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House Beautiful spoke with design and home-building professionals about where new-home builders can prioritize spending and where they may be able to defer upgrades. Their advice favors decisions that are costly to change later—such as layouts, windows, flooring and exterior materials—while suggesting savings on replaceable fixtures, appliances, finishes and unfinished bonus spaces.
House Beautiful has published expert advice on how people building a new home can prioritize their budgets: spend more attention and money on decisions that are expensive to change later, while considering lower-cost or delayed options for items that can be replaced more easily. The report draws on comments from interior designer Shandon Barrett and builder and design executive Tammy Crosby.
The experts point to kitchen and bathroom layouts as early decisions. Changing plumbing or gas lines after construction can involve breaking concrete slabs or cutting floor joists, according to the report. Crosby recommends considering plumbing rough-ins for possible future features—such as a basement bathroom, outdoor kitchen or ice maker—even if the fixtures will not be installed immediately.
Windows and doors also warrant advance planning because changing their sizes or locations later can require siding removal, framing work and interior drywall repairs. Crosby recommends considering larger or additional windows in living areas and stairwells, as well as double- or triple-pane low-emissivity glass. She says those windows can reduce energy bills over the home’s lifetime, though the report does not provide cost estimates or measured savings.
The report also identifies flooring and exterior materials as choices that can be disruptive to replace. Crosby advises considering continuous hard-surface flooring in main living areas and deciding on tile locations before construction. She also argues that durable exterior choices can bring long-term savings, citing the expense and labor involved in later siding or roof replacement. The report does not rank specific products or provide a standard budget allocation.
Spend Early on Hard-to-Change Work
The recommendations matter because some construction decisions become much more expensive once a home is finished and occupied. Moving plumbing, altering windows or replacing broad stretches of flooring can involve demolition, repairs and substantial labor, while work on siding and roofing can require equipment and access around the house. Planning these elements early may help builders avoid paying for the same work twice.
The advice is not a guarantee that a premium option will pay for itself. Crosby’s comments about energy savings are claims attributed to her in the report; it supplies no project-specific prices, payback periods or comparisons between products. Builders need to weigh the upfront cost against their climate, design, construction quote and expected time in the home. The practical distinction is between items that are difficult to retrofit and those that can be changed without major construction.
That distinction can also help households manage cash flow. Barrett says homeowners need not finish every space at once. Deferring nonessential finishes can preserve funds for construction choices that are harder to revisit, while allowing the home to be personalized over time.
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Which Upgrades Can Wait
Barrett recommends saving on decorative lighting, plumbing fixtures and cabinet hardware, which the report describes as relatively easy to swap. A builder-grade fixture can serve initially, provided electrical planning supports the homeowner’s intended lighting. The report does not say that every fixture is interchangeable; compatibility and installation requirements still matter.
Appliances may also be candidates for a later upgrade. Crosby notes that appliances are standalone units with an expected lifespan of 10 to 15 years and suggests using a standard package or reusing existing appliances. She advises checking that cabinet openings and utility hookups will fit the desired future models.
For finishes, Crosby suggests using a single neutral wall color at first and updating rooms later. Wallpaper, accent walls, custom paint, trim and decorative molding can carry labor costs, but can be added in stages. Barrett says rugs, pillows and other accessories need not all be costly investments. The report also says some bonus rooms can be framed and left unfinished, with insulation, drywall and flooring postponed until a household needs the space and can afford the work.
““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 offers general professional guidance, not a cost survey or a customized construction budget. It does not give price ranges, regional comparisons, contractor quotes or data showing how much homeowners might save by choosing particular materials. The energy-bill savings attributed to high-performance windows and exterior products are not quantified.
Whether an upgrade is worthwhile will depend on the home’s design, local labor and material costs, climate, household needs and the terms of the builder’s contract. The report also does not establish that every bonus room can safely or practically remain unfinished under every plan. Homeowners should confirm structural, mechanical and code requirements with their builder and relevant local authorities before deferring work.
Apply the Advice to Your Plans
For prospective builders, the immediate next step is to review the floor plan and construction specifications with the builder before work begins. Ask which changes would require demolition or relocation of utilities, and request prices for options such as window packages, flooring and exterior materials. For deferred upgrades, confirm that rough-ins, electrical plans, openings and hookups will support the intended future additions.
Households can then separate must-have construction decisions from finishes that can be purchased later, while checking local requirements and the project budget. The report does not announce a new building rule or a single recommended spending formula; it provides expert guidance that readers can compare with their own plans and contractor estimates.
Key Questions
What does the report recommend spending more on?
It recommends giving early attention to layouts, plumbing rough-ins, windows and doors, flooring, and durable exterior materials, because changing them later can involve substantial construction work.
Which new-home upgrades can potentially wait?
The experts identify decorative fixtures, cabinet hardware, appliances, paint and other wall finishes, accessories, and some bonus-room finishing as areas where homeowners may be able to choose simpler options or upgrade later. Plans and utility connections should still accommodate future needs.
Does the report quantify savings from better windows or exterior materials?
No. Crosby says high-performance windows can save on energy bills and argues that durable exterior choices can reduce long-term costs, but the supplied report gives no dollar estimates, payback periods or measured comparisons.
Can homeowners leave a bonus room unfinished?
The report says some plans allow a bonus room to be framed and finished later, with insulation, drywall or flooring postponed. Whether that is suitable depends on the specific plan, construction requirements and local rules; homeowners should confirm details with their builder.
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