Last Updated on February 24, 2021
What Are The Best Upgrades in New Home Construction?
You’ve decided to purchase a new home. But, what about the upgrades? Which items are best to invest in now, and which can wait? Which new home upgrades add the most dollar on resale? Some upgrades you can easily forego, and other upgrades will be more than worth their weight in gold. Looking for some advice?
Let’s dive in as our experts weigh in on the 5 best upgrades for new home.
1. Countertops
Countertops are expensive and tricky to install on your own. Some builders offer basic laminate counters and others offer a wide range of quartz or granite options. There’s no question that gorgeous stone countertops really elevate a kitchen. This upgrade is definitely one that has shown to pay off when re-selling your home, and depending on the size of your home, they’ll typically cost you a few thousand dollars to upgrade.
2. Lighting
Lighting fixtures are an opportunity to reflect your personal style, and the right type of fixture can really set the ambiance of the room.
One important consideration to take in to mind is that while it’s easy enough to swap out the pendant lights above your kitchen island for a different style of pendant light, the situation becomes a bit trickier the swap is more significant.
For example, perhaps the lighting in the living room of the home you’ve decided on only includes two wall sconces and would depend on other lamps being on to ensure the space is lit well enough. If you know that your family enjoys playing games in the living room at night and would prefer a bit brighter of light, opting to update the lighting on your main floor to pot lights is a great investment. After all, filling holes in ceilings where light fixtures used to be and cutting new spaces in the ceiling for pot lights is quite the task later down the road, especially if your ceiling is textured.
3. The Kitchen
Your kitchen is the heart of the home and the place where culinary magic happens.
We’ve already covered countertops, so let’s think about storage. Does the pantry come with lighting and shelving? Is it large enough? What is the extra cost to upgrade this vs. doing it on your own post-build?
In this case, there may not be a huge difference in cost, but you can’t argue with the convenience of having your home builder do install the shelving systems for you.
Along with storage, you should also think about what kind of appliances you want. Also, when deciding whether you want to spend extra money upgrading kitchen appliances, consider factors such as size, features, and energy-efficiency.
4. Shower & Bath
Having a bathroom off the master bedroom (also known as an ensuite) is a definite luxury you do not want to miss out on, especially if you’re sharing your home with children or a partner.
While you’ve got the bathroom on your mind, what kind of shower or tub do you want? You can save thousands of dollars in the long-run by having these upgrades done in the construction process.
5. Flooring
To carpet or not to carpet; that is the question. Modern carpets are cushier and easier to keep clean than the scratchy carpets of yesteryear. Carpets will also be warmer on your feet—especially in our chilly Edmonton winters—but you might prefer to go carpet-less and opt for laminate, hardwood, or even ceramic tile.
This list could go on and on. There are so many ways to customize your living space. The most important thing is to take your time deciding. The choices you make at this stage in the build will likely be with you for some time, so take the time to pick upgrades that you will love looking at every day.
