My husband and I are looking to do a whole home renovation and addition in our Midwest neighborhood, where home values have doubled in the last five years. We're not looking to move but need more space, especially since our ranch-style home from 1953 lacks storage and has cramped bathrooms for our three kids. We've had an architect design plans for a primary bedroom with bath and closet, an oversized garage, and a lot of updates like a new kitchen, vaulted ceilings, and a repurposed basement, among other upgrades. Our preferred builder quoted us $750k, but I managed to negotiate it down to about $700k, although that doesn't cover appliances, landscaping, or other fees. We initially got quotes from several builders without finalized plans, and now we're worried about sticking with our builder since we've paid $10k to secure our spot. My husband thinks it might be worth asking our builder for a $50k reduction, but I'm hesitant. What would you do in this situation?
1 Answer
Honestly, asking a builder to just cut $50k from their quote is a tall order. It's more likely that they'll need to reduce the scope of work to fit your budget. A good builder will help figure out where to make adjustments, but keeping quality in mind is essential. Trust the builder that friends recommend; it usually pays off in the end!
Exactly! I think it's better to build a good relationship with them instead of pushing for a cut that might hurt the project. Your gut is right!