Consider hiring an architect to design a home for you. There are no options, just a design that meets your needs.

Hi Mark - thanks for your response. At this time, these are the options we have to choose from.

• Tray Ceiling Package(MasterBed, GameRoom,Den, LivingRoom, Media Room) - $6800

Wow, that seems very reasonable. Our builder wanted ~6500 for tray in master bed and dining room. We elected not to do it. The rest of the options definitely look like ones that would be hard to do later on, so I think you are on the right track.

@ Jay - thanks

@ Beth - The floor is going to be a concrete slab so i really don't know if the floor outlet can be done later. Again, all the structural options are what I call "take it or leave it" choice and there are no negotiations.

Pot filler ruffin for $1500 is a COMPLETE RIPOFF!!! That's around 90% profit!!

@ Robin - yep, that's not on our list :)

Can I ask why you want the garage on the right vs the left?

Even if the prices for the options are inflated it would probably be more expensive to do them later. You appear to have been caught in a typical builder's profit trap and should probably be thinking of getting free of it. This is a terrible way to design a house. It appears the old adage of taking a sandwich to a banquet applies.

Are you really limited to the builder's pre-packaged design and some overpriced options? There are simple changes that would greatly improve this uninspired amateurish design.

Tapered Craftsman columns are inappropriate for this big Minimal Traditional style house. Square or round classical columns would be better and should be spaced more equally to relieve the pinched uninviting entrance.

The different window sizes and low pent roofed pediment over the garage create a silly eyes, nose and cap effect which is reinforced by the tooth-like thing over the gaping mouth of the garage door.

Delete the oversized Colonial lanterns either side of the garage door unless you want to draw even more attention to the big door. There is no place on this house for lanterns.

Delete the odd little verticals in the pediments.

Even for a minimal traditional house placing trim under the windows is a terrible idea.

Board & batten siding only reinforces the barn-like massing of the house.

The worst part of the design is something no option could fix: the two story garage wing seems to have grown out of a properly symmetrical Colonial Revival house with no attempt to reduce the imbalance it has caused to the overall design. Put your hand over the wing to see what the house is trying to be.

I wish you luck playing the builder's game.

First, I agree that the exterior is a bit odd. I think it's the columns and the second-story room over the garage that are throwing it off.

I can't understand a bunch of these.

• Garage Service Door(Side entry to the house) - $1200 -- ARE YOU SAYING WITHOUT THIS, YOU'D HAVE NO CONNECTION BETWEEN THE HOUSE AND THE GARAGE? OR IS THIS A MAN DOOR FROM THE GARAGE TO THE SIDE OF THE HOUSE? I'D PAY FOR THE FIRST; NOT THE SECOND.

• Pocket Sliding Glass Door at Lanai - $1800 -- ARE YOU SAYING THIS IS AN UPGRADED SLIDING GLASS DOOR THAT "DISAPPEARS"? I WOULD NOT PAY EXTRA FOR THAT, IF YOUR OTHER OPTION IS A PLAIN SLIDING GLASS DOOR

• Bathroom #2 Exterior Door Lite - $1100 -- DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS MEANS

• Den in lieu of Dining room - $1000 -- WHY WOULD THIS COST MONEY?

• Interior Door Upgrade to 8"(First floor only) - $2500 -- I WOULD NOT PAY FOR THIS

• Interior Door Upgrade to 8" at Den - $200 -- I WOULD NOT PAY FOR THIS

• French Door - 8" at Den - $1000 -- MAYBE; I'D HAVE TO SEE THE FLOORPLAN

• Summer Kitchen Rough-in Only - $3000 -- NO

• Summer Kitchen - SS Grill, Granite, Sink, Faucet, Refrigerator etc - $16000 -- NO, NO, NO

• Extend Lanai from 10x24 to 10x50 - $11000 -- YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT DOUBLING THE SPACE -- PROBABLY, BUT I'D HAVE TO SEE THE FLOORPLAN

• Sand Pavers for Extend Lanai - $3000 -- NO TO SAND PAVERS; I HAD THEM ONCE ... GIVE ME A CONCRETE PATIO

