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A House Beautiful report recommends spending more during construction on decisions that are costly or disruptive to change later, including plumbing layouts, windows, flooring and exterior materials. Designers also suggest saving on replaceable items such as fixtures, appliances, paint and decor, and leaving bonus rooms unfinished when practical.
House Beautiful’s report on new-home budgeting recommends directing more of a construction budget toward features that are difficult or expensive to alter later, including plumbing layouts, windows, flooring and exterior materials. The designers interviewed say homeowners can defer spending on more readily replaceable items such as decorative fixtures, appliances, paint and accessories, helping them manage costs without committing to every finish at once.
Shandon Barrett, an interior designer at Love vs. Design, summarized the approach as spending in the right places rather than simply spending more. In the report, Barrett advises prioritizing permanent finishes, craftsmanship and everyday essentials, while saving on items that are easy to update. The designer also says homeowners need not complete every space immediately.
Tammy Crosby, CEO of The House Designers, advises deciding on kitchen and bathroom layouts early. Moving water or gas lines later can involve breaking concrete slabs or cutting floor joists, the report says. Crosby suggests considering plumbing rough-ins during construction for possible future additions, such as a basement bathroom, outdoor kitchen or ice maker, even if fixtures are not installed right away.
Windows, doors and flooring also merit early decisions, according to the experts cited. Changing window openings can require work on siding, framing and interior drywall. Crosby recommends considering larger or additional windows and double- or triple-pane low-emissivity glass; she says it can reduce energy bills over the home’s lifetime. She also favors continuous hard-surface flooring in main living areas, since replacing finished flooring can mean removing trim and baseboards as well as the floor itself.
The report places roofing and siding among the areas where upfront investment may pay off, because they protect the structure and can be labor-intensive to replace. By contrast, basic lighting, plumbing fixtures and cabinet pulls can be upgraded later if electrical and other underlying plans are suitable. Crosby also says homeowners can use standard appliances or keep existing ones, provided appliance openings and utility hookups match the models they may want later.
Spend Early on Hard-to-Change Work
The advice matters because construction choices differ sharply in the cost and disruption of changing them after move-in. A decorative light or wall color can usually be replaced room by room; altering a plumbing route, window opening or finished floor can involve broader demolition and labor. Planning for future needs—such as additional plumbing or appliance dimensions—may preserve options without requiring homeowners to buy every fixture or appliance immediately.
The recommendations are not a universal cost plan. What makes sense depends on the home’s design, local labor and material prices, climate, energy costs and how long the owner expects to stay. The report offers prioritization advice from design and building professionals, not a guarantee that a particular upgrade will produce a specific amount of savings.
Which Finishes Can Wait
The House Beautiful report draws a distinction between construction elements tied to the structure or utilities and finishes that can be swapped with comparatively less disruption. Alongside fixtures and appliances, it identifies paint, wallpaper, accent walls, wainscoting, crown molding and decorative accessories as possible areas to postpone. Crosby suggests using one neutral wall color during construction and updating rooms later; Barrett says affordable, changeable accessories can still make a room feel polished.
Bonus spaces may also be finished in stages. Crosby says some plans allow homeowners to frame an extra room and defer insulation, drywall and flooring until their needs or budget change. That approach depends on the design and construction plan; the report does not provide a cost estimate or address requirements for specific homes.
“It’s not about spending the most money; it’s about spending it in the right places.”
— Shandon Barrett, interior designer at Love vs. Design
Costs Depend on Each Build
The report does not supply project budgets, price comparisons or quantified estimates of the savings from particular upgrades. Crosby’s statement about energy bills is a general recommendation; the article does not specify how much homeowners might save or over what exact period. Actual performance and costs can vary by product, climate, installation and energy prices.
It is also not clear whether every suggested rough-in or unfinished room will be practical under a particular home plan. The source does not discuss local building codes, permit requirements, contractor pricing or the effect of postponing work on later construction costs. Homeowners would need to confirm design and utility decisions with their builder and relevant professionals.
Set Priorities Before Construction
For prospective builders, the report’s advice points to a practical next step: review the floor plan, utility locations, window and door openings, flooring transitions, exterior materials and appliance dimensions before construction decisions are locked in. Homeowners can then ask their builder which changes would require demolition or additional labor and which finishes can be installed later.
Before deferring work, owners should confirm that unfinished areas and future upgrades fit the construction plan and applicable local requirements. The report does not announce a policy change or a new industry standard; it is expert guidance for budgeting. The final spending choices remain dependent on each household’s priorities, project costs and plans for the home.
Key Questions
What does the report recommend spending more on?
It recommends prioritizing plumbing and room layouts, windows and doors, main-area flooring, and durable exterior materials because changing them later can be disruptive or labor-intensive.
Which new-home costs might homeowners defer?
The experts identify decorative fixtures, appliances, paint and wall treatments, accessories, and some bonus-room finishes as items that may be postponed or replaced later. Feasibility depends on the home plan and utility connections.
Should homeowners install plumbing for future projects?
Crosby recommends considering plumbing rough-ins during construction for possible future features, such as a basement bathroom or outdoor kitchen. Homeowners should discuss the plan and cost with their builder; the report does not provide a price estimate.
Does the report quantify how much these choices save?
No. It offers expert guidance but gives no project-specific prices or quantified savings. Costs and potential energy savings depend on the home, products, installation and local conditions.
Source: rss
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