I'm guessing those kitchen cabinets are not maple anything.

I don't recommend an Andersen 200 window as an upgrade. The design is substandard in many ways.

The sill doesn't slope enough for adequate drainage and there is no drip or siding notch under the sill so water can simply run over the sill and run back to the siding and get behind it. Caulking might stop it for a few years.

The windows also have an epoxy paint on the wood sash instead of a cladding although you will not find anything about this in their literature or specifications; they just say it never needs painting.

I've never seen an Andersen Silver Line vinyl window nor do I ever specify vinyl windows so I can't tell you anything about them but the 200 is a builder-grade window for spec housing and is not appropriate for your home. Upgrade to an Andersen 400 Tilt Wash if you can afford it. It also has an epoxy painted sash but the sill and balance system are well designed.

Toll Brothers builds very expensive houses with features that pretend to be luxury, but are still builder's grade. That 2 story entry will be an echo chamber and will cause a lack of privacy on the 2nd floor. For what the charge, you can do a LOT better! I do like that they spinster the Sat afternoon broadcasts of the Met Opera - probably the only "classy" thing they do!

What class of granite? (Have them give you a list of the standard choices)

Brands and model numbers of appliances, furnace, hot water heater, etc

it says Bruce hardwood flooring - from what we were told, that is the lowest level of hardwood floors.

Kitchen will probably be all base cabinets, standard overlay, no extra drawers or pull out shelves. All of those upgrades will probably cost quite a bit.

i would also ask more about construction methods, insulation, etc. make sure the house is built well, not just be dazzled by phrases like "lavish bath"

@cpartist, what should I be aware of when they mention maple cabinets then? How do I make sure that they are indeed maple?

@jds, I will find out if they offer an upgrade to the 400 series.

@anglophilia we are not going with the toll development (we prefer the location this development is, MUCH better NYC commute)

Can you tell us more about where you are building, what kind of development, style and size of home? If I were you, i would be focused on what exactly I am getting for the fixed contract price. For example, show me the standard carpet and then tell me how much it will cost to upgrade to the carpet that I will be happy with. You can ask the same question for everything: fixtures, trim, tile, paint, etc. If this is your first new build do a lot of research and ask a lot of questions. If they have a model home, I would walk around and ask "is this included? Is that included?" I see that the walls are 2x4s with R13 insulation. I had that two houses ago and we were not happy with it. But we are in cold Syracuse NY. Good luck.

The house will be around 3600 sqft in a development with 16 other homes. Average price will probably be in the mid 800s. Of the 17 lots 8 have already been sold (they don't even have the website up yet), so they might not build a model home. This home will be in central NJ.

How much insulation? What kind?

My comment was meant that they probably would do the doors maple and then the rest would be mdf or or veneered whatever.

Ask what brand cabinets.

Brand and models of appliances.

As mentioned Bruce floors are not high quality.

We are going to ask for a credit on the included appliances (fridge is not anyway) and buy our own. I was definitely going to ask about cabinet brand and make sure that the boxes were plywood.

The hardwood & floors we will go with the base (other than bath, where we will get the highest grade) and upgrade the rest later. This is my running list of questions that I had:

http://imgur.com/a/XUop9

@dazureus Thanks for the reply. We are in the 2nd category but are trying to eat our cake by being educated about the things that we can potentially do to get something close a first category.

We are not too worried about the floors (other than the tiled floor) as we intend to install hardwood floor later on. It is a 2X4 exterior stud wall and I will ask about upgrading the insulation. The fixtures are something that we will take the base on and also upgrade later on. What we will add are additional bare fixtures that would not be easier to do once the house is built.

I will have to read up on the house wrap to see what options exist (the house will have a brick front).

Credits will be a small percentage of the true value of it's real worth, changes will cost you double the true value of it's worth. This is pretty much standard for any and all developers. This is how they make there money, base price is attractive and then hold on to your hat as soon as you want ANYTHING different.

You have stumbled into a nest of home building fanatics (myself included) who are going to scare you with questions and comments about the most arcane details of new home building. If you heed even half of our suggestions you will make yourself and your builder crazy. You will have a better built home ... but you will pay more for it. Some of those details will translate into increased resale value and some likely wont.

You will pay the least and make yourself less miserable if you can just accept the builders standard construction methods and materials. If you are going to sweat the details and ask for plywood over osb or cast iron over pvc waste pipe be prepared to be told "that's not the way we do it." And if you insist, be prepared for an upgrade charge way above anything that's reasonable.

I am surrounded by neighbors who are perfectly happy in their homes that were built to similar specs as yours. So long as the visible materials are all attractive (and I am sure that they will be) only a fanatic will be bothered by leaky windows, underinsulated walls, squeaky floors, bath fans that only move a small amount of air, etc.

Whichever way you go, you will want to try to familiarize yourself with details that the building code requires so you have some idea of what the builder will do without you asking and what you will need to advocate for - an example is the number and placement of electrical outlets in rooms. Code covers that. You can certainly add more and dictate their placement but I suspect that that wont be a big expense. Same with neutral wires in junction boxes.

Personally, I am an insulation and airsealing fanatic so I would be focused on those issues. I would spend money upgrading in that area before I upgraded my AC or furnace. Maybe the climate in central NJ is mild enough that you can get away with 3.5" of fiberglass insulation in a 2x4 wall but I am skeptical. Among other things electrical outlets in exterior walls will take up almost all of that 3.5" so everywhere there is an outlet, you will have no insulation. I would ask about the charge to use spray foam insulation in the walls rather than use fiberglass. In the attic you can always add more insulation after you close. But can't do that in the walls.

Good luck

Regarding credits for appliances, as others have said, you'll get next to nothing.

So let's just say that if you went to price the brand of appliances they are using throughout the house, and it would cost you $10,000 on your own to replace with the exact same models. You'll be lucky to get a builder credit of $2,500.

Now let's say you want to upgrade those same appliances through the builder instead of going out on your own and finding them. Let's say if you priced them out on your own through your local store that the total of the upgraded appliances through an appliance store was $12,000, a $2,000 upgrade.

Most likely your builder now is going to charge you an additional $3,000-$5,000 to upgrade those appliances. So either way you are on the short end of the stick. That is how they make their money.

Also keep in mind that unless most of the other 16 homeowners in the neighborhood do the same upgrades, you won't get any of it back in resale. As long as they open/close, no one cares if you have Anderson 200 or 400 or Silverline. Carpet padding - no one cares. 2x6 vs 2x4 - if all the other houses are 2x4, no one cares that you upgraded. Do these things if the extra cost is worth it to you, but know that for resale you are throwing it away.

In a planned unit development with a single builder, as freeoscar notes, you won't ever see the return, and as others have noted, straying from what the builder offers (either as the base of as upgrades) may not be possible - and if it is - you'll pay far more than the actual cost of upgrade.

Your plan to get in with the BASE stuff and upgrade as you go (especially if you can do it yourself) is probably the best idea. At appraisal time, your base cabinets don't get you less $ than solid zebra wood with purple heart inlays that would cost a fortune. Lighting is EASY to change and you'll get far more selection buying it yourself same with plumbing FIXTUREs. Go neutral on the tile and other finishes, If you are going to rip out carpets within a few years, go standard on the pad.

Spend some money on insulation, roofing (perhaps) and the window upgrade IF it's to a decent window. Manage the cosmetic stuff like you are planning.