Purchasing land to build your dream home from the ground up or opting into a community under development will mean determining which extra features are worth adding and which are not worth the extra cost.
It is perfectly sensible to put off some amenity and style decisions until later into your home ownership but there are some upgrades that you might want to consider installing while your home is in the building process as there will be much easier to install now than after the home is already built
Here are some home amenities that are easier to install during original construction than later on down the road
Cable conduits
In today’s ever-changing tech-driven world being connected for future, high-tech toys in your home can be a smart move. Building from scratch allows you to customize your electrical and tech setup needs for both now and into the future.
While more and more smart home features are becoming wireless it does not mean that a home should skip out on running cable conduit through the house while the walls are open and easily available to do so. If you are hoping to have any sort of surround sound and home theater system it is a great idea to just set up a reliable system that can be hardwired.
Radiant heat
If you always thought it would be nice to have radiant heating that has been integrated into the flooring it is a much more cost-effective venture to do it while there is no floor in the Home. Radiant heating can be more energy-efficient and somewhat low cost to install some say the price can be around six dollars per square foot for a floor radiant heat system.
This price is quoted for a system where a floor does not need to be ripped up for installation and put back down, however. Doing this after your floor has already been installed in your home will cost you twice as much or more. It is best and most cost-effective to go ahead and pay for the radiant floor heating now before the floors are put down.
Related: 6 Point Checklist on New Construction Homes
Outdoor electrical outlets
If you see yourself utilizing outdoor space as a living space and hanging out there quite a bit especially into the long summer nights, it is a good idea to have plenty of electrical outlets accessible on the outside of your home.
The best time to add outdoor electrical outlets is right now in the home is being built adding outlets after the home is already up can cost around $250 each.
Central vacuuming
Having a central vacuum system can make life much easier when it comes to getting the debris off your floor. Not only is it nice to not have to carry a large vacuum around the home or close it up the staircase, but a central vacuum system has also been shown to help reduce allergens and debris and last longer than a traditional vacuuming machine.
Installing a central vacuuming system does require running lines through walls and finding a quiet spot for the motor in either the garage or the attic. Installing the system after the walls are already put up can be somewhere around $1000. This is a much cheaper venture when there’s no drywall and everything can be run more easily.
Eco-friendly energy-saving items
“Sometimes items that offer energy savings will be more costly to purchase. The best time to purchase these items is when you are building and do not opt to purchase them later down the road when you can more easily afford them. The reasoning behind this is that they will immediately start saving your money on your energy bills the second you move into your home.” – Amar Realtor in Cupertino Real Estate
For example, high-quality energy-efficient windows will save on heating bills right away by retaining warm and cold air in the home when you want the inside of your home to stay warm in the winter and cold in the summer.
If you live in an area that is prone to drought, installing water-saving pictures in the bathroom can save a hefty sum on high water bills in areas that will charge high premiums for more water usage.
These simple upgrades may not add much to your overall mortgage payment but will certainly help in the future.