Selecting Fittings & Fixtures
Some of the hardest decisions, yet the most important, are selecting what the inside of the house will look like and how it will operate.
Choosing items such as taps, ovens, handles, toilets, curtains, and floor coverings are all fittings and fixtures that you will live with for a very long time once purchased and installed. Getting this process right the first time I crucial, and for this reason we have put together some helpful hints and tips.
What Should Be Considered When Selecting Fixtures For Your Home
Like with many things today, there are cheap options and more expensive options. Typically, paying a little more gets you a better product. You want your fittings and fixtures to last and perform the way they are intended. Below are some things to consider when making selections for your new home:
- Energy ratings of an appliance: It is important to consider how much the appliances you select will cost to run. This will be displayed on the appliance, showing you how many energy-efficient stars your appliance has. Plumbing fixtures such as taps and toilets will also tell you how much water the fixtures use and give you an indication of how much water, on average, these fixtures will consume.
- Origin of manufacture: In Australia, it is still possible to purchase products that are still made in the country. Tapware from Astra Walker is made in North Rocks, NSW. Other items, such as electrical lights by Haneco are made in Netley, SA. We try to support local businesses as much as possible when constructing a new home for clients. Using locally sourced products not only supports Australian companies but also gives ease of replacement and repair if the need arises.
- Warranty period: How long is the warranty on a product? Is it worth the investment in an extended warranty? Does the warranty cover parts and labour or just parts? Today, we are finding many manufacturers have excluded labour and will only cover the parts if they are found to be faulty.
- Purchase cost options: Today, there are still many manufacturers who offer good quality products with a slightly higher price tag, but you do get what you pay for. Some of these manufacturers are Miele, Smeg, Caroma, Hunter, Wattyl, Hager and Qasair. When our clients ask us for advice on good-performing fixtures that will stand out in their field, these are a few of the common brands that often get used in our projects
- Lead times from order: Depending on the origin of the product order and if the product is made to order, there can be significant lead times on orders. Items such as double and triple-glazed windows that come from overseas can at times take up to 4 months to arrive in Adelaide from the date of order. Other items that have had significant lead times are decorative bricks from overseas and natural timber hardwood flooring. None of this is a problem; it just requires careful planning and coordination.
- Solar panels and battery: It’s not uncommon to see solar panels installed on a new home build. But what can differ is the number of solar panels and if the client has opted for a battery. Over the years, the cost of batteries has dropped and is predicted to keep dropping (at the time of writing this article). A battery is a great way to store energy created during the day when you may be at work and reuse it at night when you get home. Another positive to a battery is backup power in the event of a power failure, and your pumps may need power to keep working if you have built a new home on an unusual-shaped block of land in Adelaide.
At Mayfair Building Group, we can help you make these careful decisions in person. We can arrange appointments with various suppliers such as Beaumont Tiles, Routley’s, Caroma, Beacon Lighting, King Furniture, Barbeques Galore, Solomon Floors, Pentarch Forestry, Tradelink, Wattyl and Smeg.
Over the years of building new homes, we have found that our clients like to see and touch their new fittings and fixtures before purchasing them, and it is for this reason that we have built these relationships with numerous showrooms across Adelaide to enhance our client’s new home building process.