What to upgrade in your new builder home and what not to!
Are you buying a new home and feel like the builder is asking a lot for the upgrades you want to do?
Maybe you need to cut back on the upgrades, but want to make some wise choices about where to invest now and what you can hold off on, to do yourself later.
I’ve got some tips today to help you do just that.
I just had a recent Designed in a Click consultation with someone who was wanting to know where would be the best place to put in builder upgrades in her new home.
I thought my response to her would maybe help other new home buyers in her same situation.
CONSIDER THIS WITH EACH UPGRADE
I’ve seen enough remodeling mess over the years to know that this type of question should be answered with a real look at what it takes to replace or redo something later on down the road.
Here’s my basic rule of thumb….. if it would require a big tear out, expense and mess to replace, spend the money there and get a product you will be happy with for a long time.
I’ve seen enough remodeling mess over the years to know that this type of question should be answered with a real look at what it takes to replace or redo something later on down the road.
Here’s my basic rule of thumb….. if it would require a big tear out, expense and mess to replace, spend the money there and get a product you will be happy with for a long time.
1. FLOORING
Installing a quality flooring product will not only hold up better over time, but it adds value to your property.
If you have an open plan house, don’t chop up the flooring materials. People are running quality wood floors into their kitchens these days or are going for wood-look tile if they need even more durability. If doing real wood and you have pets or constant high traffic, make sure you could go in and refinish it later to touch up the finish if you need to. Make sure you have a wear layer that is significant.
Be sure to check your windows will have some UV protection on them too, or wood floors will discolor and fade over time.
Installing a quality flooring product will not only hold up better over time, but it adds value to your property.
If you have an open plan house, don’t chop up the flooring materials. People are running quality wood floors into their kitchens these days or are going for wood-look tile if they need even more durability. If doing real wood and you have pets or constant high traffic, make sure you could go in and refinish it later to touch up the finish if you need to. Make sure you have a wear layer that is significant.
Be sure to check your windows will have some UV protection on them too, or wood floors will discolor and fade over time.
2. TILE
Here’s another product that is a big expense and a pain to change out later on down the road.
The hard surfaces in bathrooms are smart to get right the first time.
Go for that free standing tub in the master and tile all around it with a floor tile you love. That expense right there, in a bathroom remodel, can really set you back and take weeeeks to install.
Here’s another product that is a big expense and a pain to change out later on down the road.
The hard surfaces in bathrooms are smart to get right the first time.
Go for that free standing tub in the master and tile all around it with a floor tile you love. That expense right there, in a bathroom remodel, can really set you back and take weeeeks to install.
3. PAINT
Paint is something that can get watered down in a builder house and that would benefit from an upgrade.
I had my mother-in-law’s house repainted before she sold it and they found an old can of original paint from 20 years ago when the house was built.
It was still liquid! My painter opened it up and there were no solids in it, it was mostly all water!
Builders typically use flat paint on the walls, in a lower quality, and it will show fingerprints and mark up fast. If you can upgrade here and make sure they are painting with the quality you intend, then that is a good investment just in the maintenance of your home.
When I do remodels, we typically spec Sherwin Williams Emerald paint, a washable matte type paint. It’s more expensive, but lasts years and has a beautiful finish.
I typically just use an oil based enamel in a satin finish for the trim and doors.
I don’t like glossy paint on trim as it tends to look cheap and show every imperfection. Unless it is intentionally done as a high gloss specialty finish and the material has been carefully prepared underneath, I steer toward a more satin finish look.
Paint is something that can get watered down in a builder house and that would benefit from an upgrade.
I had my mother-in-law’s house repainted before she sold it and they found an old can of original paint from 20 years ago when the house was built.
It was still liquid! My painter opened it up and there were no solids in it, it was mostly all water!
Builders typically use flat paint on the walls, in a lower quality, and it will show fingerprints and mark up fast. If you can upgrade here and make sure they are painting with the quality you intend, then that is a good investment just in the maintenance of your home.
When I do remodels, we typically spec Sherwin Williams Emerald paint, a washable matte type paint. It’s more expensive, but lasts years and has a beautiful finish.
I typically just use an oil based enamel in a satin finish for the trim and doors.
I don’t like glossy paint on trim as it tends to look cheap and show every imperfection. Unless it is intentionally done as a high gloss specialty finish and the material has been carefully prepared underneath, I steer toward a more satin finish look.
4. TEXTURE
You should also look at the texture of the walls and ceiling in the model.
Everyone is going with less texture these days. It is something we smooth out a lot in remodels. Builders often do a lot of heavy texturing to hide imperfections and make for an easier and faster job for the painters.
Redoing that texture is expensive and a dirty job. No one enjoys living through that in a remodel. It’s the equivalent of a popcorn ceiling, but on the walls.
You should also look at the texture of the walls and ceiling in the model.
Everyone is going with less texture these days. It is something we smooth out a lot in remodels. Builders often do a lot of heavy texturing to hide imperfections and make for an easier and faster job for the painters.
Redoing that texture is expensive and a dirty job. No one enjoys living through that in a remodel. It’s the equivalent of a popcorn ceiling, but on the walls.
5. CABINETRY
If you know what to expect with regard to upgrading your cabinets, then I would invest in higher quality cabinetry.
I say that, because I’ve seen people have “upgraded” cabinets that really didn’t have the kind of features I would have liked to have seen.
Here are the features that I like to see in cabinetry:
Upper cabinets that are tall in the space, like cabinets that run to the ceiling in a kitchen. It just gives a feeling of height and a more custom or “upgraded” look, in addition to adding more storage.
