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A House Beautiful report recommends spending early on home features that are difficult or disruptive to change, including plumbing layouts, windows, flooring and exterior materials. Designers say homeowners can save by choosing standard fixtures and appliances, simple finishes and unfinished bonus spaces, then updating them later.
A House Beautiful report featuring home-design and building experts recommends that new-home buyers prioritize layouts, windows, flooring and exterior materials—features that can be costly to alter after construction—while deferring easily replaced fixtures, finishes and bonus-room work to keep initial costs in check. The advice centers on planning for long-term needs without paying to complete every detail upfront.
Shandon Barrett, an interior designer at Love vs. Design, said homeowners should focus spending on permanent finishes, craftsmanship and everyday essentials, rather than simply choosing the most expensive options. “It’s not about spending the most money; it’s about spending it in the right places,” Barrett said. She added that people can save on items that are easy to update and need not finish every space at once.
Tammy Crosby, CEO of The House Designers, advised settling kitchen and bathroom layouts early because moving water or gas lines can involve breaking concrete slabs or cutting floor joists. She suggested installing plumbing rough-ins during construction for possible future features, such as a basement bathroom, outdoor kitchen or ice-maker, even if the fixtures are not installed right away.
Windows and doors also warrant early decisions, Crosby said, because changing their size or placement later can require work on siding, framing and interior drywall. She recommended considering larger or additional windows in living areas and stairwells, as well as double- or triple-pane low-emissivity glass. Crosby said those windows can reduce energy bills over the home’s lifetime; the source report does not provide a cost estimate or specify the savings for a particular home.
For flooring, Crosby recommended continuous hard surfaces in main living areas and deciding on tile before construction is complete. Although floors can be replaced, removing them may also require taking out trim and baseboards, adding labor and disruption. She also urged investment in durable exterior choices, noting that later siding or roof work can require scaffolding, disposal and substantial labor.
On the savings side, the experts said decorative lighting, plumbing fixtures and cabinet pulls can be replaced later, provided electrical and other underlying plans accommodate future choices. Standard appliances—or appliances a homeowner already owns—can also work initially, Crosby said, if the openings and utility hookups match the intended replacements. She identified paint, wallpaper, trim and accessories as other areas where buyers can choose simpler options and make changes over time.
Crosby said homeowners can leave a bonus room unfinished if the home plan allows it to be completed later. She advised delaying insulation, drywall and flooring in that extra space until the owner’s needs or budget warrant the work. That approach avoids paying to finish square footage that may not be immediately needed.
Put Early Spending Into Hard-to-Change Work
The advice matters because the cost of an upgrade is not just its purchase price: the timing and disruption of installation can determine whether a choice is economical. Changing a layout, window opening or exterior after the home is built may involve removing or rebuilding other components. By contrast, many decorative choices can be changed without reopening walls or altering structural work.
For buyers working within a construction budget, separating infrastructure from finish choices can help preserve flexibility. A planned rough-in or correctly sized appliance opening can leave room for a later upgrade, while a simpler light fixture or wall color may serve in the meantime. These are expert recommendations, not a guarantee of savings; actual costs depend on the house, labor and materials.
double pane low-emissivity windows
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Plan the Structure Before Finishes
The report’s distinction is between elements that are integrated into a home’s construction and those that can be swapped with relatively limited work. Plumbing routes, framing and window openings are established as the house is built. Flooring, fixtures and decorative finishes may be replaceable, but replacement can still involve labor, cleanup and inconvenience.
The experts also frame construction as a sequence of decisions rather than a requirement to complete every room at once. A homeowner can plan for future needs—such as a bathroom or appliance—while postponing installation or finishing work. That strategy depends on coordinating the plans and utility connections with the builder before construction reaches the relevant stage.
““It’s not about spending the most money; it’s about spending it in the right places.””
— Shandon Barrett, interior designer at Love vs. Design
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Costs Depend on Each Build
The report does not give project-specific budgets, contractor estimates or a method for calculating the payback period for higher-cost windows and exterior materials. Crosby’s claims about potential long-term savings are expert guidance, not quantified results for a particular house. The actual cost of making changes later will depend on the home’s design, construction methods, local labor rates and selected products.
It is also not clear from the report whether every builder or plan can accommodate unfinished bonus rooms or future utility connections at the same cost. Buyers would need to confirm feasibility and pricing with their builder before relying on those options.
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Confirm Choices With the Builder
Homeowners preparing to build can use the recommendations as a checklist for conversations with their design and construction teams. Before plans are finalized, they can ask which layout decisions, openings and utility rough-ins would be expensive to change, and request separate pricing for immediate work and deferred finishes.
They can also confirm appliance dimensions and hookups, identify which rooms may remain unfinished, and compare product costs with installation and future replacement costs. The report does not announce a new policy or construction deadline; the next step for individual buyers is to test these recommendations against their plans, budget and builder’s estimates.
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Key Questions
Which home-building features do the experts recommend prioritizing?
They recommend settling kitchen and bathroom layouts, plumbing plans, windows and doors early, and considering durable flooring and exterior materials. These can be more involved to alter after construction.
What upgrades can homeowners defer?
The experts say buyers can consider postponing decorative fixtures, cabinet pulls, custom paint and trim, accessories and some bonus-room finishing. The underlying electrical, utility and room plans should still account for future needs.
Can standard appliances be used in a new home?
Yes, according to Crosby, homeowners can use a standard package or appliances they already own, as long as the openings and utility hookups match the appliances they may want later.
Does the report quantify how much these choices save?
No. The report offers expert recommendations but does not provide specific cost comparisons or savings estimates. Prices and the cost of later changes will vary by project.
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