• Oak Treads and Painted Risers - $5000 -- IS THE OTHER OPTION CARPET? IF SO, I'D PAY, AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT LASTS

• Tray Ceiling Package(MasterBed, GameRoom,Den, LivingRoom, Media Room) - $6800 -- NO, VERY UGLY

• Brass Floor Receptacle Outlet - $600 -- WHAT'S THE OTHER OPTION? NON-BRASS OUTLET, OR NO OUTLET? IF THIS WOULD ALLOW YOU TO PLUG IN LAMPS IN A LIVING ROOM WITH "FLOATING FURNITURE", I'D PAY ... THOUGH IT LOOKS LIKE HIGHWAY ROBBERY

• Gourmet Kitchen - $5500 -- VAGUE ... WHAT DOES THIS INCLUDE?

• Vent Hood/Microwave to Outside - $750 -- THIS SHOULD BE STANDARD -- WHERE ELSE WOULD IT VENT?

• Pre-plumb for water softener - $600 -- NO

• Pre-plumb and install laundry tub - $900 -- NO

• Additional Hose Bib(water goes thro' softener(if chosen)) - $250 -- NO

• Pre-plumb for pot filler in kitchen - $1500 -- NO

• Flip Garage(Reverse Electrical) - $1200 -- DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS IS

• Prewire for Pool/Spa - $2500 -- HOW SURE ARE YOU THAT YOU'LL BUILD A POOL IN THIS HOUSE?

• Gas stub-out for future Pool heater - $800 -- SAME AS ABOVE

• Pool package - $45000 -- WHAT TYPE OF POOL WOULD THIS GET YOU? HEATED OR NO? WHAT SIZE? WHAT QUALITY EQUIPMENT? DOES IT INCLUDE THE POOL DECK? TOO MANY VARIABLES TO ANSWER

• Spa package - $14000 -- DITTO, TOO MANY VARIABLES

• Screen enclosure for Extend Lanai - $2500 -- NO

• Additional Sink in Bathroom #2 - $700 -- NO

@CLC - we prefer the Garage to be facing north east.

@mrspete - thank you for bringing to our attention about the Oak Treads and Painted Risers. Currently, the option is carpet but we had $ allocated for iron railing in lieu of knee or half wall which was the standard.

If we have to put in Oak Treads and Painted Risers for Stairs then we have to remove something from what we've chosen and that might just be tray ceiling but we'd like to understand if carpet for stairs would be bad for the next 5-10 yrs?

Standard doors are 6" - are you suggesting not to upgrade to 8" ? We felt higher the door height, the easier it is to move furniture and stuff, of-course the width of the door isn't changing.

Existing Lanai:

Extended Lanai:

Vent Hood/Microwave to Outside - If we don't choose, the smoke will stay indoors - the builder should have included this in the base price but it is what it is.

The pool we are still thinking it's a 50/50 at this time - we will either build out the lanai area to include a bird cage in future or build a pool with a bird cage.

The only thing on our mind is the Oak Treads & Painted Risers. we thought we could live with Carpet but if this is something that can enhance the value and usability then we might swap another structural item for this.

And I thought it was just Porsche that thrived on options!

The eight foot (8' not 8") doors, trey ceilings, oak stairs, exterior kitchen venting (really not required?), laundry tub make economic sense.

If this is to be on your own lot, obviously forget it and start over.

Are you certain that the standard doors are 6 feet? That seems impossible as it's shorter than the height of many people.

Standard doors are seven feet (7'). Still probably hollow-core cardboard filled.

First is this house in FL?

I'm currently building a higher end house in a fairly high COLA area of SW FL and I think some of the options mentioned are ridiculously priced. I'll comment individually on your options first on the ones you want to include and then on the others.

Options we are choosing:

Elevation - C - chose this due to larger windows

It is the lesser of two so so options. Is this a planned community where you're stuck using the builder?

Pocket Sliding Glass Door at Lanai - chose this as the glass panel(3) slides in and it opens the lanai with wider access

This is not a bad price for making the door a pocket slider, but considering that the builder has it already planned out since it's a tract house, it does seem high. I would only do it if you're in an area like FL where you can use the outdoors all year round.

