Seven Insider Tips to Consider When Building Your Kimberley Home
My name is Jill Genyn. I’m the mom of 2 amazing kids (ages 6 and 2). I’m the Vice President of the Kimberley Home’s Buying Experience. And I have built two Kimberley Homes over the past 5 years. I recently celebrated my one year anniversary in our second Kimberley Home. And I’ve been thinking about all the things I wish I knew 6 years ago. Lessons I learned over the course of two construction cycles, meetings with the interior designer and our expert trade partners, walkthroughs… All the little things that made the process of building my second home so much easier. And I want to pass along this “insider info” to hopefully make your Kimberley Homebuilding Experience easy from Day 1!
USE THE MOVE-IN CONCIERGE
When your Move-in Concierge reaches out, that’s a call worth returning! I’ll be the first to admit that I am a do-it-myself, “Type A” person so I was reluctant to use the Move-in concierge at first. But they literally saved my sanity, and saved me some money too! Robin organized my entire complicated move with items coming from multiple locations, including a sofa that was essential for my daughter’s movie party the next day. He was also able to recommend – and schedule – an amazing handyman to hang my gallery wall, and got me even better cable rates than I thought possible. Just to name a few of the ways the Move-in Concierge helped me during what could have been an even more stressful time for my family.
TRUST YOUR GUT ON SELECTIONS
Your professional interior designer will steer you in the right direction as per what you are communicating. But you need to know what you most want to live in. If you’re nervous you have chosen something that isn’t “you”, or maybe not timeless enough, don’t do it! Everyone feels a bit of pressure to get it “right” when designing such a major purchase. But true worry is not something to ignore. And you definitely won’t hurt anyone’s feelings if you choose a different finish or fixture in order to get the home of your dreams.
COME IN WITH A PLAN
Feel free to save all of Pinterest, but ultimately save one board of final images to take to your interior selection meetings. And make a note of what you specifically love about each image. A huge Pinterest board or inspiration folder of hundreds of images you have been saving over a few months is overwhelming for both you and your Team. A clear vision saves you time and makes sure you get what you really want.
ATTEND THE SITE VISITS
First, a little background about my family. My daughter was 1 during my first Kimberley build. She was 4 and my son wasn’t quite 1 when I started pre-construction on home #2. Being so focused on my career and my kids, taking time away from that to do a rough-in walk-through with my site sup seemed like a waste of my limited time, to be honest. I have the utmost trust in my site super, and he is very dear to my heart having worked with him for many years. But I am so glad I went to all of my scheduled visits, as there were always a few things that came up for either him or I to address after those visits. Things that would have been missed if we hadn’t discussed them on site.
My favourite walk-through is always the finishing walk-through. I definitely recommend thinking about this visit in advance. Spend some time considering – for example – what doesn’t work in your current closet and what you want in your future closets. In my first Kimberley home, I didn’t have Wayne (our finishing carpenter) raise my single rod high enough. My maxis and gowns literally sat on the floor. In my second home, I knew better. Average dress hanging height is not tall enough for this Amazonian! Extra closet rods or shelves are very inexpensive and, in my opinion, completely worth the planning.
TAKE YOUR TIME WITH LIGHTING
Go for a leisurely walk through the lighting showroom without speaking to a sales representative before your lighting selections meeting. Take a coffee, and just wander. Do it twice. Our amazing supplier partner Park Lighting has so many options on display (and even more behind the scenes!). It is easy to get overwhelmed. Snap a few photos while you’re there, sleep on it, and really take the time to decide what you love before your appointment. This helped me so much during the selections meeting. This is true for all of your selections. But be warned with unplanned visits. You won’t be able to ask a Sales Representative specific questions about standards vs. upgrades and detailed costs for your home as they may not have those details yet. That’s why all Kimberley home buyers need to book their appointments in advance, and with the correct Sales Representative. They come prepared with all of your home details for your personal, one-on-one appointment.
WHICH LIGHTS GO WHERE?
Continuing on the topic of lighting, consider what type of lighting fixtures you want in each room early on. If you choose “standard” light placements on your electrical walkthrough, but later find a picture on Houzz of a powder room with a huge ceiling fixture rather than a typical vanity light, you’re unfortunately out of luck. Consider your unique lighting needs as early as possible in the timeline for your home. Some examples I’ve seen are pendants hanging over side tables, wall sconces in bathrooms, and ceiling lights in powder rooms, as a start.
ASK QUESTIONS!
This may seem obvious to some, but it bears repeating. If there is something you aren’t sure about, please ask your Move-in Concierge, Client Concierge, or Site Supervisor. I know firsthand how many moving parts there are! So many details go into building your home. It’s hard to keep them straight. Which is why being a great home builder is our job, not yours! The Kimberley Team wants to make sure we are meeting – and exceeding – your expectations just as much as you do. Let your Team know what you are expecting as much as possible, so everyone is on the same page for a smooth process and a great Home Building Experience.
