New Construction: Design Center Dilemmas
The freedom to choose finishes and design details is what draws many people to new construction homes. But at the same time, anyone who has stepped foot into a design center knows how overwhelming (and expensive) it can be.
When it comes time to decide on the upgrades and options, it’s important to think for the future, steer clear of obvious fads and select those upgrades that will give you the most value for your dollars.
I suggest buyers focus on items that can’t be changed easily, things that will be expensive, time consuming and disruptive to replace later on.
Upgrading the kitchen cabinetry and drawer systems is generally a good idea as the kitchen truly is the heart of the home. Add taller cabinets if you need the extra storage. Center islands are a popular option as well. Compare the cost of energy efficient, upgraded appliance packages for your kitchen from the builder vs local appliance dealers. By the way, builders often offer lower end dishwashers that are noisy when running, so be sure to check that out.
Sufficient lighting in the kitchen and bathrooms is important, such as overhead recessed and task lighting. And adding extra outlets to the walls of rooms such as the kitchen, living room, baths & den is often a good idea. Don't forget the possibility of extra outlets in your lanai.
Although not seen and therefore often forgotten, adding higher rated insulation to the attic area may be a good idea for long term savings. Upgraded windows for better energy efficiency also fall into this category.
Flooring... if you are planning to have carpet in certain rooms, the better the carpet, the better it will stand up to traffic and wear. Better carpet pads are also a plus. The standard grade of tile used by many builders is often lacking, that may be a good place to upgrade a couple of levels.
What upgrades do I suggest avoiding?
Builders make most of their money from upgrades, and tile work is typically one of the more heavily upgraded items you’ll encounter. It’s also one of the simpler and less expensive upgrades you can do on your own, or hire somebody to do, after you move in. So you may want to skip that kitchen backsplash for now.
Builder upgraded lighting packages. Most builders "upgraded" lighting packages aren't much better than the standard stuff, unless you get into the big ticket upgrades.
Faucets and hardware are another one of those things I typically suggest upgrading on your own later on if the buyers want to save some money at the design center.
I would never suggest upgrading the interior paint, the quality of paint used by many builders is not that impressive.
A general suggestion to buyers is to keep in mind that the builder reps at the design centers are there to upsell you on design features. The upgrades are where the builders butter their bread, so to speak.
Be aware that your appointment time in the builder’s design center will be limited, so do your research in advance and know what you want as far as appliances, paint colors, locks, bathroom and kitchen fixtures, lighting, etc. This will make the time at the design center much more valuable.
Write down the numbers/names/colors of your selections and take photos of things such as cabinet doors, tile, etc for future reference. Mistakes do get made from time to time, and it's always easier to refute the builder on errors if you have your own list of the selections you made.
Also keep in mind that once your design center selections have been finalized, you can expect the builder to charge you fees for change orders if you second guess your original choices.
My final suggestion is to invest in the upgrades that will make YOU happy. Every home buyer is unique and therefore may have different needs.
When it comes time to decide on the upgrades and options, it’s important to think for the future, steer clear of obvious fads and select those upgrades that will give you the most value for your dollars.
I suggest buyers focus on items that can’t be changed easily, things that will be expensive, time consuming and disruptive to replace later on.
Upgrading the kitchen cabinetry and drawer systems is generally a good idea as the kitchen truly is the heart of the home. Add taller cabinets if you need the extra storage. Center islands are a popular option as well. Compare the cost of energy efficient, upgraded appliance packages for your kitchen from the builder vs local appliance dealers. By the way, builders often offer lower end dishwashers that are noisy when running, so be sure to check that out.
Sufficient lighting in the kitchen and bathrooms is important, such as overhead recessed and task lighting. And adding extra outlets to the walls of rooms such as the kitchen, living room, baths & den is often a good idea. Don't forget the possibility of extra outlets in your lanai.
Although not seen and therefore often forgotten, adding higher rated insulation to the attic area may be a good idea for long term savings. Upgraded windows for better energy efficiency also fall into this category.
Flooring... if you are planning to have carpet in certain rooms, the better the carpet, the better it will stand up to traffic and wear. Better carpet pads are also a plus. The standard grade of tile used by many builders is often lacking, that may be a good place to upgrade a couple of levels.
What upgrades do I suggest avoiding?
Builders make most of their money from upgrades, and tile work is typically one of the more heavily upgraded items you’ll encounter. It’s also one of the simpler and less expensive upgrades you can do on your own, or hire somebody to do, after you move in. So you may want to skip that kitchen backsplash for now.
Builder upgraded lighting packages. Most builders "upgraded" lighting packages aren't much better than the standard stuff, unless you get into the big ticket upgrades.
Faucets and hardware are another one of those things I typically suggest upgrading on your own later on if the buyers want to save some money at the design center.
I would never suggest upgrading the interior paint, the quality of paint used by many builders is not that impressive.
A general suggestion to buyers is to keep in mind that the builder reps at the design centers are there to upsell you on design features. The upgrades are where the builders butter their bread, so to speak.
Be aware that your appointment time in the builder’s design center will be limited, so do your research in advance and know what you want as far as appliances, paint colors, locks, bathroom and kitchen fixtures, lighting, etc. This will make the time at the design center much more valuable.
Write down the numbers/names/colors of your selections and take photos of things such as cabinet doors, tile, etc for future reference. Mistakes do get made from time to time, and it's always easier to refute the builder on errors if you have your own list of the selections you made.
Also keep in mind that once your design center selections have been finalized, you can expect the builder to charge you fees for change orders if you second guess your original choices.
My final suggestion is to invest in the upgrades that will make YOU happy. Every home buyer is unique and therefore may have different needs.
