TL;DR
House Beautiful’s report outlines advice from interior designer Shandon Barrett and home-design executive Tammy Crosby on allocating a new-build budget. They recommend spending earlier on elements that are costly to change later, while delaying decorative finishes and some bonus-room work.
The advice is expert guidance, not a guarantee of savings: the report provides no project cost estimates or comparative data. Homeowners’ choices will depend on their plans, site, budget and local construction requirements.
A House Beautiful report has compiled advice from interior designer Shandon Barrett and The House Designers CEO Tammy Crosby on where people building a home may want to spend more—and where they can defer upgrades. Their central recommendation is to prioritize layouts, building components and finishes that are disruptive or expensive to change, while saving on decorative items and work that can be completed later.
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Crosby advises settling on kitchen and bathroom layouts early, because moving water or gas lines later can involve breaking concrete slabs or cutting floor joists. She also recommends considering plumbing rough-ins during construction for possible future features, such as a basement bathroom, outdoor kitchen or ice maker, even if fixtures are not installed right away.
Windows and doors merit early decisions, the report says, because changing window sizes or adding openings later can require exterior siding removal, framing changes and interior drywall repairs. Crosby recommends considering double- or triple-pane low-emissivity glass, which she says can reduce energy bills over the home’s lifetime; the article does not provide a projected amount or calculation for those savings.
For floors, Crosby favors continuous hard-surface materials in main living areas and deciding on tile before construction is complete. She also recommends investing in a resilient exterior, including siding and roofing, because later replacement can involve substantial labor and equipment. The report does not identify particular products, price ranges or a universally suitable specification.
Choices That Cost More Later
The recommendations focus on the difference between work that is easiest to plan during construction and upgrades that remain accessible afterward. A homeowner who changes a layout, adds a window or replaces finished flooring later may face removal and repair work in addition to paying for the desired change. Planning these decisions early can help limit avoidable disruption, though actual costs vary by project.
The advice also offers a way to manage a constrained budget without treating every room as finished at move-in. Barrett says homeowners can prioritize permanent finishes, craftsmanship and everyday essentials, then update simpler items as funds allow. That approach may be useful to people balancing immediate construction expenses against longer-term plans, but the report does not establish a specific budget formula or promise a particular return on investment.
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The Report’s Budget Framework
The source is a House Beautiful article about new-home budgeting. It presents recommendations from two named professionals rather than a survey, building-code guide or cost study. Crosby is identified as CEO of The House Designers, and Barrett as an interior designer at Love vs. Design.
For items that may be easier to change, the experts suggest choosing builder-grade decorative lighting, plumbing fixtures and cabinet pulls, then upgrading them later. They also say homeowners might accept standard appliances or reuse existing ones, provided that appliance openings and utility hookups are planned to fit future choices. Crosby recommends a neutral wall color and delaying custom paint, wallpaper, accent walls and trim details. Rugs, pillows and other accessories are also described as lower-cost ways to shape a room’s appearance.
The report says a planned bonus room can be framed and left unfinished until the household needs the space or has room in its budget. Crosby advises postponing insulation, drywall and flooring in that extra area. Whether this is practical depends on the house design and applicable requirements; the article does not discuss permits, code rules, climate-specific needs or construction contracts.
““It’s not about spending the most money; it’s about spending it in the right places.””
— Shandon Barrett, interior designer at Love vs. Design
Costs Depend on Each Build
The source does not provide itemized construction costs, savings estimates or a comparison of products. Crosby’s statements about energy-bill reductions and long-term exterior savings are expert claims in the report, not quantified findings. It is also unclear how much any recommendation would change a particular project’s total cost.
The article does not address differences in local labor prices, climate, site conditions, building codes or homeowners’ financing. Nor does it say whether leaving a bonus room unfinished is permitted or advisable in every jurisdiction. Homeowners will need to confirm design, utility and code decisions with their builder and relevant local professionals.
Apply the Advice to Plans
The report identifies no scheduled follow-up or policy change. For readers planning a build, the immediate next step is to review the home’s layout, window and door plans, flooring and exterior specifications with the project team before construction decisions become difficult to revise.
Homeowners can also ask builders to price future-ready rough-ins, confirm that appliance openings and connections will accommodate later replacements, and determine what work can safely be deferred in a bonus room. The recommendations are a starting point; project-specific costs and requirements remain to be established with the builder and local authorities.
Key Questions
Which parts of a new home does the report recommend planning early?
The experts emphasize kitchen and bathroom layouts, plumbing rough-ins, windows and doors, flooring, and exterior materials, because changing them later can involve demolition, repairs or substantial labor.
What upgrades could homeowners postpone?
The report suggests delaying or choosing simpler versions of decorative fixtures, cabinet hardware, appliances, paint, wallpaper, trim and accessories. It also says some bonus rooms may be left unfinished, subject to the project’s design and applicable requirements.
Does the report show how much these choices save?
No. It offers expert recommendations but gives no dollar estimates or comparative cost data. Any savings will depend on the home, products, labor and future changes.
Should homeowners install plumbing for features they may add later?
Crosby recommends considering rough-ins for possible future additions, such as a basement bathroom or outdoor kitchen. Homeowners should ask their builder to assess the design, cost and local requirements before deciding.
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