Couldn’t agree more with your approach—builders love to upsell those “convenient” upgrades, but the pricing rarely works out in your favor. I remember when we bought our place, the rep kept insisting that getting the fancy backsplash and upgraded light fixtures was a “no-brainer” since it’d just be part of the mortgage. But when you do the math, paying interest on all that for 30 years is just throwing money away.
I get why people cave in, though. The idea of moving into a home that’s already perfect is super appealing, especially after dealing with packing and moving headaches. But waiting has always paid off for us, not just in cost but in figuring out what actually matters once you’ve lived in the space. Plus, half the time, those builder upgrades are pretty basic—definitely not worth the markup.
The only exception I’d make is stuff that’s a nightmare to change later, like electrical or plumbing rough-ins. Otherwise, patience usually pays off, even if it means staring at ugly floors for a while.
You nailed it with this:
The only exception I’d make is stuff that’s a nightmare to change later, like electrical or plumbing rough-ins.
That’s exactly where I see the value in builder upgrades—anything behind the walls or under the floors that’s tough or expensive to retrofit later. I always tell clients, if you’re on the fence about adding outlets, extra lighting, or running gas lines, do it upfront. It’s a pain to open up finished walls down the road.
But yeah, those cosmetic upgrades? Nine times out of ten, you’re paying a premium for materials and labor that aren’t even top-tier. Most folks don’t realize you can usually get better quality for less if you wait and hire your own contractor after closing. The “it’s just part of the mortgage” pitch sounds good until you see how much interest you’re paying on that backsplash over 30 years.
I get the appeal of turnkey, but living in the space for a bit really does help you figure out what you actually want. Sometimes what looks great in a showroom just doesn’t work in real life.
Not sure I totally agree about waiting on all the cosmetic stuff. When I refinanced last year, I realized how much hassle it is to line up contractors after you move in—especially if you’re juggling work and kids. We thought we’d save money by doing our own flooring later, but it dragged on for months and honestly, living in a construction zone was a nightmare. Sometimes paying a bit more upfront for peace of mind is worth it, even if you know you’re not getting the absolute best deal. Just depends on your tolerance for chaos, I guess.
Sometimes paying a bit more upfront for peace of mind is worth it, even if you know you’re not getting the absolute best deal.
I get where you're coming from, but I’m always torn about whether the convenience really justifies the markup contractors charge for “move-in ready.” Did you find the refinance process itself impacted your renovation timeline at all, or was it mostly just juggling life logistics? Curious how others balanced timing with low interest rates in play.
Paying for “move-in ready” is always a tough call. I’ve done both—paid the premium and also bought places that needed work. Here’s what I’ve noticed:
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“I’m always torn about whether the convenience really justifies the markup contractors charge for ‘move-in ready.’”
Same here. The markup can be wild, but sometimes it’s worth it if you’re juggling a lot (work, family, etc). Peace of mind has value, but I still cringe at paying for someone else’s design choices.
- On refinancing: It definitely slowed things down for me. Lenders wanted to see the place in a certain condition before closing, so I had to time renovations around inspections. That meant living in a half-finished house longer than I wanted.
- When rates were low, I tried to lock them in ASAP—even if it meant moving in before everything was perfect. In hindsight, I probably saved more on interest than I lost by not waiting for every reno to finish.
- If you’re handy or have good contacts, doing some work yourself can offset the markup. But if time is tight, sometimes paying up front is just less stressful.
It’s always a balancing act between cost, time, and sanity... No perfect answer, just depends what you value most at the moment.
