How much do upgrades cost at Esplanade by the Islands?

In two real 2026 Esplanade by the Islands purchases, design-center options totaled about $166,000 and $191,000 — roughly 24–25% of the base price. And that's typically before the pool, finished outdoor kitchen, screen cage, window treatments, and landscaping many buyers add later.

What is the lot premium at Esplanade by the Islands?

Lot premiums were $135,000 and $150,000 in these two 2026 purchases. Premiums track water and preserve views, southern exposure for pool sun, and lot width — and they matter at resale, so weigh them against what comparable premium lots have actually resold for.

Do builders negotiate price at Esplanade by the Islands?

Both of these buyers received concessions — a $100,000 price discount on one and a $75,000 design-option credit on the other, plus separate financing incentives of $10,000–$20,000. New-construction pricing is more negotiable than the sales office lets on, especially later in a community's build-out or on standing inventory.

How much does a builder pool cost at Esplanade?

In these same 2026 quotes, the builder pool package ran about $81,295 and a raised gas spa about $25,690 — roughly $107,000 together, on top of the base contract. Many buyers instead buy pool-ready and add the pool, or choose a resale that already has it.

What Upgrades Really Cost at Esplanade (2026)

Buying new at Esplanade by the Islands? The model home is fully loaded, and the base price on the sign is just the starting line. I pulled the numbers from two real 2026 purchases in the community — anonymized to protect the buyers — so you can see exactly where the money goes. (Prices vary by plan, selection level, and release, and change without notice — verify current numbers with the builder.)

The real breakdown

A new build here is really four numbers stacked on top of each other: the base price, the lot premium, your design-center options, and the things you add after closing. Here are the first three, from two actual purchase agreements:

Cost layer	Purchase 1 — Lazio II	Purchase 2 — Pallazio II
Base price	$672,999	$794,999
Lot premium	$135,000	$150,000
Design-center options	$166,142	$191,264
Builder concession	−$100,000 discount	−$75,000 option credit
Total purchase price	$874,141	$1,061,263
Options as % of base	~25%	~24%

Two things jump out. First, the design-center options ran about a quarter of the base price — $166K and $191K. Second, both buyers got real concessions: a $100,000 discount on one and a $75,000 design-option credit on the other, on top of separate $10K–$20K financing incentives. That’s the part the sales office won’t volunteer, and the reason to have your own agent in the room.

What individual upgrades actually cost

Straight from the option sheets, real 2026 prices. Note what came in at $0 — sometimes the builder folds a big structural item into the base or an incentive:

Upgrade	Real 2026 price
Gourmet 42″ upper cabinets (Level 5)	$14,820 – $18,330
Quartz countertops (Level 5)	$6,990 – $7,555
Full-height quartz backsplash	$4,540 – $5,185
Wood-look flooring, main living & kitchen	$10,025 – $13,430
First-floor ceilings raised to 10′	$4,875
Covered extended lanai	~$10,900
Gourmet appliance package (Café)	$5,100 – $8,450
Impact windows, whole house	$0 (included in one deal)
8′ interior doors, whole house	$0 (included in one deal)

…and that still isn’t the finished home

Here’s the trap. Look closely and the base contract often buys a pool-ready house, not a finished one. In these quotes the standard outdoor lines were a $3,165 pool/spa pre-wire and a $3,175 outdoor-kitchen rough-in — stubs, not the pool or the kitchen. The real thing comes after:

Builder pool + raised spa: ~$107,000 in these same quotes ($81,295 pool package + $25,690 spa).
Finished outdoor kitchen (only the rough-in is standard): $10K–$30K+.
Window treatments & plantation shutters, whole house: $10K–$25K+.
Upgraded landscaping, custom closets, garage epoxy, generator: another $10K–$30K+.

Add it up and a “base” new build can climb $100K–$200K past the sticker by the time it’s actually finished the way the model looked.

Which is why I always price a resale, too

That gap is exactly why I run the resale numbers next to every new build. A lightly-lived-in Esplanade resale often already has the pool, the screen cage, the finished outdoor kitchen, window treatments, and mature landscaping — the same six figures of “after” that a base new build still has ahead of it, plus a year of waiting. Sometimes new construction still wins (fresh warranty, exactly your finishes, current incentives). Sometimes the resale is the smarter buy. I price both, side by side, before you commit to either.

Weighing it yourself? Start with Esplanade: new construction or resale? and the true cost to own at Esplanade.

Don’t forget the ongoing costs

Whatever you pay to buy, budget for Esplanade’s recurring costs: the Currents CDD on your annual tax bill, master-association HOA assessments, a one-time $5,000 working fund at closing, and the mandatory $800 food-and-beverage minimum each year. The full picture is in the true-cost-to-own guide.

See the full breakdown

I keep a deeper dive — with the complete itemized option table — on my dedicated Esplanade site: What a new Esplanade home really costs →. Thinking about buying or selling in Esplanade by the Islands? Reach out — I’ll price both the new build and the resale for you, honestly.

Figures are from two real 2026 Esplanade by the Islands purchase agreements, anonymized to protect the buyers — no names, addresses, or lot numbers. Model names are Taylor Morrison’s. Illustrative only; option availability and pricing vary by plan, selection level, and release and change without notice — verify current pricing with the builder. Nicholas Nolan, REALTOR®, Realty ONE Group MVP — an independent resource, not affiliated with or endorsed by Taylor Morrison.

What Upgrades Really Cost at Esplanade by the Islands (Two Real 2026 Sales)