3 Tips For Upgrading A Builder-Grade Home
Sometimes, a homeowner will call me with a specific design challenge or a specific area that they would like me to design and renovate. But inevitably, sometime during the appointment, I will hear one of these statements:
- “When I was building this home, I didn’t know what to select, so I let my contractor choose the finishes.”
- “I just went with basic selections because I didn’t know what to choose, and my builder needed a decision quickly. The process was so overwhelming.”
- “We purchased a builder-grade house, and now I want to change everything.”
Often, these homeowners have been in their house for a very long time. They started out with a specific budget for their new home, and wound up with a home that was in their price range, but that lacked the custom finishes or details that they would love to add now.
Even homeowners with a very healthy budget for a new build can find themselves spending a lot of money on a new home and not love the final result because they just didn’t know what to select. Careful planning in the design stage can help homeowners be prepared. This benefits the homeowner in many ways. It can help to get a realistic quote for the project, knowing all of the materials you want to include in the house. Also, having decisions made early prevents construction delays, which wind up costing the homeowner money.
With a well-designed build package from your interior designer, all of those decisions are ready and available when your contractor needs them.
In the second example, the homeowner might not have had the budget to enlist the help of an interior designer when they originally purchased their home.
The solution for both of these situations is very similar. Both clients have builder-grade materials, and they are ready to upgrade. Consulting with an interior designer at this point is a great solution. Here are some of the design elements that I often suggest upgrading to achieve a more custom look.
1. Improve the interior architecture. Upgrading elements like windows, woodwork, doors, fireplaces, or other features can drastically improve your space. The key would be looking at the home and knowing which architectural features to highlight or change based on your specific home, budget, and other design elements.
2. Upgrade the kitchen and bathrooms. If the kitchen and bathrooms were not strategically designed, or the finishes and materials were not chosen carefully and for longevity when originally built, these areas can quickly feel dated and detached from other design elements in your home. Investing in a professionally designed kitchen or bathroom not only improves your lifestyle, but it can also bring a nice return if the home is sold in the future.
3. Upgrade flooring. Flooring makes a big impact in your home. It is important to choose flooring for durability, but also choose flooring that will not date the home and coordinate with other design elements. This is one of the areas where I see many issues in builder-grade homes. You not only have to decide what flooring to use, but also consider where the flooring goes and where it stops and starts in the configuration of your specific floor plan. When flooring stops and starts in areas that don’t make sense architecturally, it leads to a very chopped and awkward look. Also, choosing flooring without regard to other design elements can lead to the flooring overpowering or not working well with other design selections. That’s why, when updating a builder-grade home, flooring is often one of the first elements to get upgraded.
Of course, there are many other ways to add a custom look to a builder-grade home, but these are three of the most common areas. My advice for homeowners is very specific to each individual home and every client’s individual goals.
Until Next Time,
Gia
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