For years, the dream of owning your own home has become increasingly expensive for aspiring builders. In particular, the costs of construction materials and land are growing almost inexorably. However today it is still possible to build a house cheaply. Below we give tips on how to build on a budget and what you should pay attention to:
#1 A SMALL LAND IN THE COUNTRYSIDE
Depending on the region and location, land costs can now account for up to 50% of construction costs. It is worth thinking carefully about the size and location of your desired property.
The more attractive the location of a building plot, the more expensive it is. Therefore, properties in urban or suburban areas cost much more than in rural areas. The quality of life can be better there than in the city. So if you no longer have to commute to work every day thanks to more home offices, think about moving to the countryside. For those who want to build cheaply, a property in the countryside is the best choice.
When it comes to property size, less is more. The smaller the property, the cheaper the price. Even a plot of 300 to 400 square meters offers enough space for a beautiful single-family home. Furthermore, with a smaller property you save on the design of outdoor spaces.
However, a smaller property naturally means that the size of your future dream home will also be smaller. Before purchasing the property, check which building measures are possible on the property, taking into account the distance rules to be respected and the requirements of the development plan or neighboring development.
#2 REALISTIC NEEDS PLANNING
To determine the spaces you need, you should carry out realistic needs planning at the beginning of your construction project. This should be guided by your real needs and not just wishful thinking. Is it absolutely necessary to have a guest bathroom or a second bathroom with a shower? Do you really need a separate home office? If you can get by with fewer rooms, you save living space and therefore money.
This also applies to the implementation of the planning of how many people will belong to the household and when. Will there be a permanent need to design a separate room for the teenager who leaves home in a few years? Or is a flexible transitional solution possible in which the future guest room or study is temporarily used as a teenager’s room?
However, reducing the living space does not make the house proportionately cheaper. For a smaller house, proportionately less material is needed. However, many cost items, such as construction site equipment, house connection costs or basic installation costs, are in principle independent of the size of the house. As a result, the square meter of living space in a larger house costs less than in a small one.
#3 CELLAR OR TOP PLATE?
At first glance it is very clear. If you want to build cheaply, you give up the basement and save €50,000 or more. On the other hand, in an average single-family home with a full basement, there is up to 40% more usable space than in the same home with just an attic. Assuming non-critical ground conditions, the construction costs amount to only approx. 10% more. So if you really want to build cheaply, build with a basement and include the basement living space in the calculation of your needs. There is also space for the building’s amenities as well as a pantry and laundry room in the basement. This leaves more room for living above ground.
Furthermore, in Germany there are large regional differences regarding the acceptance of a house without a cellar. This can have a direct impact on the resale value of your home.
Find out more about this in our blog article on building with or without a basement.
#4 SKILLFUL FLOORING PLANNING
If you want to build at a low cost, when designing your floor plan, make sure you divide up the necessary rooms efficiently and make the most of the available space. For example, circulation areas of the house such as corridors, staircases or passageways should be kept as small as possible.
With planning skills, even a smaller floor plan can have a big impact. The combination of living and dining area with an open, integrated kitchen in the center of the house is not only modern, but also convenient. Walls, doors and traffic areas are saved and, despite the smaller surface area, an impression of spaciousness is created.
In general, the corridors and staircases of a single-family house do not necessarily require spatial separation. The open staircase in the living/dining room becomes a real architectural eye-catcher that saves space and therefore money. If in a multi-storey house the bathrooms are arranged one above the other, it is necessary to lay fewer and shorter pipes. This saves on installation costs and also makes construction more economical.
Your nearest construction partner will be happy to help you individually design the floor plan for your personal dream home at an affordable price.
#5 COMPACT STRUCTURE WITH SIMPLE ARCHITECTURE
Clear, functional and sober shapes: what seems like a brief description of the Bauhaus style is also the right description for affordable construction. A simple, cubic house structure not only costs less, but also has the advantage of greater energy efficiency and thus long-term savings on heating costs.
