Interactive tool · Checklist
New Construction Cost Checklist
The price sheet is the start, not the total. This checklist walks the common new-construction costs that land around it: lot premium, design-center upgrades, inspections, appliances, landscaping, moving, and anything else you know about. Check each item, enter your estimate, and the running total below is your planning figure, clearly labeled as an estimate.
Costs to plan for
Check the items that apply to your build and enter what they are likely to cost. Only checked items count toward the total at the bottom.
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Lot premium
What the builder adds for a corner, greenbelt, or larger lot.
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Design-center upgrades
Options, upgrades, and any design-center minimums.
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Inspections
Third-party pre-pour, pre-drywall, and final inspections, paid by you.
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Appliances
Items the price sheet does not always include.
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Landscaping & irrigation
Fencing, sod, sprinklers, and hardscaping if not included.
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Moving costs
Movers or relocation, plus deposits, hookups, and the first month of utilities.
Not sure of a figure? Enter your best guess and revisit it after you have quotes. The point of this list is to name the costs, not to guess them precisely.
Running total · planning estimate
0 of 6 items checked
This total is a planning estimate for items beyond the purchase price, not a closing or construction cost breakdown. Prices vary by builder, community, and season. Add any item you know about so nothing surprises you at the design center.
Review this list with a broker
Plan every cost before you sign
The checklist above is only as good as the figures you enter, so gather them before the offer: the builder's price sheet, the design-center quote, and your moving estimate. Enter them above and you have a planning figure to take into your buyer's consultation with Theresa De La Rosa.
Read before you budget
The chapters behind the checklist
Guide chapter 1
The 60-90 day pre-move timeline The week-by-week calendar that schedules budget work, deposits, inspections, and the move, so costs land on the right weeks. Read the chapterGuide chapter 24
New construction vs. resale The honest comparison: warranties and choice versus landscaping, timing, and the costs a finished resale already includes. Read the chapterEvery community and builder prices these items differently, and a design-center walkthrough can move the number faster than anything else. When you are ready to turn the checklist into a real budget for a specific home, book a consultation with Theresa De La Rosa, Broker at Covenant Heritage Realty, LLC. Updated October 20, 2026.