I am doing this. However, a caveat. What brand of windows does the builder use? If it's some cheap brand, they will never work well since you're pushing 3 or 4 panels into the pocket.

So I vote maybe on this one.

Den in lieu of Dining room - may serve as guest room in future

I'm assuming this is to enclose the space and add a door vs it being open? If so, then again it's not a bad price. However if you're thinking of eventually making it a guest bedroom in the future, is there a bathroom where guests will not have to run through public spaces in their towels or robes to get back to the guest bedroom?

Again on this one I vote maybe.

Interior Door Upgrade to 8"(First floor only)

How tall are your ceilings? And how many doors do you have downstairs? Also are these hollow core doors or solid core? Too many variables to comment on whether $200 a door is a good price or not. Seems high to me because when I priced out doors, I believe the actual price difference between a 6'8" door vs an 8' door was about $20 a door. That was a solid core Masonite brand door.

If your ceilings are 10' or taller, then yes. Otherwise no.

Interior Door Upgrade to 8" at Den - for privacy if Den were a guest room

Same response as above.

Summer Kitchen Rough-in Only - For future build out for gas range, grill etc

What does that include? Especially since they're definitely ripping you off for the outdoor kitchen unless you're putting in top, top of the line appliances and expensive granite!

Rough in for my summer kitchen is 1/2 of that cost you were given.

I vote maybe depending on what your rough in includes. I certainly wouldn't have them put in a $16,000 kitchen. That's a total ripoff unless you're pulling out all the stops.

Extend Lanai from 10x24 to 10x50

What is above the lanai area? Is it a usable balcony? If so, then the price seems reasonable depending on materials being used.

I vote maybe.

Tray Ceiling Package - for asethetic reasons

Nothing aesthetic about them. They're dated and that price is definitely a ripoff. Save your money.

No.

Brass Floor Receptacle Outlet - so we don't have to run cables from living room into the wall(where you'll find the outlet)

The price for me to put TWO brass floor outlets in my great room was $560 which is less than the price you'd be paying for one.

Overpriced but being on a slab you do it now, or don't do it.

Vent Hood/Microwave to Outside - since we aren't going with Gourmet kitchen, this is the alternative to vent out smoke from cooking.

This is a total ripoff since only apartments nowadays use recirculating hoods. Not new builds and especially not mid to higher end builds.

A rip off but must be done.

Pre-plumb for water softener - For future need

If you're in FL, this is a good thing to do as the water is horrendous. I can't speak for the rest of the country. But again, this sounds high.

Talk to some water softener companies privately and see about doing it after the fact. My guess is it would be a heck of a lot cheaper.

No.

Pre-plumb and install laundry tub

A laundry tub is a cheap item. Most probably a plastic laundry tub. And the faucet is inexpensive too. Certainly not $900 worth.

Flip Garage(Reverse Electrical) - Prefer Garage to be on the Right side as opposed to the Left side of the house.

Are you flipping the garage only or the whole house? And if you're flipping the whole house, why would it cost extra?

Now my thoughts on the other options:

Garage Service Door(Side entry to the house) - $1200

Is there another way out of the garage other than the front garage door? Where will you store things like patio furniture when you're not there? How will you get it to where you'll store it?

What about things like mowing the lawn, or gardening equipment? Will you be doing that or having a service? If you're doing it, how will you get to it? Will it mean always walking around to the front of the house?

Bathroom #2 Exterior Door Lite - $1100

What does this mean and why would any light cost $1100? Does that include a $950 fixture because for me to add a light is is less than $100 a piece not including the fixture. I pick those out myself.

French Door - 8" at Den - $1000

Is that to upgrade from a 6'8" door to an 8' door? That's quite steep a price!

Summer Kitchen - SS Grill, Granite, Sink, Faucet, Refrigerator etc - $16000

I assume this is for a Wolf 42" wide grill, exotic granite, expensive brand faucet, and a quality hood? Along with exotic wood finish on the cabinets? Otherwise it's a rip off.

Sand Pavers for Extend Lanai - $3000

My deck whole deck and lanai is 726 square feet and the price for pavers on sand is $4800. That works out to $6.61 a square foot.

