Hellobee Boards

We are just about finished up with our new build, moving in hopefully next month -- we are about 5% in upgrades since our contract was signed, however we did write in a BUNCH of the ones we knew we would be doing into our contract, these are after the fact when picking out in the process. We tried to write as much in because we wanted to be as close to our amount as possible, we are pretty proud of how well we did compared to those we've talked too who added 20%+ to their initial price.

Base price for us wasn't even close to what we wanted, everything was as basic/builder grade as it could get so we pretty much upgraded everything in our contract. However, we also cutback on other items to balance it out (we are not finishing our basement right away just framing it to help cut down on costs.)

Edit: I just looked at our paperwork and the "base" price on our house we are over 30% over if we would have done it according to their specs.

@skinnycow: That's great. It might be nice to start perusing sites like Houzz so you have a sense of what you want to ask for. For example, I knew I wanted quartz countertops in kitchen so it was helpful to build that in when we were negotiating. The more specific you are at the contract stage, the better.

I think what's important is to think about the things you absolutely have to have to be happy and build those into the contract, and then after that divide the remaining wish list between "its going to be a pain the rear to get this done after we move in" vs. "we'll need to wait a few years to save and get it done later."

Things that I would build into the contract are longterm flooring solutions, kitchen functionality (I'm a huge fan of soft-close cabinets and pull outs in the cabinets and large sinks), any built-ins you might want like media or mudroom or laundry room, and lighting (like a foyer pendant for a 2-story entry way that will be a huge pain to change later). If its not included, I'd make sure drainage and grading is done in the backyard and a concrete pad or decking big enough to do something with if you decide not to do a covered patio or something. Getting concrete in later is a pain. Generally, I prefer to have anything plumbing related done while the house is being built. If you like carpeting in living spaces/stairs (I am a huge fan of carpet in bedrooms and stairs for noise and kid safety), I would upgrade to the best/durable carpeting you can afford, even if you have to compromise a little bit on hard flooring. The cheapest builder carpet stretches and you get warping and buckling after a few years. Anything that has to do with bathrooms is ludicriously expensive later on, so I would pick whatever makes you happy now and avoid remodeling or upgrading later.

Things I'm happy to defer until later are moldings or trim, window coverings, covered patios, serious landscaping, paint, finishing a basement (I would want framing, plumbing, and some basic electrical done) and fancier appliances.

Also, I'm generally more in favor of more bedrooms than optional spaces. I'd prefer to get rid of walls and doors than add them later on!

Oh, and don't add any trees close to your roofline in landscaping - especially fruit - it attracts varmints!