When you decide to build your own home, the entire process can be very expensive. This isn’t your average home renovation; you need to pay for everything from the team that is going to build it to the design elements and the building materials. For this reason, many people avoid building their own home as it is just too expensive.
The good news is that there are ways to cut costs on your self-build home project. This will include everything from planning it carefully to only buying what you need along the way. In this article, we are going to give you some tips on how you can achieve this. Keep reading to find out more of our great tips below.
Plan Everything Carefully
One of the best ways to cut costs on your self-build project is to make sure that everything is carefully planned. One of the reasons why these kinds of projects can be more expensive is that they go on for longer than necessary due to a lack of planning. The longer it takes, the more you’ll have the shell out on the labour. When building your own home, create a plan that covers everything. If you aren’t sure where to start, you can get in touch with an expert who can help you. If you want to avoid this, check online for some additional tips. Planning is key so make sure not to skip this important step.
Only Buy What You Need
The next tip that we have for those who want to cut costs on their self-build project is to only buy what you need. It can be easy to get carried away when you are buying materials but if you don’t properly plan things out, you could end up spending more than is necessary. A good way to cut costs is to use a tool like a concrete calculator or a flooring calculator, depending on the area you are focusing on first. When you use a concrete mix calculator, you can work out exactly how much you need and not overspend. A good example of this kind of tool can be found here: https://www.mixit.co.uk/services/concrete-calculator.
DIY
While not everything that needs to be done in your self-build project can be done without experts, there are some things that you can do yourself. Even if you need assistance from some friends who have experience, you can save some money along the way by learning some new skills. Some of the things that you could do yourself include laying the concrete, fitting kitchen cabinets and more. DIY skills are easier to pick up than you might think and once you do it once, you’ll be able to do it again.
One thing we would suggest if you are planning on doing some DIY is to leave the dangerous stuff to the experts. This includes any kind of electrical work that you are not properly trained to do which can be very dangerous.
Haggle on Land Prices
When you are building your own home, you will need to pay for the land that it will be located on. This could be land you already own if you have knocked down your home or it might be land that you need to invest in. Either way, you are going to need to spend a lot of money and so you will need to make sure that you are cutting costs where you can. If you are planning on buying land from a seller, you should consider haggling with them. Not all sellers will be receptive to haggling but others might be. You can find some tips online to help you haggle more effectively so make sure to have a closer look.
Shop Around
Our next tip for those who want to save some money on their self-build project is to shop around when you can. Some stores will charge more than others, and this doesn’t always mean that they are offering a better product or service. Shopping around will take a bit of extra time but if you aren’t in a rush then you could really save some money along the way. When shopping around, do your research, check online and don’t forget to ask for recommendations. If you can buy things in bundles, make sure to consider this.
Go Eco-Friendly
While this next tip might not be something that necessarily saves you money in the short-term, it is one that can benefit you in the long-term. Building a home that is eco-friendly is not only important for saving money, but it can also help to reduce your carbon footprint along the way. When you implement eco-friendly architecture, you can save money on your energy bills throughout the year. Some of the things that you might want to consider include insulation, solar panels and more. Do your research on what you could include and calculate how much money this could save you over time. There’s a number of ideas in the following article which may help: https://www.self-build.co.uk/10-sustainable-eco-houses-inspire-your-project/.
Where to Stay
Have you thought about the additional costs of the temporary accommodation that you are going to need to stay in while you are building your own home? Some people don’t move out of their current home until they have finished their new home, but this is not always possible. You might need to rent a property nearby to make it easier to work on the project or even stay with some family. When you are choosing your temporary accommodation, you should make sure to choose something that is cost-effective. This is not something that a lot of people consider but it could save you a lot more money along the way.
Hire an Architect
While our final tip might sound like one that is only going to cost you more money than you can afford, it can actually help you to save money in the long-run. Architects are trained to create homes in line with budgets so they might just be able to tell you where you can save money. For example, they might look at your screed calculator and tell you why you don’t actually need that much screed. They also might be able to plan a new arrangement of the rooms that is just more cost-effective. Make sure to find an architect that is within your price range in order to reduce the costs as much as possible.
Conclusion
If you are planning on building your own home, then you should make sure that you have a budget in mind before making any serious decisions. The last thing you want is to run out of money halfway through and then have nothing to show for it. A quicker project will be one that is cheaper and the best way to achieve this is through careful planning. Think about what you need and how much of it you need before buying anything.
Make sure to take on board all of the tips that we have given you in this article and use them to make the right decisions. Hopefully, you’ll have a home that is built in no time at all without breaking the bank.