Included Features vs. Upgrades: What Every New Home Buyer Should Know Before They Sign

Shopping for a new home can feel like buying a car — the sticker price looks great until you start adding what you actually want. Suddenly that $400,000 home is $440,000 once you’ve added the flooring you like, the countertops you expected to be standard, and the lighting that doesn’t look like it belongs in a 1995 rental.

It’s one of the most common frustrations in new home construction. And it’s something we think a lot about at Kartchner Homes.

Why the “base price” game exists

Many builders compete aggressively on base price, knowing that buyers will add upgrades during the selections process. It’s a marketing strategy — get buyers in the door with a low number, then build margin through the upgrade menu.

The result is a process that feels combative. Buyers feel nickel-and-dimed. The home they imagined starts to feel out of reach.

What Kartchner Homes includes as standard

We’ve taken a different approach since day one. Our included features list is updated annually and covers finishes and technology that buyers at other builders pay significantly extra for. For 2026, our standard inclusions across East Idaho and Cache Valley communities include:

• Quartz countertops in kitchen and bathrooms
• LVP (luxury vinyl plank) flooring throughout main living areas
• Soft-close cabinets and drawers
• Smart home technology package
• Energy-efficient windows and insulation
• 9-foot ceilings on main floor
• Two-year builder warranty (most builders offer one year)

This isn’t a stripped-down “good” tier. It’s what we believe a quality home should come with.

What counts as an upgrade

Upgrades at Kartchner Homes are genuine enhancements — not features that should have been included. Things like:

• Upgraded appliance packages
• Custom tile work in showers
• Basement finishing
• Extended garage or additional garage bay
• Structural changes to the standard floor plan

When you look at our upgrade menu, you’ll see things that are genuinely optional — not things that were stripped out to lower the base price.

How to compare builders on this honestly

When you’re comparing two builders on price, the only fair comparison is total cost for a comparable finished product. Ask each builder:

• What flooring is included? What does an upgrade to LVP or hardwood cost?
• What countertop material is standard?
• What is the warranty period and what does it cover?
• Are appliances included?
• What smart home or energy features come standard?

A builder with a $10,000 lower base price and $25,000 in upgrades to get to a comparable finish level is not cheaper. They’re just more opaque about it.

The two-year warranty difference

One included feature worth highlighting on its own: our two-year builder warranty. Idaho and Utah law requires builders to provide a one-year warranty on workmanship. We double it.

That’s not a marketing line — it reflects how confident we are in the quality of our construction. And it gives buyers real protection during the period when most issues in a new home would surface.

See our full 2026 included features list

We publish our complete included features list at kartchnerhomes.com/features. It’s updated annually and covers every community we build in across East Idaho and Cache Valley.

If you’re comparing us to another builder, bring their upgrade sheet and compare line by line. We welcome the comparison.

📞 Questions about what’s included in a specific floor plan or community? Call our sales team — Idaho: 208-529-2191, Utah: 435-755-9530.