Why Central Vacuum Became a Builder Standard, Not an Upgrade

You know the conversation. The one where a client walks through their finished home and asks why there's no central vacuum. You explain it wasn't in the original specification. They look at you like you forgot the dishwasher.

It's a conversation you don't want to have twice.

The Market Has Already Decided

Central vacuum has crossed a threshold. The latest data shows the majority of luxury builders now include it in the original spec, not as an optional add-on.

It's no longer a selling point. It's become an expectation.

The Hamptons market makes this pressure sharper. Ultra-luxury properties priced above $20 million saw prices jump 59% year-over-year in 2025. Buyers at that level don't ask what's included. They ask what's missing.

We're seeing it firsthand. Builders who five years ago treated central vacuum as a client upgrade now include it in every spec.

What Luxury Buyers Expect Now

The shift started with air quality awareness. Research shows that 49% of central vacuum adoption is now driven by something most builders didn't anticipate: air quality concerns.

Builders nationwide increasingly lead with resilience and wellness messaging. The ones winning work are the ones speaking to what clients already want.

Your clients aren't asking for central vacuum. They're asking why you didn't already specify it.

The mechanism matters here. Central vacuums exhaust particles outside the living space entirely. Portable units, even premium ones with HEPA filtration, recirculate exhaust into the room. In tightly sealed luxury homes, the kind built to perform, that recirculation works against everything else you've specified.

The Certification Advantage

Green building certifications create another pressure point. LEED for Homes awards one point for a central vacuum system vented to the outdoors. The National Green Building Standard (NGBS) offers up to five points in its Indoor Environmental Quality category. The WELL Building Standard emphasizes source separation: removing contaminants at the point of generation.

Central vacuum directly supports all three.

Local builders are already capitalizing on this, pursuing LEED and LEED Platinum certifications for projects across Long Island and the Hamptons. For these firms, certification isn't brochure copy. It's how they win projects.

When you can tell a client their home meets WELL Air standards, you're not just selling a house. You're selling peace of mind backed by third-party verification.

The Cost Calculation Builders Should Know

Rough-in installation for a 5,000 square foot home typically runs $10,000 to $12,000 depending on inlet count and power unit selection.

Put that in context. On a $3 million build, central vacuum represents less than one percent of total cost. On a $10 million estate, it's a rounding error.

Retrofit installation costs 30-40% more. Opening finished walls to run PVC conduit means drywall repair, repainting, and coordination headaches. The cost gap between rough-in and retrofit is real. But the bigger gap is between including it and explaining why you didn't.

HausVac has completed over 10,000 installations across Eastern Long Island. That volume means we've refined the rough-in process to integrate cleanly with your framing and electrical trades, not slow them down.

The Conversation You Don't Want to Have

Consider the alternative conversation. Client asks about adding central vacuum after drywall is up. You explain the retrofit process, the additional cost, the disruption. They look at the walls they just paid to finish and wonder why this wasn't handled months ago.

You can have that conversation. Or you can have a different one.

"It's already in the spec."

That's the answer that builds referrals. The builders who include central vacuum as standard aren't making a pitch. They're meeting the market where it already is.

The Path Forward

If you're specifying new construction in the Hamptons, HausVac central vacuum belongs in your standard package. Rough-in is the right moment: costs stay minimal relative to project scope, and you're delivering what clients already expect.

HausVac works with builders during rough-in, coordinating with your timeline and your trades. We've been doing this in the Hamptons since 1981.

The conversation has already shifted. Your specifications should too.

Contact HausVac to discuss builder coordination for your next project.

FAQ

What's the optimal time to install central vacuum?

The rough-in phase, after framing and before insulation and drywall. Installation costs 30-40% less than retrofit work, and the system integrates seamlessly with other trades.

Does central vacuum add home value?

In the luxury market, it's expected. Omitting it creates a gap buyers notice.

What certification points does central vacuum earn?

LEED for Homes awards one point for central vacuum vented outdoors. NGBS offers up to five Indoor Environmental Quality points. WELL Building Standard supports the Air concept through source separation.