Putting together a home from scratch is certainly an exciting project until it comes to the part when you have to pay for it. If you have been planning for a period of time on what you want to do–your layout plans, perfect finishing, etc. and don’t have a limited budget, then definitely go for it!
However, with such a costly and detail-intensive endeavor, it’s easy to get caught up in the process and forget about the budget you had.
Fortunately, this doesn’t have to be your case because, with proper planning and money-saving tips, you can always take a few steps backward and stick to your budget without compromising your dream home.
To help you through this exciting project, here are a few money-saving tips when building your home.
Money-saving Tips When Building Your Home in 2023
1. Research your budget before starting
Some people would recommend setting a rough budget and then adjusting it along the way, but that doesn’t always work well since it is easy to overspend on huge projects like this.
To avoid getting yourself into this loop, create a detailed budget. It is surprising how many people give a rough budget to their general contractors that have nothing to do with the actual cost, and they don’t realize how far they have gone until the first payment is due.
With construction projects, small details cost a lot, so create a detailed budget that has all the nick and nacks of the building process and keeps track of your spending along the way. This way, you will have a big picture of how much you are spending, if there’s an area you’ll need to cut back in, or if you have some money to splurge on something.
2. Make a plan and stick to it
This is not only about the budgeting plan. Before you start working on the project, you want to make a plan on what exactly you want and how you will reach it. You want to think about what materials you want to use, what kind of finishing, what rooms you’ll need water to reach, where you are going to put your electrical plugs, etc.
Deciding on all these details before starting will save you from wasting unused materials, changing your mind, incurring costs, getting building fines, etc. For example, you want to ensure that you have the building permits and licenses you need before starting because having work delayed or getting fined can cause a major setback to your budget.
3. Utilize energy efficiency
This isn’t a money-saving tip that you will benefit from in the beginning, but it will save you a ton of money in the long run. There are several ways to utilize energy efficiency, and the most effective ones are choosing appliances that save energy, such as researching a tankless water heater list, which is 24% to 34% more energy-efficient than storage tank water heaters (as long as you use around 41 gallons per day), according to the U.S. Department of Energy. You can even search for lighting fixtures that operate on solar power, which will help cut costs over time.
4. Consider being your own general contractor
In most states, you are not required to have a license to become your own general contractor for your house. And you don’t need to have a ton of knowledge about building to build your own home. Before you think that the hassle is not worth it, managing the building process yourself can save you around 10% of the total cost, which translates to a huge number.
What you will need is to have a basic understanding of the process (you can research a lot or ask people who have done it themselves), unleash your interpersonal skills because hiring and managing subcontractors will be your responsibility, track your expenses, and ensure that you obtain all the required building licenses/permits before you start.
Also, keep in mind that you will need to take on the builder’s risk when the materials arrive. It is recommended that you get builder’s risk insurance to protect you from facing a major financial loss if something happens with the building materials or with the construction process.
5. Buy your own building materials upfront
Subcontractors are usually dealing with many construction projects all at once, so paying for the building materials can be a financial strain on them. To get a better quota with them, offer to buy the materials directly from the supplier yourself based on the specifications given by the subcontractor and pay upfront.
That is because this will be a financial relief for them (you will get a better bid), and suppliers are willing to offer a slight discount for those paying upfront.
