Need advice for new houses upgrades

[Sarah Sarah]

Please give advice for:
1. neccessary or not;
2. easy to be done later or not; if yes, what kind of "rough-in"/"pre-wire" should be done by builder;
3. price good or not (would be better to advise how much it would be when done by a contractor later).

Below are the price of some upgrades.
1. upgrade main entrance door to Masonite HD Steel Door: $575 to $750.
2. upgrade sidelights of main entrance door to Masonite HD Steel Door: $750.
3. upgrade transom with element style glass (where above main entrance door): $1400 to $1900
4.insulate garage door: R-12: $560; R-16: $700
5.add windows on the top panel of garage door: $ 540 (can I change the top panel later? how much?)
6.upgrade garage ceiling insulation from R28 to R40: $375
7. humidifier: $850
8. ventilation / Heat recovery: $2700
9. smooth ceilings $3200
10.paint color throught out: $2400
11.upgrade baseboards and casings $3100 - $3800
12.non insulated pot light $210 (if do this later, need pre-wire at two corners at diagonal line? need lay-in ceiling for the first floor ceiling?)
13.insulated pot light $355
14.upgrade to whirlpool soaker tub $1860
15. raise fireplace 12" (good or not for a 9" ceiling family room, will not mount TV above)
16.fireplace with mantle and granite surround $1400
17.raised fireplace with granite hearth $1650
18.extend upper cbinets in kitchen to 36 inch $1480
19.extend upper cbinets in kitchen to 42 inch (no price yet. which one is better, 36" or 42"? I will need stagger kitchen babinets as well)
20.kitchen crown molding $1035

Thanks.

 

[凸凸凹凹]

pot light你现在不做，将来做不了的。crown molding和painting日后找人做还更便宜。cbinets in kitchen加高会好看一些，但我觉得不实用，柜子那么高，取放东西都要爬楼梯。

 

[亚丑]

不知道这个你有吗,洗衣房加个小窗户.我没加,现在后悔死了.

 

[Sarah Sarah]

pot light你现在不做，将来做不了的。

Can not be done for the 1/F ceiling or 2/F ceiling? I heard that if there are pre-wire then will be no problem.

 

[Sarah Sarah]

不知道这个你有吗,洗衣房加个小窗户.我没加,现在后悔死了.

There is one in default. Thanks.

 

[凸凸凹凹]

我没说清楚，主层的灯一定要考虑好，因为日后改变是不可能的了，相对而言，二层和地下的灯好搞些。

 

[苦逼热狗]

没有任何事情不能事后做的，只是有一些可能会做得比较贵，有一些会因为patch做得不好，看过去特别扎眼。pot light你可以让他们做一个灯，单独一个switch，事后再连线会很方便。

1. upgrade main entrance door to Masonite HD Steel Door: $575 to $750. 看你个人爱好
2. upgrade sidelights of main entrance door to Masonite HD Steel Door: $750. 看你个人爱好
3. upgrade transom with element style glass (where above main entrance door): $1400 to $1900 看你个人爱好
4.insulate garage door: R-12: $560; R-16: $700 有人说这个没必要，因为车库跟房子之间的隔热层已经够了
5.add windows on the top panel of garage door: $ 540 看你个人爱好，具体能不能事后做，你可以打电话给几个garage door公司问问可以不可以单独定那个
6.upgrade garage ceiling insulation from R28 to R40: $375 如果你车库顶上有屋子，可以考虑
7. humidifier: $850 可以事后做，家里有木地板，有人冬天觉得皮肤很干燥的话，都推荐装一个
8. ventilation / Heat recovery: $2700 HRV吗？可以考虑
9. smooth ceilings $3200 可以考虑，不过要看看他们cover多少面积
10.paint color throught out: $2400 刷漆，自己diy没问题
11.upgrade baseboards and casings $3100 - $3800 可以事后做
12.non insulated pot light $210 做一个灯，单独一个switch，其他事后做
13.insulated pot light $355 做一个灯，单独一个switch，其他事后做
14.upgrade to whirlpool soaker tub $1860 看你个人爱好,如果自己买的新tub，大小不符合的话，事后不好做
15. raise fireplace 12" (good or not for a 9" ceiling family room, will not mount TV above) 看你个人爱好,事后不好做
16.fireplace with mantle and granite surround $1400 看你个人爱好
17.raised fireplace with granite hearth $1650 看你个人爱好
18.extend upper cbinets in kitchen to 36 inch $1480 看你个人爱好，不喜欢的话，事后拆掉，remodel厨房的时候买新的就好
19.extend upper cbinets in kitchen to 42 inch 看你个人爱好，不喜欢的话，事后买新的就好
20.kitchen crown molding $1035 可以事后做

 

[smile666]

9. smooth ceilings $3200

What's the benefit of smooth ceiling?

10.paint color throught out: $2400
We hired a Chinese guy paint the first floor and the wall around stairs of a 1900 feet house. It cost us $1200.

