Quick Answer: The Ones That Come Standard at Privada Homes?
Every Privada home at Gracewater at Sarasota includes these luxury features as standard (not upgrades):
- 10-foot first-floor ceilings (vs. typical 9-foot)
- Impact-rated windows and sliders throughout
- Quartz countertops in the kitchen and all bathrooms
- Paver driveways (not concrete)
- 8-foot interior doors (vs. standard 6’8″)
- Tankless water heaters (natural gas)
- Stainless steel appliances complete package
- Natural gas community infrastructure
- Modern coastal architecture throughout
- Complete Color customization without premium charges
These features typically cost $50,000-$70,000 as upgrades from other builders. At Privada, they’re included in base prices starting at $684,995.
You’ve probably heard the saying “read the fine print.” When shopping for a new home in Sarasota, another phrase you need to remember is “ask about the upgrades.”
Here’s a secret the building industry doesn’t advertise loudly—many builders lure you in with an attractive base price, then hit you with a laundry list of “optional upgrades” that aren’t optional at all if you want a home that feels modern, luxurious, and complete. That bright, airy model home you toured? Those designer finishes, spacious feel, and premium touches you loved? Often, those are thousands of dollars in upgrades that aren’t included in the advertised price.
At Privada Homes, we believe luxury shouldn’t be an upcharge—it should be the standard. That’s why we’ve made the features that other builders consider “upgrades” simply part of what you get when you choose a Privada home at Gracewater at Sarasota.
Let’s break down exactly what this means for you.
1. 10-Foot First-Floor Ceilings: The Foundation of Spacious Living
What Other Builders Do: Standard 9-foot ceilings (or even 8-foot in some cases), with 10-foot ceilings as a costly upgrade—often $5,000-$8,000 extra.
The Privada Standard: Every Privada home includes 10-foot ceilings on the first floor.
Why It Matters: That extra foot makes a dramatic difference. Higher ceilings create an immediate sense of spaciousness and luxury, allow for better natural light distribution, improve air circulation in Florida’s climate, and simply make your home feel more expensive than it is. When guests walk into your home, they notice. The difference between a 9-foot and 10-foot ceiling is the difference between “nice” and “wow.”
2. Impact Windows and Sliders: Protection That Pays
What Other Builders Do: Basic windows with impact resistance as an upgrade package, typically adding $15,000-$25,000 to your home price.
The Privada Standard: Full impact-rated windows and sliding doors throughout every home.
Why It Matters: In Southwest Florida, this isn’t a luxury—it’s essential. But beyond the obvious hurricane protection, impact windows deliver:
Insurance Savings: Most homeowners save 20-40% on their insurance premiums, which can mean $1,500-$3,000+ annually
- Energy Efficiency: Better insulation means lower AC costs year-round
- Noise Reduction: Living near busy roads? Impact windows significantly reduce outside noise
- Security: These windows are incredibly difficult to break through
- No Storm Shutters: You’ll never scramble to put up shutters before a storm
Do the math: if you save $2,000 per year on insurance alone, that’s $60,000 over a 30-year mortgage. This “standard” feature literally pays for itself.
3. Quartz Countertops Throughout: Beauty That Lasts
What Other Builders Do: Basic laminate or low-grade granite in the kitchen, with quartz as an upgrade (typically $4,000-$8,000). Bathrooms often get laminate or basic tile countertops unless you pay extra.
The Privada Standard: Elegant quartz countertops in the kitchen and all bathrooms.
Why It Matters: Quartz isn’t just beautiful—it’s one of the most durable countertop materials available. It resists stains, doesn’t require sealing like granite, stands up to Florida’s humidity without issue, and maintains its appearance for decades. Plus, when it’s time to sell, quartz is what buyers expect in homes at this price point. Starting with it as standard protects your investment from day one.
4. Paver Driveways: Curb Appeal That Endures
What Other Builders Do: Concrete driveways the width of the garage opening standard, with pavers as an upgrade running $5,000-$10,000 depending on size.
The Privada Standard: Beautiful paver driveways 1 foot wider than garage opening on each side of every home.
Why It Matters: Your driveway is one of the first things people see. Pavers immediately elevate your home’s curb appeal with sophisticated style and texture variety. Beyond aesthetics, pavers are actually more practical in Florida: they handle soil movement better than concrete, are easier to repair if needed, don’t show stains as prominently, and add significant resale value. This is one of those features where buyers will assume your home is more expensive than it is—and they’re not wrong about the value.
5. 8-Foot Interior Doors: Modern Elegance in Every Room
What Other Builders Do: Standard 6’8″ doors, with 8-foot doors as a designer upgrade (typically $3,000-$5,000).
The Privada Standard: 8-foot doors throughout the home.
Why It Matters: Taller doors create better proportions with those 10-foot ceilings, make rooms feel more grand and cohesive, provide a more modern, custom-home aesthetic, and improve sight lines and flow throughout your home. This is another detail that separates a builder-grade home from a custom-quality home. Once you live with 8-foot doors, standard doors feel noticeably smaller.
6. Tankless Gas Water Heaters: Efficiency Meets Endless Comfort
What Other Builders Do: Traditional tank water heaters, with tankless as an upgrade ($2,000-$3,500).
The Privada Standard: Tankless water heaters in every home.
