Essential Questions You Should Ask *Before* Appliance Shopping for Your Custom Home
Let me tell you a little story.
When I was a young teenager, my very first job was at Best Products selling jewelry. Although I knew nothing about jewelry at age 15, it was around Christmas time, so they were probably desperate for help.
To this day, I vividly remember a man coming in to look at a string of pearls priced at $22. When he asked if they were real, I didn’t want to admit that I had no idea. So, I told him they were. He felt they were a great price, and I was able to convince him to buy them. I wasn’t on commission, so there was no reason for me to do this—just my immature ego that kept me from admitting that I didn’t know.
So, what does this have to do with building a custom home?
I don't know the answers to your questions about appliances.
There, I said it. And I hate telling you that, but it’s true. I plan to have someone accompany me on Springhouse Collaborative who knows more about this to answer your specific questions. In the meantime, what I can do is tell you everything I think you should ask before shopping for appliances. So, let’s dive in.
What to Ask Before Buying Appliances for Your Custom Home
First of all, when clients choose their appliances, it tells us so much about their budget, because it’s the first selection they make. It tells us the quality of things they’re going to choose and what compromises they’re going to make. That being said, when we send our clients off to choose their appliances, we send them with someone who does know all of those answers—someone who does this for a living (trust me, they study appliances eight hours a day, 52 weeks a year).
First, you’ll be given a budget allowance, which is typically set by a builder. After looking back on budget estimates from past projects, I found that no matter the scope, the appliance budget sits at 2 – 3.5% of your entire project budget, which is interesting!
Armed with your allowance, you’ll be sent to the store with your appliance guru where you make your selections. You’ll want to tell them your budget. Don’t worry about them upselling you—if you go to a good place and you tell them your budget, they actually want to abide by it, because that makes everybody happy.
When walking around the showroom, the expert will help you make a list of everything you like, then they’ll email it to you. Don’t be afraid to select a lot of them—you don't have to narrow it down that day. This way, you can sit down at night to look through the specs, prices and discounts. You’ll also want to consider the delivery timelines—if you're on a fast track, you need to know what can get delivered in time (especially during COVID, where many deliveries are backed up). However, if you know exactly what you want, go for it!
If you’re doing a custom build, your builder might be buying the appliances for you. If that’s the case, are the appliances you want within your construction budget and your draw system from the bank? Are you paying cash for it? Is it a part of your construction loan? Who is paying for it? Are you buying an appliance off the floor? Are you getting some kind of deal that requires you to buy the appliance before it’s ready? Who’s storing this for you? (Keep in mind, builders don’t always have storage areas.) Also, who is installing it? Sometimes the appliance store wants to install it, but sometimes builders do it. Sometimes, nobody wants to take responsibility for installing it! Make sure these questions are answered before going shopping, so the store knows who to contact and where to send their estimates.
Lastly, you’ll want to ask your builder who is going to communicate the appliance specs with your cabinet designers. This is why appliances are the first selection you’ll make, because you have to know every single appliance you want built into your kitchen before you meet with the cabinet company. It really helps the process tremendously.
Have any specific questions about appliances, like brands or recommendations? Head to our free custom home-building Facebook group, Springhouse Collaborative!