Home upgrades that really pay off

Building a home is a fun process. You get to pick each and every facet of your home from window placement to cabinet height to hardware colors. You’ll likely opt to upgrade some items in your home, such as vaulted ceilings or stone facings on the exterior of your home. There’s a lot of options, and with Faber Homes, the possibilities are endless, so what will you upgrade while you build, and what will you work on years down the road?

It’s important to understand this distinction when you go to your preconstruction meeting, as there are certain upgrades that are easier done prior to the home being built and other upgrades that will immediately increase the value of your home. If you plan on moving in the next five to ten years, you’ll want to take your home’s resale value into consideration, so we’ve compiled a list of upgrades that will pay off at resale.

Before you build

Modern or updated bathrooms. Glass shower doors that reveal stone tile walls can really help amp up your home value. Also think about the small things like hardware and faucets. The more elaborate and elegant, the nicer your space looks to you and everyone else. Make a single sink a double right away to make your life (and the future homeowner’s) easier.

Modern or updated kitchens. Recessed lights leave room for families to imagine their own taste in the space, as opposed to large light fixtures that are uniquely your style. Stone or trendy glass countertops add value immediately, and are very simple to design around. You cannot put two layers of vinyl over each other, so if you go for vinyl, make sure it’s a neutral color. Otherwise, we recommend laminate, wood, or tile. A complete kitchen remodel later on will run around $30,000 - $40,000 but might only return $25,000 - $35,000 at resale.

Finished basement. Our Superior Walls make it easy to quickly finish a basement, and our overall familiarity with them makes it a very easy process for us. Don’t feel like messing with private contractors who charge an arm and a leg for upgraded spaces? Talk to a Faber representative about the opportunity to have your basement finished while you build.

Natural lighting. It’s hard to estimate how much natural light will come in through our windows before we are in the house. It all depends on where the sun rises and sets. If a room seems to closed-off to you, more windows can open up the room and bring more light in. This upgrade is much less expensive to implement before you move in.

After you build

Landscaping. We’ve all heard of curb appeal. It’s a real thing! Keep it simple with small shrubbery and flowering plants, and opt for a finished paver or poured polished concrete walkway. Don’t be afraid to spend money on perennials, because they come back year after year bigger and healthier (if you take care of them).

Patios, porches, or decks. At Faber Homes, we aim to not only provide you with a beautifully built home, but also a home that’s in an attractive neighborhood on plenty of land. After you move in, think about spaces for entertaining and where you’d like people to gather. That might mean a deck or patio. According to FrontDoor.com, a 16x20 ft. wood deck will run about $10,000 and you should be able to recoup about 90 percent of that cost at resale. Add eye appeal by including spaces for decorative planters.