A $6.9m home with $1.59 light switches?

Leviton lightswitch

Something wrong with this light switch?

Nope, nothing really. Last week I found it in many times in two open houses. It's your standard Leviton switch; $1.59 for the ten-pack, contractors' pricing probably a bit cheaper.

And therein lies the rub.

In the morning, I saw this switch being installed in a $1.4m modernist house under construction. No issues.

Then, same day an hour later, I encountered it and many of its siblings in another brand-new modern home for sale.

This time, the asking price was $6.9 million.

Alternative switch, nicer

But – $1.59 switches in a $6.9m home? Visible screws and all?

If I was a prospective buyer in that price bracket, I'd blow a gasket. Upscale pricing should get more than an upscale location and more space, it should also demand better materials.

But sadly, I often observe stunts like that. And I can't help but wonder what kind of buyer will let a detail like this slide by. You don't have to be in the building trade to be a bit more discriminating.

Is the builder's margin really that poor that s/he has to resort to this? Are luxury buyers really that indiscriminate that glitzy appearance of a big house is worth more than substance in details?

Seems so. In my book, that gets filed under "pathetic".

What's your opinion?