Section 05

Builder upgrades: what's worth it and what to skip

Last reviewed October 30, 2026

The design centre appointment is the fun part of buying new, and also where budgets go to die. Upgrades can add tens of thousands of dollars to a home's price, and some add much less value than they cost. Here's how to think about them.

The rule of thumb

Usually worth considering at the design centre

Structural and layout changes

Extra windows, a larger or second garage door, a basement with a rough-in bathroom, a bigger kitchen island, or a layout option the builder offers. These are expensive or impossible to change later.

Rough-ins

Plumbing rough-ins for a future basement bathroom or bar, electrical rough-ins for a future EV charger in the garage, central vacuum rough-ins, and extra conduit for networking. They're cheap during construction and costly after drywall.

Electrical

Extra outlets (including in the garage and outdoors), pot light locations, ceiling boxes for future fixtures, and a heavier service if you expect to add an EV charger or heat pump. Adding wiring after drywall means cutting and patching.

Basement height and windows

If the builder offers deeper basements or larger basement windows, they can make a future finished basement, or a legal secondary unit, far more livable. In London, where the City permits additional residential units on many lots, that can add real future value.

Insulation and soundproofing

Extra insulation between floors or around bathrooms and laundry rooms is very hard to add later.

Flooring on stairs

Changing stair flooring later is labour-intensive. If you want hardwood stairs, consider doing it now.

Usually better to do later

• Light fixtures: builder upgrade packages are often priced well above what you'd pay to buy and install them yourself.
• Paint colours: easy and inexpensive to change.
• Cabinet hardware, faucets and towel bars: simple swaps.
• Backsplashes: often cheaper through an independent installer after closing.
• Appliances: shop around, as retail sales often beat builder packages.
• Window coverings, closet organizers and finished basements: generally cheaper after closing (but confirm builder rules and Tarion implications before altering anything during the warranty period).

Upgrades for accessibility and ageing in place

If you plan to stay for decades, or you're buying with an older family member in mind, a few changes are far easier during construction:

• Blocking in bathroom walls so grab bars can be installed securely later.
• Wider doorways and a curbless shower option where the builder offers them.
• A main-floor bedroom or den with a full or roughed-in bathroom nearby.
• Lever-style door handles and rocker light switches (inexpensive either way, but easy to specify now).

Our sister site London Downsizing covers single-level living options across the city.

The middle ground

Some upgrades are a judgment call:

• Countertops: replacing them later is possible but disruptive, and the cabinet layout is fixed. If you'll be unhappy with the standard option, upgrade now.
• Flooring on the main floor: doable later but disruptive. Compare builder pricing with an independent quote first.
• Cabinet height and quality: taller uppers or better boxes are hard to change later. Door styles are easier.

How to keep upgrades under control

1. Set an upgrade budget before your appointment, and decide on your priorities in advance.
2. Ask for the price list ahead of time, along with exactly what "standard" includes. See the actual standard finishes in person, not just in the model home, which is usually fully upgraded.
3. Get independent quotes for big items like flooring and lighting.
4. Ask how upgrades are paid for: often as an extra deposit up front, and they may not count toward your mortgage's appraised value.
5. Remember HST applies to upgrades, and some rebates are based on the total price including upgrades. If you're close to a rebate threshold, upgrades could push you over it. See rebates.