Negotiating the Extras
by Karen Fuller | Mar. 19, 2009 | 4:00 AM
The process seems simple — visit a builder’s model homes then choose a location, floor plan, paint color and countertop style, and you’re done. Not so: There can be more to it than that if you do your homework about customized upgrades that might be worth the investment.
Alan Brown, president of Premier Custom Builders, has been in the business for 20 years and says he’s seen a change in the way upgrades and extras are done. “Builders used to build the homes according to a basic plan, then buyers would select materials and pick out upgrades after the house was purchased.” And though there was a lot of profit in upgrades, it was uncomfortable for buyers to go over-budget and out-of-pocket.
Over the past five years or so, that philosophy has changed. “Instead of negotiating extras after contract, we do it beforehand,” says Brown. “We spend lots of time with clients to make sure the plans are accurate and we’re building exactly what they’re looking for.” He goes through each material category with his clients, allowing for custom upgrade decisions to get a price negotiated up front.
So which upgrades are worth talking to your builder about? Experts from the industry weigh in:
Basic Layout and Design
Trends are important to consider whether you’re designing a home or going off a builder’s model plan. If you incorporate popular, crowd-pleasing elements into your design, your home will retain its value, be more up-to-date and be easier to sell when you’re ready to move.
Experts’ tips and trends
Green Bones
When you start negotiating the extras, it pays to start from the very outside of the project, on the shell or “envelope” of the house. These might not be the sexy upgrades, but they’re important in terms of efficiency and environmental consciousness.
Experts’ tips and trends:
Concrete exterior. Poured concrete instead of wood on the outside of a house means no cracks, no air transfer and no leakage. This adds up to greatly improved efficiency, lower utility bills and a happier planet.
The time to think about your home’s entertainment and technology needs is during construction, not while you’re deciding where to put the TV.
Home wiring used to deal mostly with where to bring in cable for the TV and sometimes got as complicated as hiding speaker wires in the walls. Things have changed quite a bit. “Many more forward-thinking builders use people like us as technology consultants during initial planning of the home,” says James Carpenter, architect and designer liaison for Audio Video Interiors. “We can work with the client and builder to set up a sophisticated infrastructure.”
Experts’ tips and trends:
Integrated systems. Integrated systems are hot right now in new-home technology. These function essentially like command centers where you can control everything — HVAC system, lighting, security system, entertainment — from one spot (or even remotely throughout the home). But these need to be planned while your builder is still in drafting stage to achieve perfect placement and include all the functions you want.
Countertop Upgrades
It may seem like a small detail, but upgraded kitchen countertops can set the tone for style and a design personality that spills over into every room in the house. But it’s more complicated than asking for just any granite upgrade. There are degrees, standards and ratings that describe granite. Various styles and finishes lend themselves to (and sometimes determine) different styles of houses.
Experts’ tips and trends:
Class system. Pay attention to your granite contractor’s classification system. There is not a set system in the industry, and different companies use their own ratings — one shop’s “class A” is another’s “class 3,” so make sure you understand the system your builder is using. Leslie Reddy, project designer for U.S. Marble & Granite, explains: “The more precious the stone, the more difficult it is to find, the higher its class and the more expensive it will be. Make sure you’re getting the class and quality you want.”
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