7 New Construction Upgrades To Avoid When Building Your New House

This blog post is all about which new construction upgrades to avoid.

When you’re buying a new construction home, you’ll receive a limited allowance to change or upgrade any of the standard selections the builder already chose. If you go over the (super small) allowance in any area, you’ll be paying the extra amount out-of-pocket.

When we were buying our new construction home, we worked with the builder to choose selections for all kinds of things: paint colors, flooring, fixtures, and even appliances.

And keep in mind – when you’re at the design center, you’re going to see a lot of options that are beautiful yet costly. Here are a few of the design center upgrades to avoid!

A builder design center is where you’ll pick your selections for options like cabinets and countertops.

The worst new construction upgrades to avoid

1. Appliances

It’s surprisingly fun to go pick out your brand-new appliances. What they can do now with basic things like refrigerators is so cool!

But try not to let the flashy new technology persuade you into unnecessary upgrades. Have a short list of priorities that’s important to you (like an ice maker in the fridge or a gas burning stove) and stick to only looking at appliances with basic features + those priorities.

Most appliances don’t require demo or professional installation work to replace, so you can always swap out appliances after you move in or many years later when you have the extra cash.

2. Lighting

This is one of the harder new construction upgrades to avoid, because you need lighting and builders typically provide a very small lighting allowance.

We ended up going way over budget when picking out our lighting fixtures. Of course, part of that was because the lighting allowance was so small (only $800!) that it was easy to go over.

But just like appliances, it can be tempting to choose the most stylish lighting fixtures during the building process. Save yourself on the budget and just go with whatever the basic lighting package includes. You can always get prettier lighting fixtures later as you get settled in and decorate your new home.

We went over our lighting budget when we upgrade our lighting fixtures. I love them, but it all could have waited until after we moved in!

3. Hardware & (most) plumbing fixtures

Cabinet and door hardware is one of the easiest things you can DIY and change yourself…all you need is a screwdriver!

So if you’re not pleased with the hardware selection your builder offers, just remind yourself that you would enjoy shopping for more stylish hardware once you’ve moved into the house.

The same goes for the plumbing fixtures…mostly. Sink faucets can be easily replaced later, and usually look better when matched with all new hardware you select too.

But if you know that you absolutely hate the builder grade shower head, go ahead and pay the extra to upgrade it during construction. It can be harder to retrofit a new shower head and may require a bit of demolition and retiling to put in a new one later.

4. Smart home technology

While some smart home features can add convenience and efficiency, investing in too many high-tech gadgets can quickly add up in cost.

Think about what’s most important to your family. While mood lighting and a built-in sound system are awesome, it might be a better option to invest in a smart home alarm and add those other features after you move in.

5. Hardwood flooring everywhere

I know, I know, you’re probably saying, “But isn’t hardwood flooring a great investment?”

And to that I’d say yes, most of the time.

But if you’re already upgrading in other areas, or you’ve got a tight budget, reconsider adding hardwood throughout your new home.

Instead, keep the hardwood to the main living areas and primary bedroom, and consider more affordable flooring choices for secondary bedrooms. Ask the builder for price quotes on other options, such as luxury vinyl plank or carpeting.

Opt for carpeting instead of hardwood flooring in secondary bedrooms to help keep costs down when selecting your new build upgrades

6. Customized built-ins

Most new construction homes will have some sort of built-ins made for storage or decorating purposes.

Our home floor plan came with built-ins beside the fireplace in the great room and a shoe/coat tree area in a hallway. Both of these were perfectly fine for our immediate needs.

Did I want more storage options, especially in the closets? YES. But upgrading the closets and built-ins would have meant more upfront costs. And before we moved in, we could only speculate as to how we’d use these storage areas.

Avoid paying extra for customized built-ins during the construction process. Wait until you move in and live in your home for a while. It’s only when you’re living in the space day-to-day that you start to realize what you really need for additional built-in options.

7. Excessive landscaping

One of the most surprising new construction upgrades to avoid can sneak up on you because it’s so tempting to imagine future you and all the things you want to do…like entertaining guests outside in your beautifully landscaped backyard!

Two months after we moved into our new home, we experienced a deep winter freeze that took temperatures down into the single digits.

Nearly all of the landscaping plants in the front of our house were killed by the freeze.

Thankfully, we hadn’t spent any extra money on landscaping when we were building! The builder had worked out a package with the landscaper, and when we moved in our house had a perfectly fine manicured front lawn and flower bed.

Your yard will forever be a work in progress. Trust that your builder has arranged a good starter deal with a local landscaper and just go with that. You can always add more plants and landscaping features later.