is how long the product takes to arrive. The decide-by date is whichever comes first. A selection that changes what gets built has to be made before that work starts, however quickly the product could ship.

We do not put numbers on lead times here. They vary by supplier and product and change over time, so confirm each one with the supplier, in writing, and note the date you asked.

Why do late selections cause change orders?

A late selection costs money in four ways.

• The price rested on an assumption. Before a selection is made, the price carries an allowance or a guess. The gap between the allowance and the real product shows up later as an overrun or a change order.
• Built work has to change. Backing, framing, rough-in and duct runs are placed for a specific product. A different tub, hood, shower valve or window needs different openings or connection points, and fixing that after it is built means reopening finished work.
• Order dates slip. A long-lead product chosen late arrives late, and the trades waiting on it wait with it.
• Trades collide. A decision made on site at the moment of install gets made by whoever is standing there, not by someone who knows the whole house.

Each of these is small on its own. Together they explain why a house with late selections runs over even when every individual decision was reasonable.

What should be selected before pricing?

At bid or contract stage, fix the selections that drive cost and form. You do not need every color. You need enough to price each product category against a real choice instead of one lump allowance.

• Exterior materials, and the window and door series.
• The appliance package, with model dimensions for the large pieces.
• Cabinet construction and door style, and the countertop material.
• Flooring types by area.
• Plumbing fixture level, and any special item such as a freestanding tub or a custom range hood.

For builders with repeat product, this is where standard packages help. The base selections are decided once and carried into every plan, instead of being rebuilt house by house. That is the idea behind a builder design system.

What has to be decided before framing?

Framing locks in openings, ceiling heights, headers, beams and the locations of large items.

• Window and exterior door sizes, types and operation. Place the order if lead time is long.
• Ceiling heights and any vaulted or coffered conditions, since they affect trusses and framing.
• Large appliances and hoods. A 48″ gas range with a custom hood, as on the Forest Lawn A101 plan, sets the gas line, the duct size and the framing around the hood.
• Fireplace type and model, which sets flue, gas and clearances.
• Stair and railing type, which sets framing and blocking.
• Tub and shower type. A freestanding tub, a curbless shower or a niche changes floor framing and wall depth.

Windows are the classic long-lead item. Once an order is placed, a change of size or type means a re-order or a reframe.

What has to be decided before rough-in?

Rough-in puts plumbing, electrical and HVAC into the walls and floors. It is the last cheap moment to move a connection, so decide these first.

• The model of every sink, tub, shower valve and toilet, since rough-in dimensions vary by model.
• Appliance models, with their electrical, gas and ventilation requirements.
• Lighting fixture types and locations, including pendants, sconces and recessed lights relative to cabinets.
• Switch, outlet and low-voltage locations, which follow furniture, TVs and cabinet elevations.
• Final cabinet elevations, so outlets, plumbing and vents do not end up behind a drawer.
• Niche, bench, valve and drain locations in the wet-area tile layouts.

What needs to be settled before drywall?

Once drywall goes up, anything behind it is hard to reach. Before it does:

• Locate blocking and backing for cabinets, shelves, TVs, handrails, grab bars, heavy fixtures and window treatments.
• Confirm cabinet elevations so heights match backing and soffits.
• Settle the shower and tub wall build-ups. Waterproofing and substrate depend on the tile type and thickness.
• Confirm with the finish installer what substrate any plaster, limewash or other specialty wall finish needs.

What can wait until trim and finish?

What remains is surface and hardware: paint colors and sheens, trim profiles, door and cabinet hardware, plumbing trim finish, accessories and mirrors. These still need dates. Their lead chains are usually shorter, but a custom or special-finish item can still hold up closeout. Approve samples before install, and order trim, hardware and tile in time for the crew that sets them.

Which selections have long lead times?

Some categories tend to run long. We are not giving numbers, because they vary by supplier and change over time. Confirm with each supplier when you order.

• Windows and exterior doors, especially custom sizes and special finishes.
• Appliances, built-in and panel-ready models in particular, and anything with limited availability.
• Custom cabinetry, which goes into production after the drawings are approved and measurements are verified.
• Specialty tile, especially imported, handmade or limited-run product where a single production lot matters.
• Plumbing fixtures with special finishes such as brass, and freestanding tubs.
• Stone countertops, which are fabricated after templating, and templating happens after the cabinets are set.

Ask each supplier three things. What is the current lead time? When does it start: from order, from approval or from deposit? Will the full quantity come from one production lot? A lead time that starts at shop-drawing approval is a different number from one that starts at order.

How do you keep selections on schedule?

1. Put every selection on one schedule tied to the plans. Our free finish schedule template has the columns for it.
2. Give each selection a decide-by date based on phase and lead time, and name one owner.
3. Tell the decision-maker what will be built or ordered on the decide-by date, not only the date itself.
4. Review open items at every pre-phase meeting. Anything undecided gets a documented fallback or a priced change.
5. Log changes after the date as change requests with their cost and schedule effect.

Spec builders face the same timeline, but the decisions belong to the builder rather than a buyer. The more of them sit in a standard package, the fewer stay open on each house.

To see how Native documents finishes, fixtures and purchasing information so these dates are visible early, read about the interior design service. For how selections show up on the drawings themselves, see the sheet-by-sheet guide to a residential plan set.