12.non insulated pot light $210 (if do this later, need pre-wire at two corners at diagonal line? need lay-in ceiling for the first floor ceiling?)

I heard that some people (with license) can do 4-6 pot light for $300. But I am not sure if they always can add pot light.

 

[kukululu]

说真的，只是感觉你们这个恶builder的upgrade有些贵
很多可以自己做的东西，还是自己做吧
或者以后找人

pot light,最重要的是有一个开关，只要把这个弄了其他的都好弄（说1楼的，2楼的好弄）
humidifier能装就装吧，因为好像以后自己装的话，线和开关不能和其它的控制走一起（或者说很麻烦，不如让builder给你弄一起了，好控制）
crown molding, 这个东西感觉builder要钱都特别高，拿到房子之后很好做
paint，感觉这个要钱太高了，给个比较，3000多尺的房子，我的builder要750
smooth ceiling, 这个可以以后做，而且这个价钱也挺高的
车库门窗户，当时问，说是可以之后做（是卖房子的那个人说的）

 

[maple]

房子买的便宜了, 升级当然要贵一点. 否则这个builder靠什么吃饭呀. 这个list里面的很多升级在其他一些builder那里都是basic的. 我看都要了吧, 否则你的房子看上去也太cheap了. 没有一个potlight,没有crown molding,墙是白的, baseboard 很窄, fireplace没有mental, 厨房的吊橱又短又小, 房子的保暖水平还处于10年前的, 现在最起码应该energy star了吧. 这些都没有, 买新房子的意义就没有了. 许多事是可以以后做, 但是你一旦搬进去了, 你会有很多其他的事烦你的心, 比如与builder斗智斗勇. 你将不会再有这个心情去做第二次装修. 还有一点你有1年的warrenty, 这一年里, 你最好不要大动, 万一有什么问题, builder会赖帐的, 你会得不偿失的. 贷款多贷1万, 分到25年, 每次payment只差一点点, 现在的利率怎么说都不能算高的. 而你可以省很多心, 不用请假在家请人第二次装修,弄得家不象家, 到处脏兮兮的. 而且请人装修也要花钱的, 只是稍微便宜了一点.你自己算算便宜的的这点钱和给你以后带来的不便, 谁轻谁重, 就知道哪些需要现在做了.

 

[Sarah Sarah]

If the upgrade price is not outrageous, I prefer it to be done by builder.

For smooth ceiling, that's only 个人爱好, not considering any benefits.

It seems with one/two pot light(s) with switch being installed by the builder for each room, then it will be OK to add more later.

I thought the painting has good price for 3500sf with some open to above (I can see some of you have better choices); and painting the above of the kitchen cabinet is painful. They don't provide the service only for the first floor, otherwise I will ask the price for that.

Upgrade kitchen cabinets to 36' is a must now, that's a default height for some builders. And for 9" ceiling, this can’t be missed. How about 42'?

How do you think the kitchen in first 2 picture? It looks quite stylish. Does it make a big difference comparing 42’ cabinets, with staggered and crown molding on top of the cabinets?

p. s.
Some ideas (and old prices) of upgrades:

Urbandale Upgrade Prices
http://www.buildinghomes.ca/community/forums/showthread.php?t=5913
Richcraft Upgrade Prices
http://www.buildinghomes.ca/community/forums/showthread.php?p=146343

http://www.tastyrealty.com/real-estate-market/%E6%96%B0%E6%88%BF%E9%9C%80%E8%A6%81%E5%8D%87%E7%BA%A7%E5%93%AA%E4%BA%9B%E9%85%8D%E7%BD%AE%EF%BC%9F/

 

[WXH]

One upgrade, which is not in your list, may be better done by builder -Upgrade the staircase to the hardwood. You may want to consider it if you want to do it.

 

[Sarah Sarah]

One upgrade, which is not in your list, may be better done by builder -Upgrade the staircase to the hardwood. You may want to consider it if you want to do it.

We put this into the list. Thanks.

What's Energe Star option BTW? Rebecca didn't talk about this with us.

 

[kukululu]

还有如果basement的楼梯想打开的话
也最好现在做了，不然以后好像也麻烦

 

[ward]

We put this into the list. Thanks.

What's Energe Star option BTW? Rebecca didn't talk about this with us.

Here is Minto Energy Star plan. Your builder should have similar ones

Windows

Low e-argon windows (including basement)
Insulation values
Exterior walls: R22
Basement exterior walls: R12 (insulation no more than 6” from floor)
Ceilings with attic: R50 insulation
R32 insulation in garage ceiling when there's a finished area above it

Electrical

Compact fluorescent light bulbs throughout

Mechanical

Direct vent furnace with 92% AFUE (annual fuel utilization efficiency)
Main supply and exhaust ducts sealed
Heat Recovery Ventilator (HRV) as principal exhaust fan and interconnected (in Singles only)
Rental hot water tank with minimum of 0.82 EF (energy factor)
Other

Whole house air leakage test and program certification by third-party professional