A door style that is simple and not too traditional.
Full overlay doors so that there is not a big gap between the doors where you see the face frame of the cabinet or the center stile doesn’t block the cabinet box when you open the doors. (See pics below.)
Full extension or soft close glides so that you can get into the back of the drawers.
Refrigerators that are built-in to cabinetry with vertical storage above. It makes for much more useful storage.
Built-in trash drawers, no exposed cans hanging around!
If you know what to expect with regard to upgrading your cabinets, then I would invest in higher quality cabinetry.
I say that, because I’ve seen people have “upgraded” cabinets that really didn’t have the kind of features I would have liked to have seen.
Here are the features that I like to see in cabinetry:
Upper cabinets that are tall in the space, like cabinets that run to the ceiling in a kitchen. It just gives a feeling of height and a more custom or “upgraded” look, in addition to adding more storage.
A door style that is simple and not too traditional.
Full overlay doors so that there is not a big gap between the doors where you see the face frame of the cabinet or the center stile doesn’t block the cabinet box when you open the doors. (See pics below.)
Full extension or soft close glides so that you can get into the back of the drawers.
Refrigerators that are built-in to cabinetry with vertical storage above. It makes for much more useful storage.
Built-in trash drawers, no exposed cans hanging around!
WHAT NOT TO UPGRADE WITH YOUR BUILDER
If you are building a custom home, ignore this part. You are getting what you want – full stop.
However, if you are buying a product like a production home and your builder is giving you the option to upgrade some items, then these are the ones that are less of a pain and expense to upgrade yourself, on down the road.
I would suggest to let the builder install their standards and then you come in and change them out, after you own the place and have maybe had some time to save up for these extras.
If you are building a custom home, ignore this part. You are getting what you want – full stop.
However, if you are buying a product like a production home and your builder is giving you the option to upgrade some items, then these are the ones that are less of a pain and expense to upgrade yourself, on down the road.
I would suggest to let the builder install their standards and then you come in and change them out, after you own the place and have maybe had some time to save up for these extras.
1. DECORATIVE LIGHTING
Of course, I’m all about beautiful, decorative lighting. But…….
…..unless that chandelier is 25’ up in the air, you might get better value on your light fixtures if you buy them yourself and have them installed by an electrician on your own, after you own the house.
Go ahead and plan what you will buy and make sure the j-boxes are in the right place for those new fixtures. Let the builder install their standard fixtures.
Decorative lighting is one of the most tempting of all upgrades as builder offerings are usually so typical and unattractive.
This is often the first place homeowners will go to upgrade.
Changing out the lighting is a relatively easy fix! It can be done in a day with little or no mess. (With a master electrician, of course!)
Of course, I’m all about beautiful, decorative lighting. But…….
…..unless that chandelier is 25’ up in the air, you might get better value on your light fixtures if you buy them yourself and have them installed by an electrician on your own, after you own the house.
Go ahead and plan what you will buy and make sure the j-boxes are in the right place for those new fixtures. Let the builder install their standard fixtures.
Decorative lighting is one of the most tempting of all upgrades as builder offerings are usually so typical and unattractive.
This is often the first place homeowners will go to upgrade.
Changing out the lighting is a relatively easy fix! It can be done in a day with little or no mess. (With a master electrician, of course!)
2. CABINET KNOBS AND PULLS
Same thing holds true for cabinet knobs and pulls.
As long the holes are in the location you want with your new hardware, then letting them install their 75 cent cabinet pull is just fine. (The hard part is drilling the holes properly!)
You can come in with your own selection of cabinet pull, after you own the house, and install that upgrade! No mess! Just a little elbow grease.
Same thing holds true for cabinet knobs and pulls.
As long the holes are in the location you want with your new hardware, then letting them install their 75 cent cabinet pull is just fine. (The hard part is drilling the holes properly!)
You can come in with your own selection of cabinet pull, after you own the house, and install that upgrade! No mess! Just a little elbow grease.
3. PLUMBING FIXTURES
While it is nice to have everything done, complete and ready for move in, most plumbing fixtures can be changed out without too much fuss, if you choose to upgrade.
I’m talking about faucets that are not wall mounted here. Upgrading a powder room faucet or a kitchen faucet is not that big of a deal with a plumber and generally affects nothing else surrounding the area when changing out.
While it is nice to have everything done, complete and ready for move in, most plumbing fixtures can be changed out without too much fuss, if you choose to upgrade.
I’m talking about faucets that are not wall mounted here. Upgrading a powder room faucet or a kitchen faucet is not that big of a deal with a plumber and generally affects nothing else surrounding the area when changing out.
4. MIRRORS
This is one place where I would just say “Hold the door!”
Just don’t have mirrors installed. No mirrors are better than basic builder mirrors, typically.
Oftentimes, they will just adhere plain, unfinished-edge plate glass mirrors to the walls and then it ruins the sheetrock behind when they are pulled off. Now, if they are framing in a mirror into some moulding, that’s a different scenario…..OR if a mirror fits snugly between two walls without a gap.
It’s those plain big, wide, monsters you see glued to the walls of bathrooms that I would reject and install my own later.
This is one place where I would just say “Hold the door!”
Just don’t have mirrors installed. No mirrors are better than basic builder mirrors, typically.
Oftentimes, they will just adhere plain, unfinished-edge plate glass mirrors to the walls and then it ruins the sheetrock behind when they are pulled off. Now, if they are framing in a mirror into some moulding, that’s a different scenario…..OR if a mirror fits snugly between two walls without a gap.
It’s those plain big, wide, monsters you see glued to the walls of bathrooms that I would reject and install my own later.
