Late selections stall more custom homes than weather does. The cabinets cannot be ordered until the client picks a door style, the plumber cannot rough in until the tub is chosen, and a window package with a twelve-week lead time decided two weeks late pushes close-in into the next season. A selection sheet with a decide-by date on every item turns those decisions into a schedule the client can follow.
This guide covers what to put on a selection sheet, how to work out decide-by dates from lead times, how to track allowances as choices are made, and how to talk to clients about all of it.
What a selection sheet is
A selection sheet is a list of every product and finish the client chooses, with the details your trades and suppliers need to order and install it. For each item it records:
- Room or area, and the item: kitchen faucet, primary bath floor tile, exterior siding colour.
- Category, which ties it to an allowance or a cost division.
- Supplier, model and finish, exact enough to order without a phone call.
- Quantity and price, for allowance tracking.
- Lead time, from order to delivery on site.
- The stage it is needed for, such as plumbing rough-in or cabinet install.
- Decide-by date and status.
Decide-by dates: work back from the schedule
The decide-by date is the most useful column on the sheet and the one most often missing. Work it out backwards:
- Find the date of the stage the item is needed for, from your construction schedule.
- Subtract the supplier's lead time.
- Subtract an ordering buffer for quotes, confirmation and your own processing. Many builders use one to two weeks.
The result is the last day the client can decide without delaying the job. Some items are needed at rough-in even though they are installed at the end: the tub, shower valves, the range hood, built-in appliances and anything wired, because they set the rough-in locations.
Sample selections with decide-by dates
The table below is a sample. Dates, lead times and buffers are made up to show the arithmetic.
| Selection | Needed for | Stage date | Lead time | Buffer | Decide by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Windows and exterior doors | Close-in | Aug 24 | 12 weeks | 2 weeks | May 18 |
| Freestanding tub | Plumbing rough-in | Sep 14 | 6 weeks | 1 week | Jul 27 |
| Shower valves | Plumbing rough-in | Sep 14 | 3 weeks | 1 week | Aug 17 |
| Range hood | Electrical rough-in | Sep 14 | 4 weeks | 1 week | Aug 10 |
| Kitchen cabinets | Cabinet install | Nov 23 | 10 weeks | 2 weeks | Aug 31 |
| Floor tile | Tile start | Nov 30 | 4 weeks | 1 week | Oct 26 |
Sorted by decide-by date, this becomes the client's homework list. Flag anything overdue or due within two weeks, and review the list at every client meeting.
Allowances: track them as choices are made
An allowance is a budget amount for a category the client has not chosen yet. As each selection is made, its price counts against the allowance. The running total tells the client, before the bill arrives, whether they are heading for an overage or a credit.
Sample allowance status, made-up figures:
| Allowance | Amount | Selected to date | Still to choose | Projected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plumbing fixtures | $22,000 | $16,400 | 3 items | $24,100 (over by $2,100) |
| Lighting fixtures | $12,000 | $7,250 | 9 items | $11,600 (credit $400) |
| Tile | $18,000 | $0 | 5 items | not started |
Decide in your contract how overages and credits are handled. Many builders bill overages as change orders with markup and return credits at cost. Our guide to change order forms covers pricing them.
Common selection problems and how to prevent them
The client picks an item that does not fit. A freestanding tub that needs a floor drain where the joists run, or a range that needs a larger gas line than was roughed in. Ask the client to choose rough-in items from a short list your trades have checked, or have the trade confirm the model before the line is marked final.
Discontinued or back-ordered products. Lead times change after the choice is made. Confirm availability when you order, not when the client decides, and record the confirmation date on the sheet. Keep a second choice for anything with a long or uncertain lead time.
Choices made by text message. A selection mentioned in a text or a site conversation is easy to forget and hard to prove. Record every choice on the sheet and send the client the updated list after each meeting.
Allowances that hide the real cost. An allowance for a fixture often leaves out installation, trim kits or extra labour for a heavier product. State in the sheet what each allowance includes, so the client compares like with like when choosing.
Decisions that keep reopening. Clients revisit choices when they see the room framed. Set a rule that changes after the decide-by date go through a change order, and say so at the first selections meeting.
How to run selections with the client
- Start early. Send the full list with decide-by dates at the contract signing, not when the trade asks.
- Group the meetings. Plumbing fixtures, then lighting, then tile and flooring, then cabinets and counters. Clients decide better when they compare like with like.
- Put it in writing. A selection is final when the client signs or confirms the line. Changes after that are change orders.
- Explain the reason for the dates. Clients accept a deadline when they see it is tied to the build, not to your convenience. A short client guide to how selections and allowances work saves many repeated explanations.
A short how-to
- List every selection by room, with category and allowance.
- Link each item to the stage it is needed for.
- Enter the lead time and your ordering buffer.
- Calculate the decide-by date and sort by it.
- Record the choice, the price and the confirmation date.
- Watch each allowance for projected overages and credits.
- Review overdue and due-soon items at every client meeting.
The template
Our Selections & Allowance Tracker (CA$69) is an Excel workbook that does this work. It holds up to 200 selections with supplier, lead time, the stage each is needed for, a calculated decide-by date and a flag for overdue, due soon, decided late, on a holiday or done. Each allowance shows the selections to date and the projected overage or credit. It comes with a 10-page client selections guide that explains selections and allowances to your clients under your own name.
Allowances start in the budget. The free Custom Home Cost Breakdown Template sets out a budget by division so you can see what each allowance has to cover.
FAQ
When should clients start making selections?
As soon as the contract is signed. Long-lead items such as windows and cabinets are often due within weeks of the start.
What happens if a client misses a decide-by date?
Tell them in writing what it affects. If the job is delayed, your contract should say how that is handled. Many builders treat late selections that move the schedule as a change.
Should allowances be generous or tight?
Realistic for the finish level the client described. Allowances set low to win the job come back as overages, and the client remembers that.
How do I handle a selection the client changes after ordering?
Treat it as a change order: restocking fees, new lead time and any schedule effect all go on the form.
Can the selection sheet be shared with trades?
Yes. Share a filtered list by trade with model numbers and rough-in details, and leave out prices.