Welcome to Building
A House! There are a lot of selections and decisions that
come into play in building a house. Usually by the time we see
you in our showroom, most customers are tired of making
decisions. This section is to make things easier, provide
valuable information and raise issues while you go through your
special project. Feel free to contact us via email with any
questions.
Building A
House?
Building a house involves making
a lot of decisions on materials to use. One of the decisions to be
made is on the hardware for your home. The hardware includes your door
hardware, cabinet hardware and your bathroom accessories. In choosing
your hardware there are a few elements to consider. You want to take
into account the finish, style, availability (or lead time of the
items), cost, quality and the durability of the hardware. We cover
most of these in the following sections.
When should I select my
hardware?
Different companies have
different lead times, so these time frames are to give you a safe idea
of the time it takes. To be safe, you should visit the showroom while
framing is taking place to get an idea of what you like style?wise.
You should have a good idea of your door hardware choices when drywall
is being taped and mudded. Cabinet hardware can wait a bit longer.
Selections should be made by the time the cabinets arrive on site.
Bathroom accessories should be selected before the painters start. It
is not to say that you cannot choose hardware after these time frames,
it just helps everything move smoothly throughout construction.
What should I bring when I
visit the showroom?
You will want to bring whatever
you have that will impact the decision of which hardware you would
like to select. This may include a sample of trim, carpet, fabric,
cabinets or wallpaper. You should bring a copy of your blueprints (it
is helpful to bring a copy for us to keep) for review and for counting
hardware needed. Shop drawings of cabinets are helpful when ordering
cabinet hardware if your location is miles away for count purposes.
You should also know your allowance or budget for hardware when you
come.
Styles
The options are almost unlimited
when it comes to styles available. The choices range from regal to
rustic, arts and craft to contemporary, and traditional to artistic.
The hardest part is finding which style fits your taste the best. Our
showroom has an excellent variety of hardware on display, and our
online product gallery can help you determine the style best for you
at your convenience.
Finishes
There are over 50 finishes
available for the different types of hardware we carry. However, not
all finishes are available for all items. Choosing which finish to use
for which item in which room can be one of the most challenging parts
of the hardware selection. Often an Interior Designer can help make
this process a little easier. They have experience with many of the
products and can help you make the best choice for your new home.
Because there are so many styles and finishes available it is
impossible to display all items in all finishes. So if you don't see
exactly what you are looking for (either on-line or in our showroom)
let us know, it is probably available to order.
Availability
With so many styles and finishes
it is hard to stock everything a customer is looking for. Most items
we do have to order in, and the lead times vary. The quickest
manufacturers take 3?5 days, while some custom companies take 8?10
weeks. Most of the manufacturers we deal with land somewhere in the
middle of these time frames. It's for that reason we wanted to give
you the time frame above. There is no such thing as being too early,
only too late.
Cost
The cost of items, for example a
cabinet knob, can vary greatly because of the quality, material,
customization, and design. Knowing what fits into your budget is where
the builder and we come in. Your builder will include a hardware
allowance or budget to fit within to keep your house on budget. It is
up to you if you want to stick to that allowance or to go over. After
you make your initial selections, we figure the total cost of hardware
for your new home. If it does not fit within the budget, we can make
new selections to fit within, or you can opt to go over budget. Tips
for staying on budget:
- Many customers spend more
money on the main floor of the house and then save money by
choosing less expensive hardware on the rest of the house. This
gives the homeowner better products in the most important parts of
the house and keeps the average costs at a reasonable level.
- If your builder gives you an
allowance of $5 per cabinet pull, you can try to keep your
selection under that. There are so many more pulls in the kitchen
than anywhere else, that if you can keep the cost below average
you will have more to spend on other parts of the house.
Issues
A couple of issues that continue
to arise at the time of selection are hinges and matching hardware
supplied by door suppliers. Depending on your contractor's standard of
practice, most door suppliers offer hinges but only in brass and satin
brass. Your doors are pre-hung on these. If you wish another color
such as satin nickel hinges these need to be selected at this time to
make sure all the hardware matches. Here in Omaha, our company
supplies temporary hinges until the hinges are available for install
after the painter has painted the doors. Discuss temporary hinges with
your contractor, what is his policy?
Patio doors such as Pella,
Marvin, and Anderson have a special three-point lock for exterior
patio doors. These doors also have some selection in finish, but can
be limited. If you want to match a specific finish, door hardware
should be reviewed at this time. Pre-drilled doors save the contractor
time and money but the door supplier will drill the doors without
regard for the customers' selections. The drilling can dictate what
hardware is available and may also limit selection in some cases. We
recommend if at all possible to order doors blank that way the
hardware you want fits your doors. The earlier we see you the smoother
the job goes.
