scrimping and splurging in building a new house

This is the second thread today on people building houses

Y’all must be real ot ballers, with 350k a year I couldn’t m afford to build with bidens inflation

I'd have to pass on your query to my builders and architect. I'm not sure how much the solid gold trim was, as I had only issued a blanket order of "spare no expense."

I thought this thread was about scrimps

You want shiplap everywhere possible no matter the costs. Formica countertops will save you money.

Go big on barn doors too.

Luxury vinyl plank over wood. Big savings


Spend money on good insulation and windows

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Spend money on good insulation and windows

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Nah. Premium grade windows are a scam. Foil on the windows in the summer will send their energy efficiency through the roof. The shimmer also adds to the aesthetic.

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You're building a house in these times with these costs. You don't need advice.

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wat?

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cat5 wiring throughout house

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This. I coughed up the extra dough 12 years ago for Cat6 pulled into every room, all consolidated in a network closet. They also pulled a Cat5e along with it for phone. So, I ended up with 2 data feeds to each room. That makes everything else work. Right now, I have Starlink set up on a separate carport, but I have it hardwired from there, into the house, through the network closet, and then to my office. It literally took me under an hour to wire the whole path.

Something else I have seen (and would have done had I known about it) is running PVC pipe inside walls from the top plate to network and cable outlets--especially if you have a 2-story house. It makes later upgrades incredibly easy, and it's a relatively cheap thing to do. The DSLD homes also do this for the outdoor wiring--they put conduit from the side of the house straight into the attic. That can make a later service install (i.e., fiber optic) look much better aesthetically.

We built our house with just about every corner cut. The exceptions were the wiring I mentioned, hardwood floors throughout, and blown foam insulation. Also, we installed a name brand kitchen faucet. Everything else was the cheapest possible (so that we could build out of pocket, without a mortgage). In 12 years, just about every Home Depot special faucet has required replacement. Both A/C units went out and have been replaced. Also, every appliance except the stove. Going back, I would've figured out a way to get "better" fixtures--maybe not the "best," but at least a step above the cheapest possible. Also, I would've spent more on the A/C units rather than going cheapest possible.

Splurge on replacing bottom kitchen cabinets with drawers. If you can afford it, all drawers, except under the sink. You will not regret it. Full drawers, not the pull out type behind cabinet doors.