New Home Most Optimum Upgrades

[jaggars]

Got a call from HR developments today from their decor center our house is closing March 11,2010 at Thornhill woods. Need suggestions what is the most important i should spend 5k amount offerd in free upgrades. i am not willing to spend any more besides free upgrades as i am kind of tighter on money as i have stretched myself slightly in buying this house.
Somone told me the first the most improtant upgrade i should spend on putting an additional door thru garage if they have not provided in standard layout and then if some money is left go for changing the design of wood floor from standard design to strip floor.

Pl provide your valuable inputs as i am first time home buyer and dont have much experience.

Thanks

[GTT1]

Bathroom and/or kitchen items that will cost a lot to do later.

[caliente]

Congratulations on your big purchase. Upgrade anything that would be difficult to change afterward, especially if it is structural. In your case, adding a door between the house and garage would be a good idea.

As an aside, I understand it has to do with attractive pricing strategies, but I'm sometimes amazed at what isn't considered "standard", but instead an "upgrade".

[amz155]

Did you try performing a search of this info on this forum? I went through this same thing a while ago and got some good feedback. I know people have asked the same question before and after me too, so lots of good info.

The option to add the door from the garage into the home is a great opportunity, IF the grading permits it. For our house, that was standard but the dang grading didn't allow it. We were pretty disappointed with this.

In general, as another poster has noted, only upgrade things thru the builder that cannot be done later. Countertops, faucets, tile, hardwood flooring, backsplash, potlights...these can all be done later.

Its tough to recommend things for you specifically without knowing what is "standard" and what you'd have to pay for.

Raising ceilings, adding extra/larger windows, changing stairs to oak (if they aren't), etc are things that are harder to do later so you should consider paying for them now. Also, if you want certain cabinet configurations i.e. counter depth cabinets above fridge, angled cabinets I think its better to upgrade thru builder now because stuff like that is hard to do later without having to start from scratch again.

Anyway, do a quick search...you'll find loads more good info.

[jaggars]

Thanks guys for giving me pointers to start thinking.
amz155 can you provide me the link to your thread where you posted this same question.

Thanks