How to survive your project home selections meeting

I decided to write this post to educate readers who are building their first home—an exciting milestone, but one that represents a significant investment of time, money, and emotional energy.

This guide is not intended for everyone undertaking a building project. It is written specifically for those working to a fixed budget and therefore most likely building with a project home builder. This is a perfectly valid way to build: it keeps costs under control, provides a clear contract price, and delivers homes within a defined timeframe.

However, building with a project home builder is very different from building a custom-designed home. You do not have the same flexibility to make changes as the build progresses. With a custom home—often involving architects and designers—changes are part of the process, albeit at the expense of both budget and time. While that flexibility is appealing, it is a luxury not available to everyone.

When flexibility is removed, preparation becomes essential.

Many building guides focus heavily on finding land, organising finance, selecting a builder, and navigating council approvals, budgets, and timelines. Yet the selection of colours, finishes, and fixtures—arguably one of the most impactful parts of the entire process—is often treated as a minor consideration.

For those who have long dreamed of creating their own home, this could not be further from the truth.

Often, you are given just one day to make all your selections. This guide is designed to ensure you walk into that meeting prepared, confident, and clear about the decisions you need to make—so you end up with a home you truly love.

Communication With Your Builder

Project home builders offer many advantages. They construct a high volume of homes using tried-and-tested designs and systems, allowing them to maintain strong control over budgets and timelines. While there are often additional costs associated with site preparation, once this stage is complete, a project home can usually be delivered efficiently and cost-effectively.

This structure is both a strength and a limitation.

The benefit is certainty: a defined budget and a clear timeframe. The challenge lies in cost variations, which often arise when your expectations don’t align with what is included in the base contract—whether that’s a particular window style, bath, kitchen finish, or flooring option.

It is crucial that you understand, from the outset, the allowances included in your contract. On paper, everything may appear comprehensive: bathrooms, kitchens, and flooring are all included. However, it is only once you start selecting finishes for your “dream home” that you realise many of the items you had envisioned attract additional costs.

This is not about project builders concealing information. Most are entirely transparent and capable of delivering a good-quality home within budget and timeframe. The key is communication. You must ensure that the contract you sign aligns with your expectations.

One reason project builders are able to keep costs down is their highly structured systems. Administration, ordering, and construction are all carefully managed. As a result, changes after selections are often limited or attract administration fees—and rightly so. Poorly managed changes lead to errors, delays, and frustration for everyone involved.

Clear communication at the beginning of the process is therefore paramount. Make sure you fully understand what is included in your contract, how the selections process works, and the timeline you are working to. For a smooth, on-time, and on-budget build, your builder will need all exterior and interior selections finalised before construction begins.

If the timeline is unclear, ask. You may have very little time between signing your contract and commencing selections, so preparation is critical.

Putting Together a Mood Board

Finding the right project home builder often involves numerous visits to display villages. It is easy to become overwhelmed by styles, colours, and finishes—and to want something from every home you visit.

This is where a mood board becomes invaluable.

A mood board helps you refine your ideas and develop a clear vision for your home. As you encounter new inspiration, assess whether it genuinely aligns with your overall direction before adding it. This discipline will prevent your final scheme from feeling disjointed.

Fill Out a Checklist

Do not wait for your builder to provide a list of required selections. Create your own checklist covering both the exterior and interior of your home.

By this stage, your mood board should give you a strong sense of your preferred style and colour palette. When the builder does provide their selections list, you will already have most decisions mapped out.

I have comprehensive checklists available here to help guide this process.

Review Pricing and Budgets

Once you have completed—or at least largely completed—your checklists, you can begin reviewing approximate costs. This will quickly highlight whether your aspirations are drifting beyond your budget.

This process can feel like a “chicken and egg” exercise. Until you have chosen a builder and reviewed their specific inclusions, exact pricing is difficult to determine. Remember, builders often access trade and bulk-buying discounts, so your own budget estimates are only a guide.

That said, this step is invaluable in building price awareness.

