Want to add some nice finishing touches to your new home?
As you sort through all the options for cabinetry, appliances, carpeting and plumbing fixtures, you might be tempted to stick with standard fare. After all, the upgraded cabinetry, specialty faucets and extra carpet padding will add to your final housing bill.
Before deciding to reject all the luxury finishes, however, consider adding a few extra features to help customize your home.
Recessed lighting in the family room, a special sink in the bathroom or a stereo system that pipes music throughout the house can turn an average home into a special retreat.
Lighting is one area that may be overlooked by home buyers. It is not considered as exciting as granite countertops and the latest convection oven.
Lighting can make a world of difference, however, in the way a room looks and functions, said Ron Sova, executive vice president of sales and marketing for Dartmoor Homes in Hoffman Estates, which is building homes priced from $465,000 to $800,000.
Recessed canned lights are one popular option for adding extra illumination in kitchens and family rooms. In a kitchen, this style of light often is added above the sink or other work areas.
Lights should be placed so that they illuminate the work area, but are close enough to the wall to avoid casting shadows when someone is standing at the countertop.
In a family room, canned lights in the ceiling can help illuminate a large area.
“People don’t always want to rely on floor lamps or table lamps,” Sova said. “They want lighting in the room regardless of where they place the furniture.”
In large family rooms, this will eliminate the need to add electrical outlets in the floor.
“Especially with all these big rooms today, you don’t have to have cords running across the room or you don’t have to guess at where to put a floor outlet,” Sova said.
The cost to add canned lighting will vary. In a flat ceiling, the cost is about $130 per light, Sova said. In a tall or sloped ceiling, the cost might be $280.
This type of lighting is particularly effective when combined with unusual ceiling styles. Many new homes offer two-story foyers and great rooms or the option to add a few feet to the ceiling height in a portion of the house.
“A volume ceiling in the master bedroom is extremely popular,” said Peter Stefani, president of King’s Court Builders, which is building homes priced from $719,000 at Kinloch in Naperville.
By choosing a master bedroom with a 10- to 13-foot ceiling, then adding recessed lights, a buyer can focus attention on unusual molding, a plant shelf or other architectural details.
Another option for enhancing the home is electronics. Many new home buyers like to incorporate a stereo system, television, DVD player and other gadgets into the design of the family room, kitchen and breakfast area.
It is wise to consider these options before the home is built, as some electronic systems are designed to be built into the wall or cabinetry, said Stephen Weiner, sales manager for Abt Electronics in Glenview. Keep in mind that stereo systems can be wired into the walls during construction to avoid speaker wires trailing across the carpeting and up the walls.
The options range from small systems that can be incorporated into an entertainment center or built-in shelving on one wall to an entire room filled with electronics.
Those who take electronics to the extreme often opt for the latter design for their equipment. A home theater can be designed with special seating, a large screen projector and many other options.
A full theater, which might be in a 12-by-12-foot room, can cost $12,000 to $45,000 for the electronics. This would include stereo components, speakers, surround sound and other options.
The cost for smaller systems or individual electronic components varies widely, from $2,500 for a movie projector to $6,000 for a plasma television to $5,000 for leather movie-style seats. There also are some portable stereo systems that cost $1,200 and can be connected to a standard television set.
While many home stereo systems are added into a family room and kitchen, some are incorporated into the basement. This lower level space has turned into an important area for some buyers, as they look to expand their living space.
Some builders will finish basements, while others prefer to let home buyers finish the space after they move in.
Along with electronics, buyers are asking for basements with large showers or areas that can be used for exercising and relaxing. Among the options are a sauna or steam room, an exercise room, a recreation room or a small kitchen.
“People are really thinking about their basements when building a new home,” Stefani said.
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Allison E. Beatty is a Chicago-area freelance writer. If you have questions or information to share regarding new home buyers’ product and design choices, write to Choices c/o Chicago Tribune, New Homes Section, 435 N. Michigan Ave., 4th Floor, Chicago, IL 60611. Or, email: newhomes@tribune.com.
