A practical sequence
Plan the decisions before they become delays.
How to record selections, understand an allowance and review a proposed change before it affects your custom-home scope or schedule.
Give each choice a complete description
“White kitchen cabinets” leaves several decisions open. A useful selection record identifies the maker, style, finish, dimensions and the agreed drawing or quote. Depending on the item, it may also need hardware, installation details and related work.
Keep inspiration images separate from the approved specification. An image communicates a preference; the dated selection record tells the team what has been chosen.
- Item and room
- Product, model, finish and dimensions
- Approved drawing or supplier quote
- Decision-maker and approval date
Ask what the allowance covers
An allowance is an amount for a defined part of the scope. Ask whether it includes the product, tax, delivery, installation and related materials. Ask how actual cost will be compared with the allowance and how any markup, increase or credit is handled.
A cabinet allowance and a fully installed kitchen package may cover different work. Comparing only their totals can hide those differences. Your signed agreement and allowance schedule establish the treatment for your project.
Work backward from when the item is needed
The decision date is usually earlier than the installation date. Pricing, shop drawings, approval, ordering, production and delivery can each take time. Record the supplier’s current information and when it was obtained.
Ask which decisions affect work that will soon be concealed. A fixture or appliance change may affect cabinetry, electrical work or plumbing. Resolve these connections before the relevant work proceeds.
Separate a request from an approved change
Asking about a different window or room layout starts a review. It does not tell the team to order the item or alter completed work. Describe the original requirement and proposed revision, then identify the price and schedule effects.
Follow the authorization procedure in the project agreement before affected work proceeds. Record the accepted change, approving party, date and updated drawing or selection reference. Give the final record to the people whose work is affected.
Record material substitutions
If an alternative is proposed, compare its specifications, appearance, compatibility, lead time and price with the original selection. Identify who must accept it and retain the approval.
On GSP’s four completed Greer homes, material shortages were addressed by sourcing from out of state. That experience shows why availability belongs in the planning conversation. It does not establish that every future shortage can be solved without a cost or schedule effect.
Use one current decision list
Give each open selection a responsible person, due date and next action. Review decisions affecting upcoming work first. Retain older approved versions so later changes can be understood.
When a choice remains unresolved, make the next action specific: obtain a sample, request a revised quote, confirm a dimension or approve the documented option.