Our Colour Selection Experience

We just completed our colour selection at World of Style and I must say we were very impressed with the whole experience. We prepared hard for the appointments and this helped a lot with time management, being decisive and guided during the sessions. There are expensive upgrades that we didn't anticipate mainly due to quality and aesthetic values. We are hoping that we can afford those upgrades that we can't live without and are hard to do after the build. My next entry will be about the items that we selected (which I am very excited about!!!), but here's a run down of our experience.

Appointment Booking

World Of Style started communicating with us for colour selection appointment at the start of this year. We were difficult to book because Elmer was just starting with his new job in February and couldn't afford to go on leave. He also doesn't know his work roster yet.

Our WOS booking consultant has been very flexible, responsive and patient with us all throughout. We booked our Day 1 before my husband started his new work but couldn't get an available schedule for our Day 2. As soon as we knew my husband's new work schedule, we managed to get of Day 2 booked despite short notice.

Looking back, I must say that it would have been better if our selections were done earlier so our building loan and land loan can be processed together in one application. The delay was mainly because of some structural variations that we were finalising with our sales consultant.

Appointment Day  

We arrived early and registered at the reception 15 minutes before each appointment dates. The process was facilitated very well and flowed smoothly the minute we checked in. We were issued ID tags with pink lanyards which is colour coded for those doing selection. We were also given a World of Style bag to hold all the documents that we will receive that day and a small pouch  that will contain all our selection samples.

We waited shortly at the cafe until we are shown and introduced to the consultant.After each session, the last consultant guided us to the next appointment and introduced us.

Note: Make sure you arrive early as parking space can be hard to find. Always check that you have all your documents with you, in the bag and not leaving them behind as move around in the show room. We left my design plan and quotation behind :-( and needed to come back to pick them up as I have all my noted in them.

Customer Service

All our consultants had been great and provided excellent help to us. They had all been very patient and helpful during the times when we are confused and struggling to make decisions. They provided us with alternatives when our choices are expensive and also suggested which upgrades can be done later.

Note: If you make the mistake of  using the display homes to choose what you will use for your home, like what we did, be prepared to pay for a lot of upgrades and start saving lots of money. All the items in the display homes are fully upgraded and expensive.

The Cafe

We opted to stay at WOS during lunch breaks and ate at their cafe. We loved their cold teriyaki beef noodles with mushroom and edamame and ordered them on both days. Their coffee was also good.

What can be improved:

• Electrical: It would be great if they provide break down of cost for electrical selections so that it's easier to review and decide which you want to have installed through the builder or just have provisions in place.
• Interior and Exterior: More details and accurate pictures of selected items must be provided in the document to ensure that it's clear to the customer what they have included. Pricing for most items must also be provided and confirmed during selections.
• Tiling: Session should start with what are the base price inclusions and move on from there. We have selected our tiles from the display homes and we already know what we want but it would be great to just know what's included first.
• Walk in Robe: Too expensive! The price difference between the white melamine and the laminate is huge and of course, no one would want to have a hospital like white robes in their new house. 
• Window Coverings: Too expensive! 
• Over-all: It would be fantastic if a builder can use a software which will show the house the you have selected and then have the items from colour selection added for visualisation. Imagine, having your house design in front of you and then telling the consultant what timber and carpet to put in and what cabinet configurations and finishes you want. Awesome! 

Our colour selections on my next post!