Why You Need a “Material List” for Your Infill Home
Are material lists for homeowners important? While suburban homeowners may not have as many customized features or materials used in construction, highly customized infill developments can be a different story altogether.
Hence, if you’ve recently built a custom infill home or plan on doing so in the near future, we encourage you to source a material list from your builder just in case.
Obtaining such a list for future reference can be a lifesaver in certain situations. All custom luxury/infill homeowners should have one. Here’s why. Also see:
- Attached vs. Detached Infills: What’s the Difference?
- Calgary Infill Buyer’s Guide: Area Plans
- 5 Must-Ask Questions for Custom Infill Builders
Handy-Dandy Material List
A material list is essential for infill homeowners as you can never have a big enough safety cushion when it comes to repairs. Custom materials aren’t always easily replaced – especially with supply chain shortages seen in 2020-2022 years – therefore knowing what was used where in your home is essential.
Some of the items that should be on your list include (but are not limited to) for any of the applicable specs, i.e. colour, grade, style, brand, life expectancy, finish, size:
- Flooring
- Baseboards
- Appliances
- Light fixtures
- Cabinets + configuration and layout
- Countertops
- Kitchen/bathroom sinks
- Kitchen/bathroom fixtures
- Paint throughout
- Bathtubs/showers
- Bathroom vanity
- Toilets
- Outlet and light switches
- Ceiling finishes
- Interior & exterior doors
- Interior & entry door knobs
- Cabinet pulls
- Hot water tank
- Insulation
- Siding/shutters
- Foundation concrete
- Foundation veneer
- Porch/deck
- Windows (type, size, shape, thickness, energy rating, etc.)
- Roofing
- Exterior light fixtures
- Exterior coverings
- Exterior panelling/stuco etc.
- Outdoor water spigots (placement, type, number)
- Type of structural build (2×4 or 2×6)
- Attic construction (regular or open truss, floored or not)
Save yourself a headache! Make a list, and your builder for help as they should be more than happy to assist you in finding the right information.
Size
Keep in mind that each of these products above may have a size that goes along with them. For example, faucet holes for kitchens and bathrooms are typically 1 3/8 inches in diameter unless otherwise mentioned by the product’s specifications.
Grade
Kitchen and bathroom countertops are typically made of some kind of stone. Quartz, for example, is a common material used in home construction for counters, but there are multiple different “grades” and “thicknesses” of quartz.
Life Expectancy
Life expectancy for roof shingles, for example, is a direct indication of their quality. Hence, don’t settle for less than the highest quality as a water leak can potentially ruin your home’s overall integrity whether it be the structure, electrical or something else.
Other specifications such as colour, brand and style are pretty straightforward. Make sure you familiarize yourself with these specs and add them to the material list for your infill home!
Get the Best Advice
Material lists are just one of several aspects you’ll want to be aware of when buying an infill home in Calgary. Hence, you’ll want to make sure you do your due diligence and perform research on buying an inner city home before signing on the dotted line.
As highly experienced infill real estate agents, we have the knowledge and skills to help guide you towards a successful transaction. We take pride in sharing our wealth of knowledge online with potential clients to help them along in their next real estate deal.
Here are just a few of our infill home buyer tips:
- Infill Buyer’s Guide – Natural Lighting
- Infill Buyer’s Guide – Written Contracts
- Infill Buyer’s Guide – Public Transportation
Don’t settle for less than! Contact an experienced infill real estate agent today, and begin your home search!
Questions about Material Lists?
Contact our team of experienced REALTORS® at 403-519-0495 or via email at info@bestcalgaryhomes.com today! We are looking forward to helping you accomplish your inner city real estate goals!