Spend time visiting bathroom showrooms, tile outlets, and flooring suppliers. Understanding price ranges will help you make informed decisions and identify where savings can be made.

Think of it like preparing for an auction. You wouldn’t bid without months of market research. Selecting inclusions for your home requires the same level of preparation.

Armed with this knowledge, you will be far better placed to ask the right questions and clearly communicate your priorities when reviewing your contract.

Research, Research, Research

Most reputable project builders have display homes—often across multiple regions. It is worth visiting as many as possible to understand the range of finishes and design approaches they offer.

Many builders also operate dedicated selection showrooms. Clarify early how and when you can access these spaces. Are visits unrestricted, or appointment-only?

If a builder does not have a central showroom, they will usually direct you to specific external suppliers.

Now imagine being limited to one or two showroom visits without having prepared a mood board, completed a checklist, or have a clear sense of your budget priorities. This is where the process becomes overwhelming.

This is your dream home. Prepare, research, and decide before you reach this stage.

Considering Professional Help

Even with thorough preparation, you may still feel uncertain about your selections—especially when the consultant meeting is approaching and changes may be limited or costly.

This can be the ideal time to engage a professional colour consultant.

A qualified consultant can review your mood board and checklists, assess whether your selections align with your desired outcome, and ensure your colour scheme works cohesively. Just a few hours of professional guidance can provide clarity and confidence, potentially saving you costly mistakes.

Your Selections Meeting

Ideally, you will have separate meetings for exterior and interior selections. However, many builders require all decisions to be made in a single day.

Do not underestimate how demanding this can be.

Some builders employ highly experienced colour and interior consultants who can provide excellent guidance. However, no consultant can work miracles when dozens of decisions—from brick mortar colour to bathroom tapware—must be finalised in a short timeframe.

This is why your preparation matters so much.

Before the meeting, request a full list of required selections. Bring your own checklist and notes with you—do not rely on memory. Ask whether the builder provides access to a qualified colour consultant and factor this into your choice of builder.

Review and Refine

If permitted, take time after your selections meeting to review and refine your choices in line with your style and budget.

Be aware that certain items commonly trigger cost variations, including:

• Porcelain tiles: Often only slightly more expensive than ceramic tiles, but significantly more expensive to lay.
• Multiple paint colours and feature walls: Base contracts typically include one wall colour throughout. Feature walls and additional colours often incur upgrades.
• Paint ranges: Many builder-approved colours are designed to require only two coats. Colours outside this range—particularly very light whites—often require three coats, resulting in additional costs.

Take detailed notes during your meeting and review them carefully afterwards to identify potential savings.

Final Thoughts

A project home builder can absolutely deliver a beautiful home at a competitive price and within a reliable timeframe. Success comes down to organisation, clear communication, and thorough preparation.

Ask the right questions, understand your inclusions, and make informed decisions—and you will be well rewarded.

A Zoom Review: Pick My Brains for Your Project

Do you already have a clear vision for your home, but would value a professional review of your selections? Perhaps you have saved images from Pinterest or Instagram and are unsure how to translate them into a cohesive scheme for your own build.

A Zoom consultation with me may be exactly what you need.

With over 20 years’ experience in colour and design, and as a member of the Design Institute of Australia, I bring industry knowledge, current product insight, and practical advice to help you move forward with confidence. This is your opportunity to refine your ideas, avoid costly mistakes, and feel assured in your decisions.

You can find out more about a review consultation here.

Your complete roadmap to every key decision you’ll need to make —  From choosing the perfect roof to selecting the finishing touches for your front entrance, Samantha has created this guide to help you navigate the practical aspects of creating a beautiful, cohesive exterior. 

This ebook goes beyond the practicalities to explore colour and style — helping you define your look and make confident, well-informed choices.  Purchase here.

Enjoy the satisfaction of checking off each item as you go, and keep all your chosen selections in one place — making your project smoother, simpler, and more enjoyable. Purchase here.