To extend your deck means adding an additional 260 square feet. That works out to $11.54 a square foot. Almost double.

Oak Treads and Painted Risers - $5000

If you have oak floors throughout, I would definitely do this. Actually I'd do this anyway but know that your being ripped off by almost double what it should cost.

Gourmet Kitchen - $5500

What the heck does this mean?

Additional Hose Bib(water goes thro' softener(if chosen)) - $250

If I recall each additional hose bib for my house is something like $75. It just amazes me how much these production builders use "upgrades" to rip people off.

Pre-plumb for pot filler in kitchen - $1500

It doesn't take $1500 to pre plumb.

Prewire for Pool/Spa - $2500

If they're doing the pool package it should be included in the pool package.

Gas stub-out for future Pool heater - $800

Actually this one sounds reasonable

Pool package - $45000

What's included? How large a pool? What kind of materials? How many pool lights? Does it include a spa or a sun shelf? Never mind, I see below that adding the spa is additional. I can tell you my 14'x 24' with one extended area that is 7' x 30' for swimming, with a spa, lights, and a sun shelf came in less than your quote.

Spa package - $14000

Screen enclosure for Extend Lanai - $2500

I assume these are automated at this price?

Additional Sink in Bathroom #2 - $700

Must be a fancy sink!

@cpartist

Yes. stuck with the builder options and yep we are in SWFL.

Elevation C - this is the better of three(A, B and C)

Pocket Sliding Glass Door - Don't know the brand but I suppose it's not a cheap brand.

Den in lieu of Dining - Bathroom is across the hallway but getting a Den with Door ILO Dining is for privacy as it creates an enclosed space.

Interior Door Upgrade to 8'(First floor only) - we have 6 doors. As a standard, each door is 6'.8" and it's a high hollow core. The ceiling is approx 10' high(it's 9'.6"' I believe). Based on this, should we upgrade or not?

Summer Kitchen Rough-in Only - Just connections for Gas, Water and Electric, that's all.

Extend Lanai - Nothing above, just the roofline. Not sure if there is an option to support balcony in future but we went with extended lanai since they will add a solid roof so it might support future balcony.

Flip Garage(Reverse Electrical) - whole house and am told the county provides power on one side of the house and they have to re-do electrical if we flip the garage.

Garage Service Door(Side entry to the house) - To clarify, there is a door to enter the home from the garage and the garage has a main front garage door as well. The service door would be an addition to the side of the house and we are not choosing it since that's another door you have to be worried about.

French Door - 8" at Den - The Standard is 6'.8" door but it's high hollow core. To upgrade the door to 8' is an additional $200 but to upgrade it to a French Door at 8' is an additional $1000. I see initially I had incorrectly stated this.

Tara here in SW FL the two I would recommend are either PGT or CWS (Custom Window Systems). Please don't assume they are not cheap. There is a builder around the corner from me who built a $1.3 million dollar house and the windows and sliders are some brand I never heard of. Plus they are definitely lightweight and flimsy.

If you'd like to message me we can chat further.

Interior Door Upgrade to 8'(First floor only)

As pointed out by cp, the costs, as with most of the items, are quite in excess of the builder's cost and a reasonable markup. But if you want to switch to 8' doors afterwards, you will have to rip out drywall and framing and re-frame, repair drywall and re-trim and repaint. Only if you're skilled diy's, not a problem; and if that were the case, you wouldn't be asking.

Similarly, lots of the other extras are small jobs. But if you want competent pros doing those, you'll be paying premium rates.

May I ask which builder you're using?

I totally don't get this Mexican restaurant menu method of designing a home and outfitting it. (pick one for column A and 2 from column B..)

You are likely to end up with things that simply don't make sense. A pool and then not the upgraded kitchen? metal / iron balusters and carpeted stairs? 8' doors on the first floor with 10' ceilings - but hollow core doors????

It's like a mail order bride where you can say you'd like a spirited long legged red head and you'd end up with a chestnut racehorse.

you can say you'd like a spirited long legged red head....

Hey, Hey, Hey! (You bin snoopin'??)

Tara, at this point you might want to stop the notion of "no options". Goodness- you have a ton of them.

