There are two ways of getting your dream home. The first one is fairly easy: visit the country’s top real estate portal and pick a house you like. The second option is the difficult path: constructing a house from scratch. The latter requires money and patience above all other things. But if you are smart enough, you can save on construction costs. How? We will take you through some of the most effective tips on building a house on a budget.
Ingenious Ways Of Building A House On A Budget
Building a house on a budget might seem a daunting task for some, but here are some tips to get you started. There are plenty of ways to save money during house construction projects. For instance, cut back on up-front costs, make a low maintenance home and do not be flamboyant with your design ideas. Also, you can bargain at a lot of these tasks – when hiring workers or when sourcing construction materials.
Choose the area of construction wisely
Before constructing a house, you first need to buy land. If you happen to buy a plot at comparatively low rates in an uphill area, it is quite likely that half of your budget would be spent on making the place fit for construction. If you have to blast rocks, clear away trees or need to use earth filling to make a strong foundation, you might go overboard and put a dent in your budget. One of the smart ways to cut costs when building a house is to select the construction site intelligently. Also, if you buy cheaper plot in a developing area, then keep in mind that the living costs in the area would include traveling costs to the main city or in installing many of the public utilities.
Build a small house
Construct a small house with an expensive look. Consider your needs carefully when building a house on a budget. If you build an elaborate house, but your actual use is limited to two rooms, then you are wasting a lot of square footage and, with it, a lot of your hard-earned money. Visit an already constructed house to get an idea of how exactly you want your house to be built.
Design your house on your own
Well, of course, you are no expert in doing any of the construction jobs like laying the foundation, laying down concrete slabs, using bricks to build walls, but there are many ways you can contribute your bit in house construction. How? First things first. You can design the house on your own. Instead of hiring an architect to do the job for you, use the DIY approach and plan your house the way you want it.
You would need to be good at calculations though! Not only would you save a major chunk of your finances if you design the home on your own but you would also know how to utilize maximum square footage of your house.
For instance, some home builders or architects might allot more area to the bathroom and less to the kitchen. Or they may not leave any area for balcony or any place where you can put a clothesline to dry clothes. Although this looks like a small mistake, you would only realize it when you start living in it and then it would be too late to make the right changes. It is best to avoid construction mistakes when building a house.
Once you have completed the design and the grey structure is done, you can take part in the finishing of your home. You can paint the walls of your bedroom the way you want or maybe polish the window frames and doors if you want to cut back on construction costs.
Go for an open floor plan
One of the best tips of building a house on a budget is to opt for an open floor plan. This will help you to utilize more space and also not leave you feeling cramped up. For instance, you can make a kitchen with a large island that will open up to the living room.
This way, you can have a living room, dining area and a kitchen all linked together, so it is easier to manage as well as it helps save construction costs.
Cost saving design
You can’t compromise at all on the basic construction materials used in the house, but you can definitely go easy on the design of the house. This doesn’t mean your house should lack visual appeal. Try to go for options that require less maintenance and are also not expensive during the construction of the house.
For instance, you can go for a rockwall exterior than getting the house painted; this style requires little to no maintenance, therefore, it helps you save money in the long run.
Source construction materials
You do not need to depend entirely on your contractor. Take charge of things and explore the market on your own. Note down the prices of different construction materials so that you can buy at cheaper rates. Moreover, buying construction materials in bulk is also one of the best cost saving ideas for construction.
Here’s a pro-tip: go for second-hand fixtures. You can find many markets that sell pre-owned cabinetry, lights, window frames and even intricately carved wooden doors at far cheaper rates than first-hand! You will have to be a bit smart at it though, because, at times, second-hand items are not of very good quality. Check thoroughly if the cabinets and doors go well with your design and if all is well, then just buy it.
Save materials for later use
Use the leftover scraps of construction material effectively. Do not throw away anything that is left by the workers. You will realize there are a lot of important things in the construction waste that can be used later. You can make use of the wooden tiles left off after the worker has laid the flooring of your house. Make wooden shelves or even use it in cabinet doors or in bidding.
Similarly, the leftover PVC pipes can be used as curtain rods (after painting it of course). The steel (sarya) used in the house can be later used in the garden. Dig them in the soil of big fruiting trees, it replenishes the much-needed iron and you will see how your fruit trees flourish. Save all the electric wires, they come in handy whenever you need to fix the wiring of the house.
Cut down costs on sanitary fittings
When building a house, you tend to spend a lot on bathroom fixtures. Who wouldn’t want imported, stylish fixtures in the washroom? But ask yourself if you really have the budget to spend on expensive fountain taps or fancy shower heads.
Don’t go overboard when choosing bathroom tiles. Go for simpler ones that can be easily cleaned. Do not have a bath tub or vanity area in the bathroom. That will only add to the final cost. You can easily buy a small rack and install it in the corner area to place bathroom essentials.
These were some of the most effective tips of building a house on a budget. If you are laying the foundation of your new home, you might want to go through the construction costs of a 5 marla house. For more updates and posts on construction and property, stay tuned to the best real estate blog in Pakistan. If you have any suggestions or queries, do write to us at blog@zameen.com
