WHAT EXACTLY AM I SELECTING?

Before we begin building your home, you have some important work to do. You need to choose the style and colour of the finish items in your home. These include hardwood floor, ceramic tile, carpet, kitchen cabinets, bathroom fixtures, paint colours, etc. You also need to decide what upgrades you want.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT THAT I UNDERSTAND THE SELECTION PROCESS?

Tartan Homes has a procedure in place that will guide you through the new home selections process. It is essential you take the time to understand this process in order to avoid disappointment – or worse, costly mistakes. The selection process is an exciting opportunity to create the home you want. The key to making the most of this process is to be prepared. Before you start, we want to make sure you understand things like standard features versus option upgrade, our upgrades categories, and cut-off dates for requesting optional upgrades.

STANDARD FEATURES

These are included in the base price of your home. Every Tartan floor plan includes standard features that are listed on the Standard Features Sheet in Schedule G of your Agreement of Purchase and Sale. Please review this information carefully to prevent any misunderstanding about which features are included in the base price of your new home. Only those items listed as standard on Schedule G will be included in your home.

Be aware that some of the items you have seen in our model homes are optional upgrades, not standard features. These upgrades will not be included, unless you request them on a Change Order (CO). A list of model home option upgrades is available at the Sales Office and the Design Centre. Please review this list and consult your Sales Representative or Design Centre Consultant if you have any questions. 

OPTION UPGRADE CATEGORIES

Optional features – or upgrades – must be requested on a Change Order (CO) signed by you and Tartan Homes. Tartan needs enough lead time to make these changes, so we follow a schedule of cut-off dates. We have separated upgrades into three categories, according to the amount of lead time required. 

1. Architectural Options: These are selections that are required for permit so they need to completed soon after your purchase.
2. Pre-Construction Selections: These optional upgrade selections require the most amount of lead time – they are needed well in advance of building permit application and are not available if you have purchased an Early Occupancy Home. This includes things such as revisions to the standard floorplan, electrical, mechanical, structural components as well as items that require more lead time to order. Because Tartan Homes is not a custom home builder, we reserve the right to limit the number and type of these changes. For example, we cannot relocate structural posts as this represents a fundamental change to the engineering and structural components of a home. Exterior colour selections apply to single-family homes only. The selection of exterior colours is required at the same time as Pre-Construction selections. (Tartan Homes retains control over the streetscape of our attached homes, therefore exterior colour selections are not available for semi-detached or townhome units.)
3. Upgrades Available at the Time of Interior Finish Selections: These option upgrades are not needed for the building permit application but are still required well in advance for ordering purposes. These include upgrades such as flooring, paint colour, kitchen cabinets, etc.

UPGRADE PRICING

Your Wish List provides you with all of the upgrade pricing available for your home. Your Wish List is just that, a place for you to make multiple selections you wish to choose or want to explore as options. You can send your selections to the Design Centre to review or review them in your appointment.

More specialized and custom upgrades require individual pricing, which you can request via a Request for Pricing (RFP). We reserve the right to limit the scope of custom upgrades. Your Sales Representative or Design Centre Consultant can help you with this.

CUSTOM UPGRADES

While we do offer purchasers the opportunity to request some custom upgrades we do also limit the scope and number of these upgrades.  To understand more about custom upgrades, watch this video.

OPTION UPGRADE CUT-OFF DATES

These are the latest dates that an upgrade can be requested by you. Cut-off dates are in place to ensure we do not miss including your requested upgrades in your home. Your Design Centre Consultant will advise you of both your Option Upgrades and Request for Pricing (RFP) cut-off dates. Tartan Homes reserves the right to deny changes you requested after these cut-off dates.

CHANGE ORDERS FOR OPTION UPGRADE SELECTIONS

Once you are done with your online selections, the Design Centre will create the documentation needed for our Construction Department. We use Change Orders (CO) or Selection Addendum forms to describe and document any changes and upgrades you request to your new home’s plan and specifications. The documents must be signed by you and Tartan Homes. For the protection of all concerned, no change or upgrade will be made without a Change Order/Addendum signed by you and Tartan Homes.

