On the Home Front Blog
Standard vs. Upgraded Features in Your Home
When looking for a company to construct your home, be sure to ask the builder whether your must-have features, such as granite countertops and ceramic tile, are considered standard or an upgrade. You don’t want to miss out on design elements that will make your heart sing every time you walk into your house, but their answer could increase your cost. Some upgrades lose value over time, but we consider the following features, which we offer as standard, to be worth the investment:
Stainless Steel Appliances
Stainless steel is such a classic look. In addition, it is germ-resistant, easy to clean and matches just about any décor. Our standard appliance package would be considered an upgrade in other homes. It includes a free-standing, smooth-top range with a self-cleaning oven, a non-vented microwave/hood combination and a three-door, energy-efficient refrigerator.
Two-Piece Crown Molding
In our opinion, crown molding can transform a room from ho-hum into wow! It finishes a room completely, creating a unifying effect that makes the ceiling appear in keeping with the overall design. We provide two-piece crown molding in the main living areas of our homes, in addition to the master bedroom. Once again, this is a standard feature.
Granite Counter Tops
Everyone loves a granite countertop these days. And why not? It’s handsome, durable, resists fading and adds value to your home. We have several choices of granite for your kitchen counter spaces and the master bath vanity areas, all of which are standard.
Ceramic Tile
Another popular go-to feature for bathrooms is ceramic tile as a flooring option. These are standard in all of our bathrooms and laundry rooms and are available in different finishes. Our customers love that it’s easy to clean and maintain. Because it’s made of sand, clay and glass, it’s also a green-friendly choice.
Recessed LED Lighting
Recessed lighting can really open up a room, making it appear larger because the inset fixtures take up less visual space that drop-down lights. This lighting style is also ideal when you want to showcase a piece of art, soften the lighting in a home movie theatre, or focus on work areas, such as a kitchen counter. Our standard recessed lighting fixtures use LED bulbs, which are 100% recyclable and energy efficient. One LED bulb does the work of roughly 25 incandescent light bulbs over its lifetime.
Architectural Roof Shingles
These great-performing architectural roof shingles can add dimension and good looks to your roof, at a fraction of the cost of slate or cedar shingles. This is one of our favorite exterior features that we provide for our customers as standard. In addition to giving your roof a classic look, they are resistant to rain, wind and snow, while providing excellent insulation. In addition, they come in color variations to complement the exterior color of your home. One more thing; our shingles come with a 30-year warranty.
A Finished Garage
Our customers love that all of our floor plans include an attached carriage-style garage that is drive-in ready as a standard feature. Completely finished, each garage comes trimmed and painted, and includes glass inserts, decorative hardware, a garage opener with two remotes and an exterior keypad. Not only will this feature keep your vehicles safe from the weather and theft, it also increases the curb appeal of your home.
Gutters and Downspouts
It’s hard to imagine that these features are not always included in the base price of new homes. Ours are. Seamless aluminum gutters and downspouts come standard at AB Homes. Their job of carrying water safely away from your home’s foundation is too important to be overlooked. When you build with AB Homes, you can enjoy all of these beautiful amenities, among others, without the added cost. To see a complete listing of our standard home features, please visit this page on our website.
If you’d like to see what they look like in person, give us a call at (757) 435-9900. We’d be happy to meet you at our model home and show you around.
All the best,
Brandon and Dan Homes Specialists
are Stan
(757) 435-9900
We’d love to answer your questions! Call us to schedule an appointment to see our model home.
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