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Buying a new construction home
Hello! A newbie to TN here but I post a lot on TK.
H and I are in the process of buying our first home. We have a wonderful agent who we have been working with for a month or so. We originally began house hunting with a different agent and she was terrible, so in total we have been looking for about 4 months. We have finally found a house we really like! It's a new construction home that isn't completed yet. We would buy from the builder and at this stage of construction would be able to select our colors, etc.
My questions is for anyone who has purchased a new construction home what wasn't included? I know a lot of this will be laid out in the fine print but I keep thinking of little things that we will need to buy once we close and I know I'm forgetting lots of things.
For example, I assume the following won't be included:
mailbox
window coverings
mirrors for the bathrooms
But what else isn't included because I'm sure I'm forgetting lots of things that normally just come with an existing home.
Re: Buying a new construction home
We are awaiting start date for our new build. It will include mailbox and bathroom mirrors. Window coverings were not included but we asked the builder to include 2" faux wood blinds, which they will do. We also asked for about $10,000 in additional upgrades and they agreed to all of those upgrades.
You can get a list from the builder of what is included and what upgrades are available. Actually your RE agent should do this for you.
Agree with previous posters... The one thing I think it important to spend money on when the house is under construction is wiring! Pre-wires for ceiling fans, surround sound, cable outlets, etc. Much easier to do while the home is under construction versus after you move in. We have in ceiling speakers in 5 rooms of our house and absolutely love it!
Also - you'll definitely find this out during the buying process, but check to see what appliances are included. Appliances are not always included - required appliances vary by jurisdiction. And if appliances are not included, make sure a water rough in is included for your fridge and gas or electric rough in for your dryer. Also, if you are in a market with basements and you decide not to include a finished basement, I would suggest making sure a 3 piece rough in is installed for a future basement bath.
No one here can answer this question with certainty but your builder. Every builder is different.
Our builder for example, though it was a custom construction, includes mirrors (or an allowance for mirrors) for bathrooms. We used his standard silver framed mirrors for all bathrooms except for master (we upgraded to bevel since we have two separate vanities) and the powder room where I wanted something more decorative.
A standard mailbox was included but most of our neighbors have brick built-in mailboxes which is an upgrade cost.
Also, even when something is included you will want to know the quality. For virtually every item from flooring to carpet to cabinets to hardware to paint brand (and number of coats) etc will have a varying degree of quality. New doesn't stay new for long - so if something that is going to be high traffic for you is low quality - it will just end up costing you more money down the road.
The builder should also be able to tell you what 'grade' each of the included items or allowances allows you to buy - this is a good way for you to decide where you stay with 'builder-grade' or where you upgrade. Some builders will also allow for the upgrades to be part of the negotiations. For example, you might pay closer to the listing price or the listing price but then be able to ask for upgraded XYZ.
Items included also depend a lot on your market. In the NJ/NYC market -where I come from I never had a home in which a fridge wasn't included. After moving to the midwest it became quickly apparent that NO HOME comes with fridge. And of course, most homes do not come with washer or dryer. But you may be able to negotiate those as part of the upgrades.
Analyze everything to make sure you are getting truly a good deal.
Thanks for all the information ladies! I know a lot of it will greatly depend on the builder and what they include and don't. I was just hoping to get a general idea and all your advice is appreciated.
In the general information listed with the house it states that it comes with appliances, granite countertops and a fully sodded yard. My MIL suggested we confirm that fully sodded didn't just mean the front yard. We'll also make sure that appliances include a fridge.
Our agent called us yesterday to say the builders agent is out of town on vacation so we might not be able to meet with him till Sunday. I was really hoping to talk to them on Saturday but that's okay.
Our house building adventure (UPDATED 8/20/12)
Wedding Planning Bio
Our wedding blogged! (Click Brad & Briana on the right side)
Another thing to add...with our builder standard white, small appliances were included. They would have looked ridcoulous in our brand new house as they would have looked so small in the there. I would think that most people would upgrade this so plan for this to be an additional cost.
Thanks! It says in the description of the house that stain steel appliances are included, however, I realize there are lots of sizes and grades. The builder has another home right next to the one we are interested in that is further along in constructions and already sold. We would love to be able to see the quality of the cabinets, etc, if its already done in that home.
Our house building adventure (UPDATED 8/20/12)
Wedding Planning Bio
Our wedding blogged! (Click Brad & Briana on the right side)
Good thought! The house already has a garage door motor installed so that's one thing to check off our list. I did wonder though if two remotes came standard with it or if that was something we had to install. It also had a keypad on the outside of the house installed as well.
As far as the window trim, I'm not sure if that would be included or not. I'll check for sure. The house has nice bullnosed (rounded edges) to the dry wall so in that case I'm not sure if you even need trim.
Thanks for the advice!
Our house building adventure (UPDATED 8/20/12)
Wedding Planning Bio
Our wedding blogged! (Click Brad & Briana on the right side)
Oh I totally forgot that the garage door motors and openers were upgrades. DH and I couldn't believe items that just weren't in the basic package. In 2012, you'd think that's a basic feature, but I guess not. Some people want to install them themselves.