TIPS FOR GETTING STARTED

• Make a wish list for your new home. 
• Have a list of questions written out so that you don’t forget to ask and your time can be used most efficiently.
• Determine your budget for your option upgrade selections.
• Take into account your family’s daily activities, your hobbies and the kind of entertaining you do.
• You are welcome to bring cushions and swatches to the Design Centre to coordinate colours.
• It is good to look at samples in both artificial and natural light to get an accurate impression of the colour.
• Watch this video about Custom Upgrades to better understand what is involved in this complex process and why it is more efficient to choose from our vast list of pre-priced upgrades.

KEY APPOINTMENTS

Rest assured, you are not alone through your new home selections process. A series of appointments will be scheduled to guide you through the process. These appointments take place at the Tartan Homes Design Centre, where samples of colours, finishings, cabinetry, etc. are on display. Because the Design Centre is not a child-friendly environment, and to allow you to fully focus on the selections process we ask that parents arrange for a babysitter during appointments. Please note that appointments are scheduled during regular business hours. Evening and weekend appointments are not available.

Here is the basic sequence of Design Centre visits:

1) ORIENTATION:

Before you visit the Tartan Design Centre, take a few moments with this 360-degree virtual tour to orient yourself to what you’ll see at the Centre. Simply launch the presentation, click to move through the Design Centre, and click on the dots for information on all displays. The online orientation page is here.

2) WISH LIST ONLINE:

We encourage you to browse your Wish List as much as possible. This will allow you to become familiar with the vast array of samples and colours to choose from. This will be helpful in the preparation of your Design Centre process and is also a great opportunity to review your selections prior to your Final Selections Appointment.

3) ARCHITECTURAL OPTION REVIEW, INITIAL SELECTIONS & FINAL SELECTIONS APPOINTMENTS:

These appointments are very important. Appointments are scheduled during regular (daytime) business hours. There is a two person limit and handling of samples is not permitted.

At your Architectural option review you will meet to finalize your architectural options. This appointment is approximately 1 hour.

At your Initial Selections appointment you will meet with your Design Centre Consultant to first discuss your wish list and all other standard and optional upgrade selections you are interested in. Your Design Centre Consultant will also advise you of the cut-off dates to make your selections. This appointment is approximately 2.5 hours.

At your Final Selections appointment you will finalize and sign for all the selections you wish to have included in your home. These details will all be recorded and signed (by you and Tartan Homes) on a Change Order (CO) or Addendum. It will not be possible to make any further revisions to your home once the Change Orders/Addendums have been signed at your Final Selections appointment. This appointment is approximately 2.5 hours.

A WORD ABOUT COLOURS/DISCONTINUED ITEMS

If a selection turns out to be unavailable, your Design Centre Consultant will be contacting you to make an alternate selection. Because we offer so many choices, Tartan Homes is unable to predict when a manufacturer or supplier may discontinue any particular item. We regret any inconvenience this may cause. 

OPENINGS FOR APPLIANCES

You will be provided with standard appliance opening dimensions, electrical and HVAC components. In the event you’re installing appliances with special requirements it is imperative for you supply your DC Consultant with the make, model and installation guides. This information must be supplied to your DC Consultant between first DC Appointment and your RFP cut off date. Please note extra costs may involve in doing such. Tartan will not assume responsibility if your appliances do not fit in the standard openings provided. Please speak with your DC Consultant for further information.

Note: Early occupancy homes (homes we have already started to build) will not be able to accommodate appliances with special requirements.

KEEP A RECORD OF YOUR SELECTIONS

Your Design Centre Consultant will be providing you with copies of your selections during this process. Please keep these for your records for future reference. They are useful for matching paint colours, tile grout and replacements items in your home. Once your first appointment has been complete and your paperwork signed off your wish list will be marked complete.  After you close on your home, your account will be deleted. The paperwork provided by your Consultant and/or head office are your official documents.