Crown molding is cheap and pretty easy to add later. If economies are needed, this is a good one.

If you really think you're going to want it then maybe it's better to have the builder do it for consistency, and then it's done and you don't have to think about it again. Sometimes it's difficult to find someone to do small jobs. But it depends on how much they want to do it. I don't think crown molding is usually done upstairs unless you want it in the master and the master is upstairs.

I would want it in the whole first floor. Not needed second floor. agree could be done later although seems easier to just do now depending on cost…

I would definitely not do the upper floor now - it's easy to do later. The main floor really depends on your floorplan (open? more closed?), the style of home (traditional? modern?) and personal aesthetics. If you love the look of crown molding, I'd probably opt to have the builder add it now for ease and consistency.

We also have 42 inch kitchen cabinets and paid for crown molding to close the gap.

8' ceilings?

What is the style of the house? If the style is modern/ contemporary, maybe you don't need crown at all. Except for a simple crown to close the kitchen cabinet gap.

And, no, if you have crown on the first floor, you don't need to/ have to have crown on the second floor.

9 inch ceilings, modern with open floor plan.

The 1838 house I lived in had elaborate cornice first floor, less so floor two, crown molding floor three, nothing floor four. Just be consistent/systematic.

If you really do want crown molding - do it for the first floor. Skip the second.

4or 5 inches will depend on the style of your house and the style of molding that fits with that.

Whether you do it now or later, I suggest you do it on both floors.

We have moved around the country quite a bit and now looking to build our forever retirement home. It will be house number 11 for us and 6 of those we built. We always try to find an existing home but after living in several, we know what we want.

When looking at homes we are always disappointed when the 2nd floor is not finished like the first. Of course you may put upgrades in the master, formal dining etc. If it is not a budget buster for you, I would put crown on both floors.

36+18+42= 96 inches. That is at 8 feet. What crown are you putting that closes the gap on a 9 foot ceiling? Or just "helps" to close the gap.

The standards regarding crown vary quite a bit regionally and at different price points. It was not even a discussion on my last 2 builds - it was assumed to be in every room.

But budget matters and region and style. Unfortunately, we don't know any of yours. Ok, you mention "modern" but I can tell you that what that word means to you isn't the same that it means to me. Nothing personal - it just may not be as descriptive as we hope.

To me, a modern does not have crown or baseboard for that matter.

But - easy to add later. In my market, you would pay a trim guy and then a painter behind him whereas during a build, the painter is there already (not extra trips). Your trim guy will charge about twice as much as the builder pays and the painter about 5 times as much. Your builder charges 150% markup perhaps. So it is basically a wash. You get to spend the money and make the decision later. But then there is the mess and noise in your house.

Are your ceilings 8 feet upstairs? That would make a difference.

Yes it is perfectly permissable to have crown only on one floor. You don't need the added expense of hassel right now.

IMO no crown in a modern house and if in the DR then everywhere on the main floor and there is no reason you have to do the upper floor. But I woudl do none if modern is your style.If the ceilings are 9' take the cabinets to the ceiling with minimal trim that is where I would spend the money.

I have a modernist house so no crown moulding, but from a practicality standpoint, it is a bit easier to paint and paper, and imperfections at the angle between the wall and ceiling are disguised, when there is even minimal crown moulding.

Regarding first floor, consider how dining room flows in the space. You mentioned an open floor plan and with house being modern, I wouldn’t add anywhere. In kitchen, if you really want to use, is there a natural place to stop. These are the things to consider in adding all or nothing.

On second floor, suggest not adding at least for now/what you decided on first floor. Would another upgrade, furniture, art, etc provide more impact or enjoyment.

@Panda Bear I think that 9 inch ceilings are really low honestly. :-)

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Panda BearOriginal Author

9 inch ceilings, modern with open floor plan.

We did both floors...always have. We have a wider crown on the first floor (10' ceilings) than on our 2nd floor (9' ceilings). Our staircase is opened to the 2nd floor, so we definitely wanted the larger crown in the upper foyer. Then the rooms off of that foyer got a smaller crown.

If you are trying to save money, do finish the first floor with crown, but perfectly alright to leave it off off the 2nd floor.

Our builder only installed crown in the formal areas on the first floor. All moulding profiles are standard, we were ableto easily source both profiles. I watched Gary Katz (professional trim carpenter) videos on youtube and was able to install crown in the rest of the house with higher quality than the builders' trim carpenter.

It will be interesting to see the real savings. Crown can hide a multitude of sins in the drywall finishing, Having no crown will require more skill with drywall and paint.