Choosing the unique fixtures and finishes for your Unity home is an exciting part of the design build journey. We call this stage the “selections process,” which takes place during the design phase—or “Preconstruction Services Agreement”—prior to building your home.
We specifically curate selections based on your chosen design path and package type, providing 2D models along the way, helping you envision the final look. Not only is the selections process a fun opportunity to incorporate your own personal style into the home, but we also simplify the process by pairing you with a Selections Specialist; ensuring efficient ordering, warranty coordination, and delivery of items right to your site.
“Unity’s flexibility to allow us to work through the PSA [Preconstructions Services Agreement] process with an extended build timeline was one of the biggest positives for me. This allowed us, without time pressure, to work through the design and selections process at a pace that worked for us but still felt like we had Unity’s full attention.” -Unity client from Williamstown, MA
Prior to Starting Selections
The Selections process begins after the design is finished. This means the design and location of the house are set so you can now focus on adding your personal touches with finishes. If you have a Shell package, then you will be choosing options for windows, doors and timbers. For a Tempo package, you will be also choosing many more finishes such as flooring, cabinetry, siding and plumbing fixtures.
Explanation of Finishes
Our offerings include a number of different finishes and fixtures for various budget levels. Options are designated as “standard” or “upgrade.” Clients who stick closely to Unity’s standard offerings realize the greatest value, as the standard options are the basis of early sales estimates. An example of a standard option would be a slab-on-grade foundation, versus a walkout basement foundation. With some materials, there is also flexibility to choose items from vendors that are not part of the curated options, as our selections platform links to the manufacturer’s website for additional options. We do, however, curate items ideal for high performance homes to maximize efficiency within the selections process.
If you opt for a Shell package, all your selections can be completed virtually in a short amount of time. We can also send you some samples to view in person. The items included in the selections process for the Shell package include:
- Exterior doors
- Window colors and divided lites
- Interior timbers
With the Tempo package, you can add many of the finishes for your home. Opting for the Tempo package through Unity rather than sourcing your own finishes allows you to select most of your finishes from one source, so you don’t have to visit multiple showrooms and vendors. You can also see physical samples in person and enjoy the support of our team handling the ordering, shipping, and coordination of your materials. The items included in the selections process for the Tempo package include:
- Siding and trim
- Window colors and divided lites
- Porch decking
- Exterior timber finishes
- Railings
- Screened porch components
- Exterior doors and hardware
- Exterior lighting
- General interior lighting
- Interior timbers & ceiling boards
- Interior trim – baseboard and window/door casing
- Interior doors and hardware
- Finished stairs
- Flooring
- Kitchen & vanity cabinetry design
- Bath accessories
- Tile
- Plumbing fixtures
The Selections Process
Once your site plan is established, you’ve chosen the Shell or Tempo package, and your design is elaborated the selections process can begin!
The first selections-focused meeting is typically virtual, where the Selections Coordinator goes through your specific platform profile and introduces you to the easy-to-use online selections program “Gather.” Even clients who are not technologically savvy can easily navigate through Gather; which allows for liking and disliking of materials, reading additional information within each item, viewing photos of different finish options and communicating directly with the Selections Coordinator to get questions answered quickly.
No final decisions need to be made at the first introductory selections meeting. The entire process can go as fast or slow as you like depending on your building timeline. By the end of the selections process, you will have an updated Shell or Tempo estimate based on the fixtures and finishes that you choose.
Making Initial Selections
After you have your initial selections meeting and are introduced to the Gather platform, you can start to look through everything in Gather at your leisure. Once you start to make some decisions, there will be another virtual meeting with the Selections Coordinator to look through your initial selections and answer any questions. In this second meeting, we will work with you to start narrowing your choices.
Final Selections Review
The final step in the selections process is to join us for an in-person review session in the Unity showroom in Walpole, New Hampshire. During this meeting, you can feel and experience the physical materials such as tile, drawer pulls, lighting and more before making a final decision on specific items.
If you opt for the Shell package, there typically is no need to come in person. Coming in person, however, is very helpful for those who choose the Tempo package. We can also send samples of the timber finishes directly to you from our factory in advance. When meeting with the Selections Coordinator live in our showroom, you will start to finalize your selections without the pressure of feeling rushed, as you can continue to take as much time as you need.
Once you feel confident in your selections of finishes and fixtures, the selections phase is almost complete. The selections team will also send an updated estimate to reflect your final selections, along with an updated Shell cost so you know upfront what the total cost will be. Once everything is locked in and you review your updated estimate, everything is set to move forward with the build contract!
Rachel (and Unity!) made the entire selections process easy for us, giving helpful guidance when necessary. We really loved feeling like we had good options, without the amount of options being overwhelming. Having firm pricing for so much of the house upfront helps us to budget and understand what our final home will end up costing, which makes the entire process that much easier! -Unity client from Plymouth, NH
Here at Unity, we make the selections process as stress free as possible. We walk you through every step of the Preconstruction Services phase at a pace you feel comfortable with. If you have any questions, please reach out through our contact form and someone from our team will be in touch. You can also view a video on the selections process on our YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/RLSwZMEI2FQ
