In this latest New Homes podcast, Roz Bryon-Edmond is joined by senior sales consultant Kirsty Hughes to talk about the options and upgrades which can help Redrow customers create a home that’s unique to them, offering a better way to live.
What’s included, what’s extra?
One of the key questions asked by our customers is around the options and upgrades available in a Redrow home: what’s included, what’s extra, and what are the most popular choices?
My Redrow is the industry-leading, members-only section of our website, a place where customers can view standard specifications, upgrades, costs, and colour choices available to them throughout the home.
Kirsty says: “From kitchens, to bathroom, to wardrobes, to internals, to externals, we do offer a very extensive list of options for everybody, really personalising their home into their dream home.”
What is the process and where do I start?
Once you’ve reserved one of our homes, that’s when to consider all your options and choices.
“I would advise all customers to come into the office with an idea of what they’re wanting to upgrade,” says Kirsty. And while it might be the kitchen, other considerations can come into play when making those crucial selections: “If you want to bring swatches for sofas, bring them with you at that point. We start there and go into the show homes with some of the samples as well, to really visualise the customers living in these properties.”
It’s often the fun part, adds Roz, customising a home and “making it feel really special”.
If I’m on a budget what are the options I should go for?
Considering the addition of items that may be difficult to do after completion is always a good idea, as Kirsty explains: “Upgraded electricals are very important to do early on in the build as opposed to doing them afterwards when you’d have to potentially lift up flooring, chase the walls, plaster-patch and then re-paint …it’s very difficult to do that.”
Consider other items, too, for example, wardrobes, for which Redrow has liaised with manufacturers to secure the best possible prices and materials. There’s a range of styles, colours and designs: “So whatever you could want, I’m sure we’ll have something for you.”
What are the options that could really excite me?
We have a collection of ‘show stopper’ pieces available through My Redrow, such as Eternal silestone worktops for the kitchen which are 90% natural stone and highly stain and scratch-resistant.
Kirsty adds: “We offer islands in some homes that have wine coolers and flip sockets. We also do digital shower valves where you can control the temperature exactly how you’d want it, and the pressure that you’d want.”
But she adds that even if you don’t choose upgrades, you can still be assured of a variety of choices and the knowledge that you’ll be walking into a beautiful home that’s ready to enjoy living in the moment you walk through the door.
Do different groups of customers make different choices?
Offering so many different house designs means we have a diverse group of customers, and they will often make very different choices. “Downsizers tend to value convenience above anything else, as do families with young children of course,” says Kirsty. “So they tend to have everything done through Redrow, such as flooring, so that on the day of completion they can just move straight into their home and it’s hassle-free.”
And upgrades don’t have to be so-called ‘big ticket items’, she ventures, there are many smaller items to choose from, such as multi-functional taps, eco-waste bins and additional appliances.
Are customers looking at more energy efficient ways to upgrade their homes?
“Definitely,” says Kirsty. “Buying a new Redrow home is the first step to a more sustainable lifestyle as it is, but for the eco-conscious customers, there are items such as solar panels, car chargers, water butts for grey water storage - they’re very popular.”
Not only do sustainable options like solar panels help the planet, they help our customers too: “The 3kw system that we can offer can generate up to 50% of a household usage so it definitely lowers outgoings as well.”
How do upgrade options change and who influences them?
Our interior design team led by Alysha Alli is constantly keeping an eye on trends and revising the choices and options available - hence why we have more recently introduced darker colours for wardrobes and kitchens; and tiles increasingly have finishes based on outdoor textures.
Kirsty says: “Garden pods and home office solutions have been very popular because more people are working from home now.” These can be multi-functional rooms that can help you future-proof your home as your family and your needs change.
And she stresses: “My Redrow needs to be your best friend. You need to go on that as many times as you can and really familiarise yourself with the extensive list of options available.”
Why not a create a My Redrow account today and start personalising your new home.
