Metricon lookbook warns of $50k upgrade traps

1 day ago 9

Australians building new homes are being warned that chasing display-home looks can trigger upgrade creep and blow budgets fast.

Metricon this week launched a new digital Lookbook, featuring seven styles and 10 interior expressions.

It aims to help buyers avoid “style paralysis” when choosing finishes.

The guide includes Japandi, Palm Springs, Nordic minimalism, Modern Contemporary and French Provincial.
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Metricon says it helps customers choose an overall direction first, rather than debating every tile and tap one by one.
Metricon Victoria Retail Product and Studio Manager Andrea Barnett said the Lookbook had been built to reduce stress by helping customers see the end result earlier, rather than trying to imagine how separate selections would come together.

“My husband is the kind of shopper who walks into a store, sees an outfit on a mannequin, and immediately says, ‘I want that’,” Ms Barnett said.

“That’s exactly what this lookbook does for people building a home.
“It removes a lot of the stress by allowing customers to clearly see the end result.”

French Provincial is one of the higher-cost looks, with detailing and cabinetry upgrades adding up quickly if budgets are not capped early. Picture: Metricon

Metricon Victorian Retail Product and Studio Manager Andrea Barnett says the Lookbook is designed to help customers see the end result sooner.

Ms Barnett said Metricon typically moved buyers through the selections milestone in “up to about 10 days”, with the biggest pressure points for couples and families centred on budget priorities, preferred style direction and facade choices.

“The biggest conversations usually revolve around three things: budget priorities, preferred style direction, and facade choices,” she said.

Ms Barnett said customers sometimes changed their minds after leaving the appointment, but alternatives could be offered that still fitted the chosen look.

“It does happen occasionally. People might get home and think, ‘I’m not quite loving that tap or that shower choice anymore’,” she said.

Japandi-style bathrooms are popular for their calm, minimalist feel, but premium finishes can push costs higher than expected.

Modern living areas often appear simple, but flooring, lighting and joinery choices can quickly escalate upgrade costs.

She said the upgrades customers most commonly prioritised after committing to a look were cabinetry, facade features, heating and cooling, appliances and flooring.

M R Adovocacy director and broker Madeleine Roberts said an aspirational finish level was where budgets could quietly unravel, especially when buyers spent without considering what a suburb would realistically pay back.

“The key thing people need to avoid is overcapitalising,” Ms Roberts said.

Buyers’ advocate and broker Madeleine Roberts warns renovation spend must match the suburb to avoid costly overcapitalisation.

Palm Springs-style interiors are trending, but feature finishes and styling upgrades can add tens of thousands to a build.

Ms Roberts said the upgrade allowance needed to match the location, with a hard ceiling for lower-priced areas.

“If it is a cheaper investment or a location under $800,000, I would ideally want renovation costs capped around $50,000,” she said.

“You do not need high-end fittings or stone benchtops in first homebuyer suburbs.
“Keep it simple, fresh, and cheap and cheerful.”

But she said the equation flipped in blue-chip areas, where buyers compared homes against nearby properties with similar land size and layout but higher-end finishes.

Experts say asking the right questions early can prevent costly upgrade mistakes later in the build. Graphic: Google Gemini

Kitchens are one of the most common upgrade zones, with cabinetry and stone benchtops driving major cost blowouts.

“In premium suburbs, finishes really matter,” she said.
“Yes, minimum. and potentially more, depending on what needs to be done.”

Ms Roberts said some of the biggest “budget ambushes” were items people assumed were minor decisions.

“Flooring is another big one, in lower-end suburbs, you might replace floors for $5,000,” she said.

“But in higher-end locations, flooring can easily run to $30,000, and that can really shock people.

“Stone benchtops are another ambush and concrete alone is costly, before you even factor in design, planting, or outdoor features.”

Flooring, stone benchtops and landscaping are among the upgrades most likely to shock buyers on price. Graphic: Google Gemini

Whitefox founder Marty Fox says buyers freeze when they fear getting it wrong, not because of price alone.

Whitefox founder and Block judge Marty Fox said decision paralysis was not just a volume builder issue, and that uncertainty was often amplified in boutique and prestige markets.

“At the top end, buyers are not scared of price, they are scared of regret,” Mr Fox said.

“They worry about resale, judgment, and whether the home will still feel right in five years.”

Mr Fox said the fastest way to cut through hesitation was clarity, particularly about how a space would work in real life.

“Confusion kills momentum, you need a clear, legible floorplan,” he said.

French Provincial is one of the higher-cost looks, with detailing and cabinetry upgrades adding up quickly if budgets are not capped early. Picture: Metricon