No matter what they tell us about European integration, building a house according to the German or Spanish model, to put it mildly, is inappropriate.
The peculiarities of the Russian climate play a decisive role in the choice of building materials and building technology. And it is clear that the process of reducing the cost of construction should not affect the energy efficiency of the house.
Once your offer is accepted, you can close and relocate within a month or two. While the process involves many steps - for example, financing, looking at houses, creating proposals, home inspections, and closing - the convenience of being able to navigate right away is enough for many people to choose an existing home over assembly. This can be especially true for shoppers on a tight schedule, such as moving to a new job or whose children will be starting a new school.
Then the cost: in many cases it is cheaper to buy an existing home according to data compiled by the National Association of Home Builders. Once you've found a promising existing home, use the mortgage calculator to get a more accurate estimate of the total purchase price of that home based on today's interest rates. Depending on your target real estate market, prices for existing homes can still be quite favorable after the financial crisis and housing disruptions that have brought down property prices in the nation significantly.
Otherwise, you can save on construction, but lose a lot on utility bills. What should you pay attention to in order to keep the golden mean?
What points should be taken into account before the start of construction in order to build a cheap house?
1. It must be remembered that the main heat loss of housing construction occurs through its external elements: walls, roof. It is clear that what less area the walls the better. Therefore, the ruggedness of the house plan is not our option.
Convenience versus customization
The odds are also that the house will have a mature landscape, so you don't have to worry about starting a lawn, planting bushes and waiting for trees to grow. And if you want to live near the city, your the best choice there will be an existing home, as most, if not all, of the land will already be built.
Log house
On the other hand, the biggest disadvantage of buying an existing home may be that you don't get exactly what you want. You may not like the floor plan, you may wish that half of the bathroom on the first floor is a full bath, or that there is another bedroom on the main floor. Older homes, in particular, may be functionally outdated and no longer meet the needs of most buyers. For example, another beautiful four-bedroom home might only have one bathroom, or the kitchen might be too small for expansion.
A compact plan requires rational architectural solutions: combining kitchen and dining room, hallway and hallway, hall and living room. If you are going to build a veranda, some auxiliary rooms, then it is better to arrange the heated volume of the house with them. This will be a wonderful barrier to heat loss, and if the extensions are made with a modern appearance, then you can enrich, decorate the facade of the house.
These additional costs must be factored into the total price, especially when choosing between different properties or comparing the cost of building your own home. Building a new home does not provide the same convenience as buying an existing home. Not only do you have to find land that most likely will not be in the existing area, you also have to consider the time to find an architect or builder and select each element of the new structure. Joining an existing development can streamline the process, although it can limit your choice.
The device of the attic in housing construction is a reliable obstacle to cold through the roof. And by placing a sleeping area in it, you can significantly reduce the building area. As you can see, a one-story house with an attic is the best opportunity to build an inexpensive house.
2. Reducing the weight of the future home will significantly save on the foundation ... For example, you can make a shallow one (it must be borne in mind that it cannot be erected on heaving soils) or pile foundation with a grillage.
You also need to worry about systems, such as whether the land gives access to municipal water and wastewater, or requires a well and septic tank, and any environmental and other permits. The big advantage: you are much more likely to get exactly what you want. The best efficiency is good for the environment and can save you money on your bills. utilities every month.
A new home may literally be better for you. “A new home is less likely to have health problems or toxic materials from the old home - things like asbestos, lead paint, mold, etc.,” says Burtt. While the initial construction costs may be higher, you may find it easier to recoup your investment. You can have a higher profit margin when you resell your new home. A newer home is generally more attractive than a more old house for most people, says Burtt.
Your decision on the construction of the basement and basement of housing construction will also affect the cost of foundation work. It can be done with a basement, or without a basement with a subfloor on the ground, or you can make a basement. But we must remember that the arrangement of the foundation of a building is the most crucial stage of work, and it is advisable to entrust the choice of the type of foundation to an independent specialist.
Plus, a new home will require less renovation and less maintenance, which can save you both money and time. And as Bertt points out, you will have a guarantee with a new home, so even if things go wrong, you can still be covered.
Money and opportunity aside, building a home can lead to levels of satisfaction that you cannot achieve by buying an existing home. “There is a certain sense of emotional connection to life in the new home that you have created,” says Burtt. The smell of a new home has never been stepped on your carpet. It is your creation that matches your style and personality that you created from scratch.
3. Window openings and their glazing are not only a real home decoration , but also one of the main routes of heat loss. The optimal ratio of the area of \u200b\u200bwindow openings to the floor area is 1 to 8. An increase in this parameter leads to higher prices and unnecessary heat loss.
Particular attention should be paid to the quality of filling such openings. Wooden bindings with vacuum double-glazed windows, high-quality seals will help to solve the problem of thermal protection of the house.