Our agent is working to get us a feature list for the house and I'm a little concerned about what items will be included and what won't. I'm sure there will be lots of little basic things we would assume are included and are not. In this neighborhood, I'm assuming a mailbox doesn't come stands because a coworker bought there a few years ago and didn't get one. It's possible that the builder might have change whats included now though.
Our house building adventure (UPDATED 8/20/12)
Wedding Planning Bio
Our wedding blogged! (Click Brad & Briana on the right side)
Getting an included features list is a good idea, but it definitely doesn't cover everything.
Also, keep in mind that everything is negotiable. We were able to delete A LOT of things that we didn't want to pay the price they were asking. I don't like the lights, but the credit for deleting all of them was so small we left them in. However, we did delete some of the bathroom mirrors and all of our kitchen appliances. In the end, we spent about 30% of than the base price in upgrades. It broke down as follows:
- Basement (10%) - full basement with 9 ft ceilings, rough ins for water softner, bathroom, and second small ktichen
- Structural changes (25%) - sunroom and additional bathroom
- Garage (10%) - upgrade to 3 car side entry garage, belt opener, and keypad opener
- Kitchen (10%) - layout changes, counter top upgrade (even if they say granite you probably have 3-5 colors to pick from and everything else is an upgrade), wine patry, gas line, farmhouse sink, island detail work on cabinets, roll out shelves, soft close doors, farmhouse sink, cabinet upgrade, extra lights
- Flooring (20%) - we upgraded to the highest level hardwoods on the main floor, tile in all baths, and upgraded carpet/pad upstairs
The rest is a bunch of small charges -- flood lights, landscaping upgrade, alarm system prewiring, dimensional shingles, elevation up charge, stone wrap, upgraded trim package, adding chair rail to some rooms, adding crown to some rooms, french doors to living room, tray ceilings, whole house humidifier, upgrading the front door, adding extra outlets and lighting, etc.
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On Tuesday, the Internet was abuzz with admirers pointing to Billups? abrasion as addition archetype of the ?Clippers Curse.?
One problem. There is no Clippers Curse. What believers accede a anathema the blow of the apple considers a alternation of bad administration decisions.Cheap Nike Shoes Oh sure, there are times if players accept been injured: Blake Griffin absent his aboriginal division because of a knee injury. Danny Manning, the Clippers? top aces in 1988, blew out his knee in his amateur season. The aggregation traded two first-round picks for Tiny Archibald in 1977; one ages into the season, he tore his Achilles? bond and absent the absolute season. Bill Walton had a alternation of bottom injuries during his seasons with the team.
Some alarm that a curse, but added teams alarm it a day in the activity of an NBA team.
Ask Lakers admirers about James Worthy breaking his leg just afore the alpha of the 1983 NBA playoffs, apparently costing the Lakers an NBA title.Jordan shoes Or ask them about Byron Scott and Magic Johnson both adversity broken hamstrings during the 1989 NBA Finals, with Scott affliction his afore Bold 1 and Johnson during Bold 2. The Lakers were swept in that series. Cheap Jordan Shoes Or Mnike womens soccer cleats custom nike soccer shoes indoor soccer shoes for kids nike nike nadal tennis shoes lightest nike running shoe buy nike air diamond turf cheap nike air max lebron vii cheap nike high dunks cheap nike air
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Look at the Clippers? abstract history: In 1981, they drafted Tom Chambers, who went on to accept a solid career ? with Seattle and Phoenix. Afterwards he averaged 17.4 credibility for the Clippers, they traded him to the SuperSonics for James Donaldson, Greg Kelser and Mark Radford. To be fair, the Clippers did abstract a approaching Hall of Famer in 1981: Tony Gwynn, who is in the Baseball Hall of Fame. In 1983, the Clippers called Byron Scott, again traded him to the Lakers. In 1984, they called Lancaster Gordon with the eighth all-embracing aces of the draft. Lancaster Gordon? Nike jordans shoes sales Meanwhile, eight picks later, the Utah Jazz called John Stockton. In 1985, with the third aces in the abstract and with Chris Mullin, Detlef Schrempf, Charles Oakley, Karl Malone and Joe Dumars all available, the Clippers selected, delay for it, Benoit Benjamin. (By the way, that year the Lakers called A.C. Green with the 23rd pick.)
We could play the ?name the bad abstract pick? bold all day. In 1987, the Clippers had three first-round picks. They went with Reggie Williams, Joe Wolf and Ken Norman. Remember Danny Ferry? Bo Kimble? LeRon Ellis? Randy Woods? Terry Dehere? Lamond Murray? Michael Olowokandi?
So, no, there is no Clippers Curse. There was just a alternation of abhorrent amateur cadre decisions fabricated by the team.Which seems to accept afflicted this division beneath new General Manager Neil Olshey. Who is apparently busily aggravating to ample the aperture Billups? abrasion leaves.