Building your dream home is an exciting moment in your life. You get to choose the style, colors, materials, and every other little detail. While this is one of the happiest moments in your life, you may come across one major hurdle, your budget! Careful budgeting is a must when building your dream home. Here are 10 tips to help you build on a tight budget.
Know Your Budget
Before undertaking any construction or hiring professionals, make sure to go over your current budget. Calculate the amount of cash you have and the amount you’ll require for the different construction phase of your dream home. This may take some time as you’ll need to undertake accurate research and plan your expenses but it is still a crucial step in building your home.
Hire Accordingly
It’s always wise to ask for an estimate from different contractors before hiring one. This will help you know which one fits into your budget and which one is offering the most benefits. While you may choose to go with an experienced and reputed contractor, just make sure you can match their cost. Choosing the right contractor will not depend on whom you get along with the most, but with whom you can make the most savings.
Choose Your Land Wisely
When buying land, it’s easy to fall into the trap of buying on aesthetics and surroundings alone. While you can find a land that is big and solid, you might find the same type of land, half the price, down the block. Do not rush into buying land you’ll regret later. Take time to investigate on the different lands available and the prices as well. This should help you save big if done right.
Keep it Small
While big and luxurious houses are definitely impressive, smaller and more comfortable ones are the choice when building on a budget. This is a serious matter as most people like to build big and expensive houses to then find themselves living with debts. Don’t make that mistake and build a home that is right for your family and your budget.
Avoid Complexities
One common attitude these days is to add more details in your home to enhance its look. While this can be great for your sight, it’s definitely not great for your wallet. Adding extra details require more time and resources which adds to the cost of the house. So don’t bother about zigzag styles, expensive floating floors, intricate wall designs, and so on.
Materials Choice
This step is where most people get confused about. Choosing which materials to put in your house is crucial if you want to save money. While wood flooring is beautiful, it is also quite expensive. Make smart choices when buying materials. Cheaper materials don’t have to mean lower quality as well. Check your local store and ask for advice from your contractor if need be.
Keep Track
While you might give the reign over to the contractor for the construction part, you still need to be present and analyze every single detail. All expenses should be known to you and you may ask the details if necessary. Remember, it’s your money and your home that are at stake here, so you better step up and have a recording of all the different expenses.
Wise Shopper
You don’t need to buy from expensive showrooms. They have marked up their products many times over and you’ll just end up paying a high price for the same product that could have cost you 10 times cheaper. Instead, choose to shop online or at discount warehouses. You may find fixtures, lighting, bath accessories, hardware, furniture, and more at a cheaper price. Make a shopping list as this will help you buy only the stuff you need and to avoid any splurge.
Bargain Boss
No one can deny the power of bargaining. While it may be perceived as negative, this is a good strategy for saving money. Negotiate with contractors, sellers, and wholesalers whenever you can, this will definitely help you save a lot. However, there’s a limit on how much you can bargain. Just know the balance and you’re off negotiating like a boss.
Landscaping
The landscape is a crucial aspect for any home and enhances the aesthetics as well as your property value. While it can be tempting to have a beautiful outdoor landscape, it is quite costly. One simple way to get over this hurdle is to choose simple landscaping. Go for the typical lawn with beautiful green grass so that it is more practical, presentable, and cost-effective. You may add more landscaping features such as retaining walls, patios, trees, plants, and more in subsequent years when you have extra money.
And if you’re still not inspired on how to build a house on a tight budget, click here to get some innovative and interesting low-cost building ideas!