The biggest drawbacks to building a home tend to be higher costs and longer lead times, both of which can increase throughout the home construction process. However, you can limit the risk of your home going on budget or taking longer than you expected by working with a reputable builder and having a good contract on site. “Ask your potential builder for references, then check their past homeowners references,” says Burtt.
To avoid unexpected price increases, “Try to use a one-time contract instead of a cost-plus contract.” The lump sum contract sets a fixed price for the construction, which puts the risk of cost overruns on the builder instead of the buyer.
What is cheaper to build a house from?
Consider the options for wall materials from which you can build an inexpensive house. We need the minimum construction cost to be combined with strength, durability and beautiful appearance:
1. Build a house inexpensively with the combined use of structural and thermal insulation materials ... This is a fundamental difference from the construction of buildings of the previous generation, when the structural material was also heat insulating. All load-bearing elements of the house are made of structural materials. But their number is calculated only for the building to acquire the necessary strength:
Plus, your contractor should work with you to help you cut costs. “Your developer should provide a list of economy items if required,” says Bertt. By substituting different materials and fixtures, you can save thousands of dollars, so if costs are a concern, ask ahead of time if there is a cheaper alternative. And keep in mind that something out of the ordinary will cost more. Custom colors and ornate shapes of materials are definite ways to overcome the budget, says Burtt.
- Frame made of monolithic reinforced concrete , of course, can be applied in private housing construction, but it is difficult to call it economical. And it is difficult to do everything yourself correctly, and to obtain a monolith with the required quality and bearing characteristics is difficult. In addition, whatever the filling of the frame, reinforced concrete must still be insulated.
- Half-timbered buildings... They are durable, strong and environmentally friendly. Basic structure such buildings are a wooden frame made of beams coniferslaid horizontally, vertically, and at different angles to each other. These beams can be seen from the outside, it is they who give a specific charm to the house building. The inter-girder space is filled with adobe, brick, wood, adobe material, arbolite and so on. At the moment, glued laminated timber is used. The building turns out to be light, does not shrink. You can build it in six months. The cost of 1 m2 of such a turnkey house is 18,000-25,000 rubles. This is the cost of the so-called Russian half-timbered house - according to imported technology, but from our material. European half-timbered houses are more expensive, about two times.
- Timber frame systems... The walls of the house have a layered structure, made in the form of sandwich panels. The basis of such a panel is a wooden frame. A slab insulation with minimum heat loss parameters is laid inside. It is believed that the buildings built using this technology of housing construction are one of the warmest. The cost of 1 m2 of such a house is 15,000-20,000 rubles. The filling of the frame can be different: boiler slag, pumice, fleece, sawdust, straw, etc. The lighter the filler, the lower the thermal conductivity. If you make such a house yourself, then it will cost about two times cheaper. But in any case, you need an intelligent assistant.
2. Construction of houses from gas and foam concrete blocks ... The cost of such a turnkey building is about 18,000 rubles. for 1m2. At present, foam concrete is produced at the European level, but at the most affordable price. Such walls are more familiar to us, they have low thermal conductivity, and a fairly fast cycle of building construction.
We organize water supply, heat supply and electricity supply
If you are buying a home builder, make sure everything you need is included. To control the time frame, “Try to get a contract that includes the duration of the construction time,” says Burtt. "Avoid open-ended deadlines and you have a game plan and timeline." If you are out of state, you can be confident that your builder will keep you updated on progress. Ask if the builder will regularly provide photos of progress and determine who will be your main point of contact for the process, says Bertt, “it’s bad for you or your builder if you change your mind about the color of granite countertops after they’ve been installed.
3. In Russia, traditionally widespread construction of houses from a bar . Wood wall 250 mm (this is the most common size of a log), does not meet the new rules for thermal conductivity of buildings and requires additional insulation.
Such a house, before finishing, should stand for 1-1.5 years, which clearly goes to its disadvantage. But it is ideal for living, a person is comfortable in it. 1m2 of a house from a bar, turnkey, comes out about 22000-25000 rubles.
Even if you start your home search after finding the perfect existing property, you may ultimately decide to build to get exactly what you want. Conversely, you can plan your construction and then decide which existing home is better suited. Either way, working with a qualified and experienced professional - be it a real estate agent or general contractor - can help ensure a smooth operation.
When you start looking at homes, you may be ready to choose your options for the home. Is it cheaper to build your own house or buy a house? As home prices rise and mortgage rates remain low, it may be an ideal time for buyers to secure a deal on a new or existing home. Considering which is better than investment: building or buying?
Of course, turnkey construction is ideal... No physical effort is required. But, firstly, you still have to morally strain (and it is not yet known what is more tiresome), and secondly, if you build cheap house for you - this is an end in itself, then you will need to do some work yourself.
Modern combined technologies
Since new home prices are higher, your first thought might be to buy an existing home. But you may be amazed at what you can afford if you decide to build your own. own house instead of this. Since builders want to keep their crews busy, they are offering a variety of discounts to entice potential buyers to build a home.
