Additional Cost and Options for New Home Purchase

How much did you spedn over the brochure price when you purchased new home in Irvine recently?

  • less than $10,000

    Votes: 5 11.6%
  • $10,000 ~ $20,000

    Votes: 4 9.3%
  • $20,000 ~ $30,000

    Votes: 3 7.0%
  • $30,000 ~ $50,000

    Votes: 4 9.3%
  • more than $50,000

    Votes: 27 62.8%

  • Total voters
    43
  • Poll closed .

pricedoutJay

New member
I would like to do know from the recent new home purchasers in Irvine, how much more on options, landscaping, upgrades and etc they spent on top of what the brochure initially had.  Thank you.
 
IP design center upgrade $15,000-$20,000 (half of it was spent on countertop)
Landscape $8,000
Shutters and blinds $1,500
 
ukuoy said:
IP design center upgrade $15,000-$20,000 (half of it was spent on countertop)
Landscape $8,000
Shutters and blinds $1,500

Landscape 8K?  SHutters/blind 1500? 
 
pricedoutJay said:
I would like to do know from the recent new home purchasers in Irvine, how much more on options, landscaping, upgrades and etc they spent on top of what the brochure initially had.  Thank you.

The poll is a little off in that it should be a percent, not an actual dollar amount.  Bigger houses mean more (expensive) upgrades.  Also, if you are spending more on a house, there is a tendency to want to spend more on upgrades.
 
too low.. those are great prices unless you had a really small patio.. and only a few windows.
 
ukuoy said:
jmoney74 said:
ukuoy said:
IP design center upgrade $15,000-$20,000 (half of it was spent on countertop)
Landscape $8,000
Shutters and blinds $1,500

Landscape 8K?  SHutters/blind 1500?
What's with question mark? Too high or too low?

Be more specific. Shutters and blinds is vague. (Quantify) 2 window shutters and rest blinds. Or do you mean all of the windows you got shutters.
 
jmoney74 said:
too low.. those are great prices unless you had a really small patio.. and only a few windows.
Marigold. so it's pretty small patio. I use flagstones for most of the area.
Four shutters in the master bedroom, two in the living room. All the rest are blinds.
 
There are way too many variables to answer this question based on your limited choices.  In general, 10-15% of base price of the house for upgrades.  Landscaping really depends on personal preference and how much you'll use your yard.  It could be super cheap ass with just concrete or extravagant with a pool, casita and outdoor kitchen.

$50k doesn't even cover the flooring in some homes.
 
We still have to get landscaping done front n back. Before even getting a single quote we have already spent 50k+ and counting.
Shutters for 30 windows & 1 door= $10k
New flooring throughout laminate/tiles 3000 sqft = $25k
Upgrades from builder = $7k
6 ceiling fans n tv/ light fixtures  + installation = $8k
Not to mention the new furniture/decor etc etc

 
Irvinecommuter said:
pricedoutJay said:
I would like to do know from the recent new home purchasers in Irvine, how much more on options, landscaping, upgrades and etc they spent on top of what the brochure initially had.  Thank you.

The poll is a little off in that it should be a percent, not an actual dollar amount.  Bigger houses mean more (expensive) upgrades.  Also, if you are spending more on a house, there is a tendency to want to spend more on upgrades.

I chose dollar amount instead of % so that it's more concrete (at least to me).  Unless the home price is stated, 10% can be $80k, 100k or something else.
Also it's assumed that bigger houses will result in more upgrade.  I don't know if you would buy a $500k condo and spend $100k on upgrades. I would buy a $580 or even $600k bigger home.  Just me.

I just wanted to gauge what everyone else is spending on extra stuff.  So far many are spending more than $50k. Not sure what the average new home price of Irvine is, but let's say it's about $750k ~ $800k, then additional costs turn out to be 5% to 7%. 
 
OCgasman said:
There are way too many variables to answer this question based on your limited choices.  In general, 10-15% of base price of the house for upgrades.  Landscaping really depends on personal preference and how much you'll use your yard.  It could be super cheap ass with just concrete or extravagant with a pool, casita and outdoor kitchen.

$50k doesn't even cover the flooring in some homes.

You have a good point, but I just wanted to see what other already paid to gauge current trend, not to come up with a formula or a full range cost model...
 
pricedoutJay said:
OCgasman said:
There are way too many variables to answer this question based on your limited choices.  In general, 10-15% of base price of the house for upgrades.  Landscaping really depends on personal preference and how much you'll use your yard.  It could be super cheap ass with just concrete or extravagant with a pool, casita and outdoor kitchen.

$50k doesn't even cover the flooring in some homes.

You have a good point, but I just wanted to see what other already paid to gauge current trend, not to come up with a formula or a full range cost model...
The percentage probably goes up as the base cost of the house goes up.  5% might be correct for a $500k home, closer to 15-20% for a $2MM home.  Buyers are less likely to do things after COE for hi end homes.
 
I would upgrade from the builder only stuff that cannot be done without tearing the house apart.  Interior insulation, extra tv and network wiring, hose bib, bbq gas line, ceiling fan prewire, etc.  Or sometimes they have upgrades at a reasonable price then its okay. 

Cabinets and counter tops might make sense since it might cost more to rip out and replace then to upgrade.

I can upgrade for about half price what the builder charges for flooring and other items.  Every upgrade through builder is more property tax.  You do however get a thirty year loan on it and it is all ready to go at coe.

Hopefully I will get the lot I want at Messina tomorrow and if I do well I will certainly share my spend as I go.

If you upgrade from outside contractors make sure you do everything you want before you move in.  If you are like us you will end up not doing hardly any of the stuff you said you were slowly gonna do after you move in.
 
Zippohunter said:
If you upgrade from outside contractors make sure you do everything you want before you move in.  If you are like us you will end up not doing hardly any of the stuff you said you were slowly gonna do after you move in.
This. 

It's such a pain to do renovations after you move in.  Flooring, paint, trim, etc is easy to do after COE, you just have to set up the subs before and do it right after you get keys.  I'm on the fence with flooring.  If it's a substantial savings, say over 15%, then it's worthwhile to me, but if it's 5%, I would just go with the builder to save the hassle and keep the warranty of the plumbing.

Good luck.  I hope you get the lot you want.
 
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