12 Reasons Why You Shouldn't Let Your Builder Choose Your Handles

Why you should not let the builder choose your door handles!

Often, the door hardware comes last and is often selected at the whim of the builder or automatically comes as part of the house package you select.

To make it easy for themselves, builders often have a very limited selection of handles from which you are forced to choose. However, given the significance of this decision, here are a few things you should consider before just accepting the builders offering

The front entrance is the first thing you see when you approach a house. It is like viewing the window to the soul of the house. Studies have found that first impressions can add 10% to the value of a house. You can read more about this here.

Builders often get rebates from the door handle manufacturers and therefore may try to influence the consumer to buy the brand that gives the builder a kick back.

Mostly builders are on a fixed price contract and with prices going up, due to the Covid supply crises, they are frantically looking to save money by using cheaper inferior door handles.

Given that the handle is the most used item in a house, and adds tone and character in so many places, it is very important that you get it right. There is a very helpful article on selecting internal door handles here.

Bear in mind that there are door handles and then there are door handles. You can learn a lot about what to look for in a door handle here. This article sets out the importance of the choice you will make when selecting your door handles relative to quality, finishes and warranties.

One ‘key’ question to ask your builder is what the brand is, and what is the warranty. There are many cheap imported brands flooding the market with no back up service, spare parts, and no certain warranty. Builders are always looking for ways to save money, so buyer beware.

If you are using an interior designer, they are normally pretty good at door handle selection, so trust them over against your builder.

Here is a general guide as to what kind of money you should be spending on your door handles based on your house value. Pay any less and the likelihood is you are not doing justice to your special home.

If the House Value is $500,000 then you should be spending about $35 to $40
If the House Value is $750,000 then you should be spending about $50 to $65
If the House Value is $1,000,000 then you should be spending about $65 to $120
If the House Value is over $1,000,000 then you should be spending about $95 to $250

It is noticeable, that often very valuable homes in wealthier suburbs, have lower grade handles than is befitting the grandeur of the home. The owners have obviously been sold something beneath the dignity befitting the home. Do not make this mistake.

Do NOT make this mistake!

The finish. Most cheap handles are satin chrome and that is what you get. However, there are many exquisite finishes available now such as brushed nickel, Matt Black, Satin Brass, Graphite Nickel, Rustic Brass, and vintage pewter that look stunning when professionally matched with the style and décor of the house. You can find a grand range of finishes.
Builders are not into matching styles and finishes; they generally make it easy for themselves by mostly recommending the standard satin chrome finish. There is a great article about matching your door handle and color scheme here.