List of Options

With every new home there are options you can select from. Some of these are as simple as the color of siding you want to the color carpet. But then there are some bigger choices. Here is a list of the upgrades we have chosen for the house:

1) Change from 8’x8’ to 8’x9’ garage doors
2) Bilco from Basement
3) 42" Kitchen Cabinets
4) Dead bolt on front door
5) Tray ceiling in Dining Room and Master Bedroom
6) PVC conduit run from basement to attic
7) 220 line for double oven
8) 220 line for dryer
9) Extra Cable prewires in bedrooms
10) Extra Phone prewires in bedrooms
11) Prewire for ceiling fan – light combo in family room and master bedroom
12) Recessed Lighting in family room and kitchen
13) Prewire for garage door opener
14) ¾” Copper Main line in basement
15) Recessed gas fireplace
16) Hardwood in Foyer

Personalized Extras

1. Better windows by fireplace (Round instead of square)
2. Change cabinets to fit double oven
3. Gas downdraft cooktop on island
4. RI for halfbath in basement
5. Maple Cabinets
6. Insulated garage door
7. Upgrade Ceiling insulation to R-38
8. Black Appliances (in our case this is only the dishwasher, which we'll probably sell and then change with a stainless)
9. Wall of Windows in family room
10. Bedroom door location changed and made into French doors
11. Removing the half wall and post between the kitchen/familiy room
12. Prewire for an above counter microwave
13. Clear shower doors instead of frotsted

All in all, about $16k in extras... not too bad, sounds like most people spend betwen $20-25k.

The only bummer is, no matter how much we fought for it, we couldn't get the builder to paint the walls a color other than white. We offered more money, to buy the paint, but nothing would persuade them. No reason or rhyme why, just wouldn't do it. So we will have to paint everything when we get there.... oh did I mention... I HATE TO PAINT! :) I'm especially not looking forward to painting the 17' high ceiling in the family room.

Some of the "extras" that actually came standard were:

1. Jaccuzi corner tub in the master
2. Double sinks in the master
3. Gas fireplace
4. Dishwasher
5. Tile floor in the foyer (which we upgraded to hardwood)
6. Stone and stucco on the front of the home

Now, when I say these came standard... basically they just toss their cost onto the initial price. So you're really not "saving" anything. But we thought we were going to have to pay more for a fireplace, so we were happy to see that it was included in the original price.