Choosing Options & Extras For Your New Build Home

You’ve reserved your new build with Hopkins Homes and you’re busy arranging the legal and financial aspects of a house purchase. Take a welcome pause from the paperwork for an “Options & Extras” meeting with your Hopkins Homes sales executive.

These meetings are where your new home really starts to come to life. It’s your chance to personalise your new build property by choosing finishes and making decisions about details. It typically lasts about two hours and is a separate appointment from the reservation meeting.

Here’s what to expect at your Options & Extras meeting.

Why is this a separate meeting?

While the reservation meeting focuses on legal documents, the Options & Extras meeting is creative and more personal. Our customers find this an exciting part of their buying journey because it’s when their new property starts to really feel like a home.

Some home developers may squeeze this onto the end of the reservation meeting; however, we appreciate that looking at samples and making decisions takes time. After your reservation meeting, we’ll get a date in our diaries for Options & Extras.

Can I choose options and extras at any build stage?

You can choose options and extras at any stage of the build; however, what you’re able to choose depends on how far the work has progressed. The earlier in the process we are, the more options you’ll have.

If you’re buying a home in its early build stages, you’ll have “first fix” options such as the kitchen layout. If we’re coming to the end of the “second fix” stage (generally post plastering), you can still choose the flooring and whether you want the back garden turfing. There are choices you can make at every build stage.

Can I visit a showhome for inspiration?

You certainly can visit one of our Hopkins Homes showhomes, and we always recommend this to our clients. It makes it much easier to visualise how you want your new home to look, especially if you’re buying off plan.

If you’re able to, try and visit a few of our Hopkins Homes developments so you can see showhomes with different styles, layouts and finishes. Your sales executive will be able to suggest some places to visit.

What options and extras can I choose from?

Options are the fittings and finishes that your home has to have, such as kitchen cabinet doors and flooring; and depending on the build stage, you can choose what you want for these.

Extras are if you decide to upgrade the finish (choosing quartz worktops rather than laminate, for example) or want to add a feature that isn’t part of the standard build.

Here are some examples of the options and extras you can choose from.

• Kitchen: cabinet doors and handles; kitchen worktops (you can choose from the laminate options or upgrade to quartz)
• Bathrooms: select from our collection of both wall tiles and floor tiles, for every bathroom / en-suite / cloakroom in the property
• Flooring: choose from a range of carpets, hard flooring (such as Modulao vinyl flooring) and tiles
• Outdoor: do you want turf for the rear garden, and if so, do you want spaces left for borders and paths?

Please bear in mind that some of these options depend on the build stage. Your sales executive can advise you what’s possible for your home.

How do I make the choices?

You’ll see samples of everything from door handles to carpet during the meeting. This gives you an opportunity to find out how the different finishes feel and to compare them with each other. You can make sure that the kitchen cabinets look good with the floor tiles and that you like how the bathroom flooring feels.

Your sales executive is there to help and guide you, and can share pictures of the options in situ. Hopefully you’ve also had the chance to visit a showhome.

By the end of the meeting, you’ll be able to confirm which options you want to go for and whether you’d like any extras. You can see why we need a whole dedicated meeting for this!

What are the next steps?

You’ll be asked to pay for any extras at this stage. We’ll provide written confirmation of all your choices and details of any extras, making sure that we’re all agreed.

The decisions you make at this meeting help you create a home that reflects you and your tastes. We hope you enjoy creating your new home’s character!

How do I arrange my options and extras meeting?

The Options & Extras meeting really is one of the most exciting milestones in your new build journey. Bricks and mortar (and even architects’ plans) spring to life as you start to bring colour and texture into the building.

After your reservation meeting, we’ll make a second appointment for your Options & Extras meeting. Allow at least two hours for this (it’s amazing how long it can take to choose the perfect bathroom tiles), and if you can, try to visit at least one showhome between the two meetings.

Your dedicated sales executive will be with you every step of the way. They’ll discuss what’s available at your build stage, how much any extras will cost and be able to guide you towards reaching the right decision. We’ve even had to be the casting vote when couples can’t decide!

Start personalising your new build home today

Would you like to make your new home truly yours? Speak to our sales team to arrange a meeting. We can’t wait to see what you choose!