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A House Beautiful report featuring designer Shandon Barrett and home-design executive Tammy Crosby recommends spending early on features that are costly or disruptive to change later, including plumbing layouts, windows, flooring and exterior materials. It suggests saving on replaceable items such as decorative fixtures, appliances, paint and accessories, and delaying work on bonus rooms when budgets are tight.
A House Beautiful report featuring interior designer Shandon Barrett and The House Designers CEO Tammy Crosby advises new-home builders to spend early on choices that are expensive or disruptive to change, including layouts, windows, flooring and exterior materials, while postponing more replaceable finishes and furnishings. The guidance offers a way to prioritize construction budgets, but it is expert advice rather than a cost analysis or a universal rule for every home.
Crosby says builders should settle on kitchen and bathroom layouts before construction, because moving water or gas lines later can involve breaking concrete slabs or cutting floor joists. She also recommends installing plumbing rough-ins for likely future needs — such as a basement bathroom, outdoor kitchen or ice maker — even if the fixtures will come later. Rough-ins allow for future options, though the report does not provide costs or say when they make financial sense.
Windows and doors are also harder to revise after construction. Changing window sizes or adding openings can require work on siding, framing and interior drywall. Crosby recommends deciding on window plans early and says double- or triple-pane low-emissivity glass may reduce energy bills over the life of a home. The report supplies no estimates for the added upfront cost or the projected savings.
For main living areas, Crosby favors continuous hard-surface flooring, such as hardwood or luxury vinyl plank, and says tile locations should be decided before construction. She also urges builders to prioritize a durable exterior because replacing siding or roofing later can involve substantial labor and equipment. These recommendations center on avoiding disruptive retrofits; the right materials and specifications will depend on the project and local conditions.
Spend Early on Hard-to-Change Work
The advice matters because construction decisions can have different costs over time. A choice that is relatively easy to make during the build — such as allowing for a future plumbing connection — may be complicated once walls, floors or exterior finishes are in place. By contrast, many decorative choices can be changed without reopening the structure.
Barrett frames the principle as spending in the right places, not simply choosing the most expensive options. That distinction can help households separate structural or infrastructure decisions from finishes that can be updated later. Still, the source provides no budgets, product comparisons or verified savings figures, so readers should treat the guidance as a planning framework rather than a promise of a particular return.
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Flexible Finishes Can Wait
Barrett says decorative lighting, plumbing fixtures and cabinet pulls can often be upgraded later, provided the electrical and other underlying plans support the eventual choices. Crosby similarly says builders can select a standard appliance package or reuse existing appliances, but should confirm that cabinet openings and utility connections will fit the appliances they may want in the future. The report describes appliances as having an expected 10- to 15-year lifespan; that is a general estimate in the article, not a guarantee for individual products.
Other possible later projects include custom paint, wallpaper, accent walls, wainscoting and crown molding. Crosby suggests using one neutral wall color initially and updating rooms over time. Barrett also identifies rugs, pillows and smaller accessories as areas where less expensive choices can work, since they are easy to replace as tastes change.
Bonus rooms offer another way to spread spending across time. Crosby says some plans allow the room to be framed and left unfinished until a household needs the space or can afford the work. The report says builders can delay insulation, drywall and flooring in such an area, but whether that approach is suitable depends on the design, building requirements and project specifics.
“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 and Savings Vary by Project
The report does not provide construction cost comparisons, energy-bill data, product tests or a detailed method for estimating savings. Crosby’s claims about long-term savings from high-performance exterior choices and low-E windows are expert recommendations in the article; the material supplied does not quantify or independently verify them.
It is also not clear which specific products, climate conditions, building codes or labor markets the advice assumes. Retrofitting difficulty and expense will differ by home. Builders should confirm which plans and rough-ins are appropriate for their design, and compare upfront prices and warranties before choosing materials or deferring work.
Plan Infrastructure Before Finishes
For people preparing to build, the report points toward discussing layouts, window openings, flooring transitions, exterior specifications and future utility connections with their design and construction teams before those parts of the project are fixed. They can also ask which choices can safely be deferred, and whether an unfinished bonus room or standard fixtures would affect later work.
The article does not identify a follow-up study, new building standard or scheduled policy change. Its advice remains a set of expert recommendations; the next step for each household is to apply them to its plans, budget and likely future needs.
Key Questions
What should builders prioritize during construction?
The report recommends deciding early on plumbing layouts, window and door openings, flooring plans and exterior materials, since changing them later can involve structural work or extensive labor.
Which home upgrades can often wait?
According to the experts quoted, decorative lighting, cabinet pulls, paint, wallpaper, accessories and some appliance upgrades can often be postponed, provided the underlying connections and spaces are planned for future choices.
Should I install plumbing rough-ins I may not use yet?
Crosby recommends considering rough-ins for likely future needs, such as a basement bathroom or outdoor kitchen. The report does not give costs, so builders should ask their contractor what the work would involve and whether it suits their plans.
Can a bonus room be left unfinished?
The report says some bonus rooms can be framed and finished later, potentially delaying insulation, drywall and flooring. Suitability depends on the design and applicable requirements, which should be confirmed with the builder.
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