Why It Matters: Tankless water heaters are a game-changer for modern living:
- Never Run Out: Run the dishwasher, do laundry, and take a shower simultaneously without worry
- Energy Savings: Heat water on-demand instead of keeping a tank hot 24/7 (typically 20-30% lower costs)
- Space Savings: No bulky tank taking up garage or closet space
- Longer Lifespan: 20+ years vs. 10-12 years for traditional tanks
- Natural Gas Efficiency: In Privada’s natural gas community, operating costs are even lower
For a family, this isn’t just about comfort—it’s about eliminating that morning scramble of “who showers when.”
7. Stainless Steel KitchenAid Appliances: Kitchen Ready From Day One
What Other Builders Do: Basic white or black appliances included, with stainless as part of a kitchen upgrade package ($2,000-$4,000).
The Privada Standard: Complete stainless steel gourmet built-in KitchenAid appliance package included.
Why It Matters: This seems simple, but it’s significant. When you move into a Privada home, your kitchen is truly complete and ready for entertaining. You’re not immediately spending thousands more or making do with appliances you didn’t really want. Stainless steel is still the most popular finish in the market, and it’s what buyers expect when they eventually purchase your home.
8. Natural Gas Community: The Smart Infrastructure Choice
What Other Builders Do: All-electric communities are still common in Florida.
The Privada Standard: Gracewater at Sarasota is a natural gas community.
Why It Matters: Natural gas provides:
- Lower Utility Costs: Natural gas is typically 30-50% cheaper than electric for water heating and cooking
- Better Cooking: Serious home cooks prefer gas ranges for temperature control
- Reliability: Gas service often continues during power outages
- Environmental Benefits: Natural gas produces fewer emissions than coal-generated electricity
- Generator Options: Makes whole-home natural gas generators more practical
- Higher Resale Appeal: Increasingly preferred by educated buyers
Over the life of your home, the savings add up to tens of thousands of dollars
9. Modern Coastal Architectural Design: Timeless Style
What Other Builders Do: Cookie-cutter designs that look dated within a few years, or charge premiums for “elevated” architectural packages.
The Privada Standard: Unique modern coastal architecture on every home.
Why It Matters: Privada’s architectural approach blends contemporary clean lines with coastal Florida charm, creating homes that feel current without being trendy. This matters for two reasons: you’ll love living in it now, and it will still look fresh and desirable when you’re ready to sell. Good design doesn’t go out of style—it ages gracefully.
The modern coastal aesthetic also perfectly suits Florida’s indoor-outdoor lifestyle, with design elements that embrace natural light, create flow, and connect to outdoor spaces.
10. Full Color Customization at No Premium: Your Vision, Your Way
What Other Builders Do: Offer a limited selection palette with any deviations costing extra, or provide “design center” appointments where every choice comes with an up-charge.
The Privada Standard: Work directly with the Privada team to customize every finish in your new home without premium charges for personalization.
Why It Matters: This might be the most valuable “standard” feature of all. Your home should reflect your personal style, not just what was cheapest for the builder to install.
At Privada, you’ll customize:
- Flooring throughout the home
- Cabinet finishes and hardware
- Countertop colors and edges
- Tile selections
- Paint colors
- Lighting fixtures
- Plumbing fixtures
- And more
You’re not picking from three pre-selected packages—you’re creating your unique home. And you’re doing it without the anxiety of watching costs spiral as you make these selections.
The Real Price of “Upgrades”
Let’s do some quick math.
If you were to purchase these ten items as upgrades from a typical builder:
- 10′ Ceilings: $6,000
- Impact Windows: $20,000
- Quartz Countertops: $6,000
- Paver Driveway: $7,500
- 8′ Doors: $4,000
- Tankless Water Heater: $2,500
- Stainless Appliances: $3,000
- Natural Gas Hookups: $5,000
- Architectural Upgrades: $10,000
- Customization Premium: $8,000
Total: $72,000 in “upgrades”
That’s $72,000 that other builders add to their base price—but that’s already included in your Privada home. Suddenly that base price comparison looks very different, doesn’t it?
What This Means for Your Home Search
When you’re comparing new construction homes in Sarasota, make sure you’re comparing apples to apples. That builder advertising homes “from the low $600s” might end up costing you the same as (or more than) a Privada home once you add all the features you actually want.
More importantly, with Privada, you can focus on the fun parts of building a home—choosing your colors, planning your space, imagining your life there—instead of constantly calculating upgrade costs and making compromises.
Quality Isn’t an Upgrade—It’s a Promise
At Privada Homes, we believe you shouldn’t have to choose between the features you want and the price you can afford. We believe luxury should be standard, not an up-charge. And we believe your home should be exceptional from the foundation up—not after you’ve spent another $70,000 in upgrades.
When you tour a Privada home at Gracewater at Sarasota, what you see is what you get—and what you get is extraordinary.
Ready to Experience the Privada Difference?
Visit Gracewater at Sarasota and tour our homes to see these luxury standard features in person. From The Seascape starting at $684,995 to The Grand Bay Haven at $824,995, you’ll find thoughtfully designed floor plans that fit your lifestyle—all with the features that make a house feel like a luxury home.
Because at Privada, luxury is standard.
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Privada Homes is building the future of Sarasota living at Gracewater at Sarasota, where modern coastal design meets thoughtful craftsmanship. Contact us today to learn how we make luxury accessible.
