Congratulations! You’ve bought your brand-new home and are off to that exciting appointment at the design centre to choose your upgrades.
One of the questions we get asked a lot is; which upgrades should I buy through the builder and which ones should I do on my own.
Getting your upgrades through the builder is convenient because everything is finished before you move in, and you can include a lot of those costs in your mortgage. It’s less money out of your pocket, but you can pay a lot for the convenience.
When deciding which upgrades to choose, opt for those that would be more costly or difficult to complete after closing. Today we’ll help you make those choices.
Lighting Upgrades
Decorative lighting is a good example of something you can do on your own. Pot lights, for example, are often half of the price doing it afterwards, sometimes even less! The work can be completed in a day with little mess, and even if you do have to pay someone to repair and paint the ceiling, you still come out ahead. If you’re looking for some great lights and happen to live in the GTA, Bergsma’s in Milton has great options and Wayfair is fun to browse through too!
Renovating After Offers More Options
The same goes for cabinet knobs and drawer pulls. Let the builder install their basic hardware and then find ones you like that are the correct dimensions and switch them once you move in.
The kitchen backsplash is another upgrade to hold off on. Homebuilders typically add a lot of labor and material costs. Doing the backsplash afterward will save you hundreds of dollars, plus you have a much better selection of tiles because you’re not limited to what the builder has to offer.
If the kitchen appliances are not included in the sale, you’re probably better off buying them yourself. Big-ticket items like these tend to go on sale frequently, and you may even be able to get a bundle deal that saves you even more money. Plus, you also get to choose the exact appliances you want.
Must-Do Builder Upgrade
On the other hand, there are some upgrades that it makes sense to have the builder do. If it would require major work and expense to rip out and replace, you’re better off getting the upgrade before you move in. Kitchen cabinets, hardwood stairs, and a large master bathroom are great examples of upgrades worth having done by the builder.
You also want to take into consideration upgrades that can’t be done afterward and how they may affect the home’s resale value in the future.
Higher ceilings are an excellent example; this isn’t something you can change later and some buyers will not consider homes without high ceilings.
If you’re in the process of buying a new home or know someone who is and would like help making the decisions on which upgrades to choose, send us a message or hit us up on social media @kormendytrott
