I’d almost argue that splurging early on non-essentials can lead to regrets down the line.
Couldn’t agree more. I’ve seen people get starry-eyed over fancy fixtures, only to discover their “dream shower” leaks into the living room below. Layout and light do so much heavy lifting for comfort—honestly, you can’t retrofit good sunlight. I always tell folks: make your foundation solid, then let the bells and whistles come later. It’s way less stressful (and cheaper) to add a cool feature than to fix a soggy wall.
- Couldn’t agree more about the sunlight—once the walls are up, you’re stuck with what you’ve got.
- I’ve watched friends blow their budget on high-end appliances, then scramble when they realize the wiring or plumbing needs a full redo.
- For me, it’s always been: get the basics right, then upgrade when you can actually afford it.
Curious—has anyone here ever regretted *not* splurging early? Like, is there something you wish you’d just gone for at the start, even if it wasn’t “essential”?
Curious—has anyone here ever regretted *not* splurging early?
Honestly, I still kick myself for not going with radiant floor heating from the start. It felt like a “nice to have” at the time, but now I’d pay double to avoid cold tiles every winter. Some upgrades just aren’t worth retrofitting later.
Radiant heat’s one of those things people always wish they’d done upfront. I’ve seen folks try to add it later—trust me, it’s a headache. Tearing up finished floors, dealing with subfloor issues... it’s not just the cost, it’s the mess and disruption. Personally, I skipped extra insulation in my first place thinking it was overkill. Regretted it every winter—drafts everywhere. Some stuff just makes more sense to do while the bones are exposed, even if it stings a bit at the time.
Title: Building base structures—what if you had to start over?
- Totally agree about radiant heat. Retrofitting is brutal—did it once for a buddy and we were pulling up engineered hardwood, then dealing with patching subfloor after. Not worth the pain.
- Insulation’s another one. I’d add: air sealing. People forget that even top-notch insulation won’t help if you’ve got gaps around windows or sill plates. Did a blower door test on my place after the fact and found leaks everywhere.
- One thing I might push back on—sometimes people go nuts with insulation in places that don’t need it (like interior walls). Focus on the envelope, not every single cavity.
- If I could do it again, I’d rough in conduit for future wiring too. Tech changes fast, and fishing wires through finished walls is a nightmare.
- Bottom line: do as much as you can when everything’s open, even if it feels like overkill at the time. You’ll thank yourself later... or at least avoid cursing your past self every winter.
