Save Money When Designing Your Own Home
By Michael Russell
Add it later. Most folks who build their own home try to
put every option into it – and a few go broke doing so.
If you’re trying to keep costs down, consider what you
can add later. For example, if you want a central vacuum
system, make sure the design includes it, but don’t
purchase and install the vacuum unit until you’re into
the home. The same goes for wall covering. Paint for
now, and plan to add wall covering later. It will keep
your building costs down and make sure you qualify for
that construction loan. Depending on how tight your
budget is, you may choose not to include appliances in
your construction loan, rather using what you have for a
little while longer, and buying new ones as needed. You
can even add a deck and landscaping later, once you’re
in the house. Some folks opt to take out a second
mortgage in a year or two, to add things they couldn’t
quite afford when the house was built. If this is your
plan, include those ideas in your building plan as
needed.
Cut corners. The cheapest house you can build is
square. Only four corners. The more corners you add, the
higher the cost. Certainly you want more than four walls
in your house, but remember that each corner you add
costs more than a straight wall. And rounded sections,
such as bay windows and arched doorways, cost more than
conventional walls and doorways. Not to worry, though.
These are just real-world building facts. Make sure you
get value for each of these additions to your plan. Keep
them to a minimum.
Don’t change your mind. Changing your house plan any
time after it is drawn costs money. That’s a fact. How
much it costs depends on what’s involved in making the
change. If you’re simply changing out one window style
for another of the same dimension, the cost difference
will be minimal. If you want to replace a window with a
sliding glass door that opens onto a new porch, you’re
talking more dollars.
Forego the basement. Basements can be practical
additions to a house. Or not. If the basement in your
house doesn’t have a valuable function, get rid of it.
In some parts of the United States, the basement is
where you live during tornado season, making it
necessary. Or a basement may be required due to the
building site slope. So, design the basement for
multiple functions rather than just as a storage area.
The same goes for all areas of your next home; make sure
it has at least one practical function.
Build up, not out. The wider your house, the more it
costs. That makes sense, right? You can save money on
your house by building up. A second story costs less to
build than doubling the size of your first story. Why?
Because you don’t need twice as much foundation. The
first story becomes the foundation for the second story.
Of course, the foundation for a two-story house needs to
be designed for the extra weight and stress, but it’s
still much cheaper than twice as much foundation. A
higher home can also put more house on a smaller lot,
saving on land costs.
Article Source: Michael Russell
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