The more nooks and crannies, bay windows or dormers, the more builders have to dig into their pockets. Extras on the front of the house such as balconies or canopies also incur additional costs. In the interest of cost-effective construction, they can be saved without compromising the overall impression of the house. The same applies to the shape of the roof. Of course, the roof must match the appearance of the house and please you. But shed and gable roofs cost much less than hip roofs or mansard roofs.
#6 USE YOUR EFFORT
Builders who want to build cheaply can also reduce their home costs with their own efforts. By doing your own work you can easily save a five-figure sum in euros which would otherwise constitute the wages of the artisans. However, before starting construction, you should realistically evaluate your capabilities and the time available for your work. Also keep in mind that a layman needs more time to do the same job than an experienced craftsman with the optimal equipment.
Time- or wage-intensive work that uses relatively little material is best suited for in-house work. This means that the building owner can install thermal insulation on the exterior walls of the basement himself during rough construction. In addition, plasterboard construction, that is, lining and filling plasterboard for interior walls and ceilings, is a good option for carrying out your own work. Classic interior work in interior design includes laying floor coverings, tiles, painting and wallpapering interior walls. External structures can be created just as easily by the building owner himself.
It is important that non-family helpers are registered in the professional register so that they are insured against accidents. The builder and his family are not insured. You need other accident insurance coverage.
Find out more on the topic of personal contribution in this MYM blog article.
#7 FORGIVE THE EXTRAVAGANCE
When it comes to furnishing your home, if the budget is limited, the focus should be on the functionality of the furnishings and not on the particularity of the design. There are different grades, brands and designs available for all the materials needed to build a house. Some of these differ greatly in terms of cost. A designer faucet from the same manufacturer can quickly cost many times more than a standard faucet that also looks elegant and works just as reliably.
So, when in doubt, stick to the standard equipment offered by your home supplier. This is the cheapest solution. Or you can choose from several suppliers the internal supplier whose standard equipment suits you best. This is cheaper than having to go to a seemingly cheaper supplier after purchasing the house.
You can also save a lot of money on Windows. Do you really need double-hung floor-to-ceiling French doors in every room? Fewer and smaller standard-sized windows can easily result in savings of several thousand dollars. And even with smaller windows, if placed intelligently, great spatial effects can be achieved.
#8 BUILD CONVENIENTLY BUT NOT CHEAP
To keep your budget from being put under strain in the long run, there are some things builders shouldn’t skimp on, even when building a budget home. This also includes thermal insulation and home heating technology, and not just in times when energy costs are skyrocketing. Investments in energy efficiency and sustainability may cost more initially, but will pay for themselves over time in the form of lower operating costs and better home value.
When choosing materials, don’t pay attention only to the price. Cheaper material often doesn’t have the quality to last long. More sustainable are durable building materials, ideally free of pollutants and whose production and transport do not consume too much energy.
construction partners build solid, sustainable homes out of conviction. Their wall stones are made from natural mineral raw materials such as clay and loam, which are mined carefully and close to the surface in the respective region. Thanks to their excellent heat storage capacity and good sound insulation, bricks create living comfort through tranquility and comfort and guarantee low heating costs. This is the difference between cheap and inexpensive.
#9 PRACTICAL DISCIPLINE
But the best planning and a realistic budget with the right construction partner by your side are of little use to you if you don’t exercise iron discipline throughout the entire home construction. It’s tempting to treat yourself to an extra thing or two. But what seems like little in the individual elements can quickly lead to considerable additional costs and make the construction of cheap houses an illusion.
It is best for the furnishings to be completed once the house has been designed. At this is the so-called detailed discussion after issuing the building permit, during which the construction manager of your construction partner goes over the execution of the house in detail with you and you establish the details. Anyone who practices discipline here saves money. Subsequent modifications usually involve significant additional costs because the contracts concluded with the craftsmen have to be changed again and possibly the construction processes have to be readjusted.
latest posts published
Elegance and versatility for your table
Plant shelf: transform your interior!
creative tips for your stay
Comfort and style at home
mix styles and dishes!
Transform your interiors with elegant pastel colors
Give a unique Boncoeurs gift
Olfactory elegance: reinvent your interiors
Brighten up your windowless space: effective tips
