Newbuild Options

mrjester_2

Hi!
Just seeing if anyone has experience of this... My house builder asked me to confirm all the house options 40 days ago, for which I paid the 50% deposit to secure these options.
Today, they wrote to say the kitchen worktop I wanted is no longer available so to choose a new one. The one I think is similar is however in their premium range, so they are saying I have to pick from the standard range (obviously unless I pay the £470 upgrade). I wondered if I should push back on this, or if anyone has tried to push back and not worth the effort?

Keswick1uk

I expect these issues are all part of the fact its hard to get materials at the moment. They might just say you are lucky getting a kitchen!

The poor service COVID excuse is everywhere (sometimes valid although not always)

mrjester_2

Actually, the Kitchen is in the UK, and the Kitchen company confirmed the style has been discontinued... So I'm confident it's a legitimate excuse (not brexit or covid related), but just seems slightly unfair I don't then get to choose any option, rather than just the standard ones (which I don't like any haha).

moneysavinghero

Why does it seem unfair that you have to pay more to get the more expensive option? As you say it is not the fault of the builder that they cannot get that particular style anymore.

Keswick1uk

You are allowed to have a premium one though aren't you, just at the added premium.

That's seems fair. Especially as your choice is discontinued.

AdrianC

You chose one from the normal range.
That one's not available, for reasons outside the developer's control.
You want a free upgrade.

Right?

mrjester_2

I know it's a "first world problem", so I do understand that it's not the builder's fault, but nor is it my fault, surely? When is it ok to make it the customer's problem instead of the supplier? When I made the options and paid the deposit on time, their invoice implies that once the deposit is paid, options are locked in.

If I turned around and said "Actually, 40 days on I've changed my mind and want something different on the standard range", they'd likely tell me that as I'd committed to the options I'd have to pay to change them, even though it's a 'free' option [40 days later].

So, out of the standard options, when I chose them, the one I liked was chosen because I liked that one and chose all the cabinets to match and so on. Now their supplier has discontinued it, and I'm left with all the choices I didn't like and didn't chose other things based on it all looking uniform. So I either need to take more time out of my day and go look at the alternatives and made a choice, or they could just swallow the cost of whichever one I choose. Just to add, I didn't get any discounts on the house and nothing for free... I have to pay for all the turf, floors etc. as they said they didn't need to incentivise the sale.

I mean, what if they said bricks are no longer available and the only other choice is wood panels... are people saying that's ok because it isn't the builder's fault they don't want to take up the matter with their supplier or find a supplier who does the same/closer range?

mrjester_2

Just to add... I'm not picking an upgrade because I want a free upgrade... It's coincidental that the similar colour worktop is in the other range. I even phoned the kitchen supplier who confirmed the one I want is discontinued and that the most similar colour is the upgraded one (unprompted).

wewilldoit

So instead of like for like you would like an upgrade for free as an apology? But that like ordering a blue fiesta being told to choose a different colour but wanting a focus/Mondeo for same price! 

mrjester_2

It's not like I'm asking for Marble or Granite lol

AdrianC

mrjester_2 said:

I know it's a "first world problem", so I do understand that it's not the builder's fault, but nor is it my fault, surely? When is it ok to make it the customer's problem instead of the supplier? When I made the options and paid the deposit on time, their invoice implies that once the deposit is paid, options are locked in.

Subject to availability.

If I turned around and said "Actually, 40 days on I've changed my mind and want something different on the standard range", they'd likely tell me that as I'd committed to the options I'd have to pay to change them, even though it's a 'free' option [40 days later].

Nobody's "changed their mind". The option you chose is simply no longer available.

So, out of the standard options, when I chose them, the one I liked was chosen because I liked that one and chose all the cabinets to match and so on. Now their supplier has discontinued it, and I'm left with all the choices I didn't like and didn't chose other things based on it all looking uniform. So I either need to take more time out of my day and go look at the alternatives and made a choice, or they could just swallow the cost of whichever one I choose.

Surely you have to look at the choices to choose one from the more expensive range, too? So there's no difference there.

Just to add, I didn't get any discounts on the house and nothing for free... I have to pay for all the turf, floors etc. as they said they didn't need to incentivise the sale.

They didn't discount it because they didn't need to.
There's people waiting behind you to have that plot if you don't want it. And, ultimately, that's the only thing they care about.

So... make your mind up. You have three choices.
1. Pick a worktop from the standard range.
2. Pick a worktop from the extra-cost range and pay that extra cost.
3. Walk away from the purchase. You haven't exchanged yet, I presume? If you have, this option is not available.

I mean, what if they said bricks are no longer available and the only other choice is wood panels... are people saying that's ok because it isn't the builder's fault they don't want to take up the matter with their supplier or find a supplier who does the same/closer range?

There's a slight difference between a significant structural change in construction materials, and the colour of the worktop having been discontinued, don't you think?