First- you are working with a developer, not a builder. Embrace it, because what they want is as much of your built-in equity as they can get.

Second- in an arrangement like this, the goal for the developer is to take as much $$$ from you as they can. They don't care about your priorities, nor your equity. What they care about is getting as many upgrades in the properties as possible, so they can sell the rest of the lots/houses.

Third- the reason that you're presented with "structural" choices, first, is that's where they make the most $$$. Really- $6,800 for tray ceilings? This is actually fairly easy to accomplish. A few bucks in dry wall, step down- count on it. They're making at least $4K from that.

Do what you want to do. But if I were you, I'd hire a GC, a la carte, to call BS on much of what they're charging for. Find some good pricing, and then negotiate. You're being taken for a ride.

We had a similar dilemma in figuring out what options to go with now vs doing them on our own later. We knew that the builder charges more than we would pay using our own contractor/subs, but it is still less to pay it now than to attempt doing structural changes later (not to mention very disruptive). So there is value in that. I would be inclined to shift your budget if you need to, allotting more for structural, plumbing and electrical options (much harder if not impossible to change later), and make some compromises at the design center. It is easier to upgrade fixtures, flooring, finishes, etc later.

I'd start playing hard ball with them, because they are ripping you off for some of these things. I would play ball with the vented hood. That's ridiculous. You'll never know unless you ask, at worst they say no.

I thought by now that exterior vented hoods are code? (Should be!)

I would do the oak riser steps instead of carpet. Yes overpriced but probably better now.

You mention you want 8' doors for moving in furniture? I do know there are some much larger pieces of furniture that may require the added height - my brother has such a breakfront - but he'd selling it WITH his house when he moves out. SO this depends on your furniture! As for looks, I think regular sized doors look fine in 9'6" homes.

I would skip the tray ceiling package and spend that money on the stairs, pre-plumbing for water and electric, and afterwards, the design center (or your own design features). Ceilings aren't really the first thing most people notice when they enter homes.

In Florida, I'd appreciate the pool option.

Has the county/power company already wired in the electric to your homesite location, up to the spot where it will connect into the house? If so I can see the extra fee to flip the house. Otherwise not.

Since you are on a slab is it possible to pre-plumb for that laundry tub, and then purchase your own tub later, for less?

Have you obligated yourself to this project before considering the cost of these options? If not, I suggest walking away from the deal.

I agree with artemis & Ms Pete. To me the options are mostly unattractive except the oak treads, the range exhaust hood and a pool. I would pay a premium to NOT have a tray ceiling and 8 ft doors.

I would ask the developer if you can change some of the amateurish exterior design mistakes and, if not, whether or not you can provide that work yourself. Rather than be distracted by developer cliche features, improve the exterior design.

That house would look twice as expensive and much more attractive if you would make it symmetrical and remove the garage. Spend your money on a detached garage instead of these upgrades.

You're dealing with a tract builder, even if the price is high enough to fool yourself that you are getting ''custom''. Walk away. Do actual custom, and get what you want. Not someone else's ideas of ''upgrades'' that are nothing but profit. And there's nothing wrong with profit. But the structuring of all of the profit in the change orders is the con man's game. Either call their bluff by getting zero upgrades, or walk away.

It is easy to say walk away and build a custom home, but not everyone can afford to do that, nor does everyone want to go that route (even if they can afford to).

Production builder homes can still be a great value, even with the annoying profitable "upgrades" the builder can take advantage of.

There are always compromises when building any kind of a home; it is important to look at the big picture (location, lot, neighborhood, schools, overall cost/finances, etc) and decide which things are most important to you.

Thank you all - We have selected the structural upgrades that I think adds value to the home.

Note: I appreciate your comments but we cannot build custom homes in the area due to non-availability of desirable lots plus we do not have the additional time to research lots and narrow down lots with public utilities(dislike well and septic systems), apply for rezoning and permits, interviewing and identifying the right builder and then, finally getting a construction loan and so on.

Tara we all have to make compromises. For ourselves it's been a 2 year journey building our custom home, plus the hours and hours spent researching and finding even the smallest details. So I understand where you're coming from. Just make sure the upgrades you're choosing are not pricing you above what others building in the neighborhood are doing. I say that because when you go to sell, you really won't get them back.

One other thought. In our area, out east of 75 there are all sorts of developments going up. Lots of open land and lots and lots of building. Be wary of being in areas like that because if you ever need to sell and they're still building, you'll have a heck of a time selling your "used" house when people can still buy new.

Compare that to where we're building. Our development is 18 houses in one of the only available plots not developed in our downtown location. You can't buy a new house around here anymore unless you buy a teardown and the city is cracking down on those because they don't want to lose the "charm" of the old neighborhoods.

Have the selections been finalized?

The only thing I'd add (assuming it hasn't already been said), is to see if you can get a feel for what others have done in the neighborhood, so that your house can mirror those options for resale purposes.

For example, my husband and I are taking a break from our custom home goal, and we're going with tract/production for now. We toured many of this one company's models and sold under-construction homes. We decided that if we buy in that neighborhood, we'll have to do things like the master bedroom bay window/wall (adds an extra $5k), just so we won't lose the sale, whenever we do sell the place, to another house with the bay.

Standard doors
are 6" - are you suggesting not to upgrade to 8" ? We felt higher the
door height, the easier it is to move furniture and stuff, of-course the
width of the door isn't changing.

I wouldn't bother with this. How often do you move "furniture and stuff" that's taller than 7'? Extended Lanai:

Oh, I thought it'd be a deeper lanai ... I'd be less inclined to pay for a wider lanai. Wider isn't all that useful, and it means more rooms are shaded /have less natural light.

Vent Hood/Microwave to Outside - If we don't choose, the smoke
will stay indoors - the builder should have included this in the base
price but it is what it is.

I am really surprised that this isn't standard.

I would do the oak riser steps instead of carpet. Yes overpriced but probably better now.

Yes, if you don't do the oak risers now, you probably won't be able to do them later ... at all. If they do carpet stairs, they're going to use plywood /paint quality stuff under that carpet; thus, it won't be a matter of pulling up carpet later and staining /painting.

It
is easy to say walk away and build a custom home, but not everyone can
afford to do that, nor does everyone want to go that route (even if they
can afford to).

True.

Tara
we all have to make compromises. For ourselves it's been a 2 year
journey building our custom home, plus the hours and hours spent
researching and finding even the smallest details. So I understand where
you're coming from.

Yup, no matter your circumstances, you're going to "give" somewhere. For us, we're taking the same route as CP describes above: The place where we're "giving" is time and personal effort.

Let's just say my whole day was spent deciding on stair railings, and where I want my electrical switches and I have to go back tomorrow because we only got through 1/4 of the house.

I know this has been implied, but I think it needs to be said, feel free to ignore it. You are not building a custom home, you are building a slightly different and slightly newer version of one of a hundred existing homes that you could be getting for a hell of a lot less money.

Yes, you will get a new home for a few years and after that you will have a very expensive existing home that you are trapped in. People are going to be willing pay pennies on the dollar for these decisions you're stressing over.

In the end, it is your money, so do what you want with it, but I constantly see people whose house payment is 30% higher than they originally budgeted because they got invested in building a house rather than invested in getting the right house. They come to me to fix their budget, and half the time they are just desperate to get out.

Good luck.

Yes to the hose bib.

Is it all or nothing on the patio size? It looks like it would be useful to extend it to the 2nd Bath door, however not in the other direction in front of the bedroom. The cost is actually what I would have expected. If it is covered, does it include additional electric for fans/lights?

I think the water softener can be easily plumbed later if there is room where your water heater is or even outside. If I were a buyer this would be on my check list btw, I may not notice if you have outlets in the floor ( even though you may wish you had them), but I will notice that you don't have a water softener.

Also, I would get the exhaust done. It's now or forget it and as a buyer I would be looking for it.

Get a quote for the pool. If you are seriously considering doing it later then I would try to get the concrete patio vs the pavers. They will likely not be able to match your pavers a few years from now.

As for the rest, the location is likely what will sell your home in the future so go for the minimum you will be happy with.

Being in FL, I would not only get the water softener but a purifier.

Cp, agreed. No useful aquifers in most of Florida. Softener And purifer, alas.