Building a new home can bring many benefits and money saving opportunities; so while you don't need to know how to build a house yourself to get best house for your needs, you need to know a few things before diving into such a commitment.
First of all, it is plaster, and ceilings, and in general, for the entire complex finishing works a fairly large share of the costs falls. And if, you will perform some more assembly work - then the cost of the future home will significantly decrease. But this process must be approached carefully.
Money leaves us in any way, but the quality of the work performed remains with us forever.
Here are some of the benefits for creating your own home. Material discounts: If you work with vendors like your local forestry, ask for a builder discount. Some vendors will offer higher discounts the more you buy, according to Bob Vila, a home improvement expert. Expect a 10 percent discount on lumber and joinery; for lighting fixtures, expect higher savings. Everything is new: Moving to an existing property can come with hidden costs as you may need to not be completely obvious at the buying stage. Older buildings often have designs that don't make sense - like an installation that requires you to walk through a bedroom to get to a shared bathroom - that newer homes don't. Even when you are building a new home, it is still likely that not everything will be perfect.
You decided to build a home for yourself and your family on your own, but you don’t have so much money for this, but you want the house to be reliable, beautiful and, most importantly, inexpensive. What to do and how to build a house with your own hands cheap and beautiful? We hope that the information in this article will help you find the correct answer to this question.
Whether you're running into permission issues or other delays, creating your own home can come with unexpected costs. “I've never seen a house that was built come on a budget,” said Sissy Lappin, founder of ListingDur, a service that helps people sell their homes. I can't say how many times I have had a client who bought a lot to build, gave the architect a budget for how they wanted to “be in the house” and then propose plans only to find out the cost to build a house for 30-40 percent more than their budget.
The size of the house and its layout - how to save on it
One of the first factors to make building a house cheaper is right choice its size and layout. In this case, the following points should be taken into account:
- When choosing a house project and its layout, it is necessary to strive so that the outer contour of the house, in the plan, is as close to the square as possible. In this case, with the same area, the perimeter will be minimal, which means that the length of the outer walls, as well as the foundation for them, will be minimal. For example, for a house with an area of \u200b\u200b100 m 2, if it measures 10 x 10 m, the perimeter will be 40 m, and if the dimensions are 8x12.5 m, then the length of the outer walls will be 41 m, that is, already 1 m more. If we multiply this difference by the height (2.5-3.0) and the thickness of the future wall, we will find the volume building materialthat can be saved. To this should be added the saving of material (concrete, reinforcement) per 1 running meter of the foundation.
- The layout of the house must be chosen in such a way as to place all the necessary living and utility rooms in the smallest possible area. To do this, you should look at the various options finished projects at home and choose or compose your best layout option.
- It is necessary to abandon architectural excesses and choose the most simple, but functional (convenient for living) layout option. Minimum dimensions premises of the house can be selected taking into account the recommendations.
- When choosing the number of storeys of a house, you should take into account that it is easier and cheaper to build a one-story house, especially with your own hands. In addition, in two-story house it will be necessary to build an interfloor staircase and allocate space for it. Often, instead of the second floor, an attic is arranged in the attic. This will save on materials for the walls, but it will increase the cost of building a roof. Here you need to calculate different options and choose a more economical one.
Aerated concrete blocks - which is cheaper
Here are some of the downsides to building a home. Constraints: You may be limited by the style of the house you can build within your price range. You may also find that making big changes and buying updates from the builder can be expensive. Construction Loans and Permits: You may be required to provide a construction loan during the construction process if the builder does not do it for you. Even if the builder handles the permissions, it's a good idea to understand what is needed to ensure everything is built for code. If you're unsure, your best bet is to hire your surveyor to make sure the job is done correctly the first time - and this translates into the expense of building a home. Legal Considerations: An agreement between you and a builder can limit your rights if there is a problem with the home construction process and you need to take the builder to court. Read the documents carefully and consult with an attorney in your state for legal advice if necessary. Temporary housing: You may need to move into temporary housing while you wait for your home.
- Time: It can take four to six months to build a house.
- It's a long wait and things can change while you wait for the transition.
Fig. 1 An example of an economical layout of a house
Is it possible to save on the foundation
Depending on the type and depth of laying, the cost of building the foundation of a house can be up to 30% of its cost. And since most of it, with the exception of the base, is not visible, then such expenses are “burying money in the ground”, and in the literal sense. And, of course, there may be a desire to save money at this stage of construction, which is fraught with serious troubles in the future. If the base of the house is unreliable, then the problems will not take long to wait: uneven shrinkage, cracks in the walls and floors, and even destruction. And nothing can be fixed. Therefore, it is possible to save on the foundation only if this saving does not affect its reliability. Although there are options here as well.
If a basement is planned under the house, then it is unlikely that it will be possible to save money - as a rule, in this case, a rather costly deepened strip foundation is being built. If the house is planned without a basement, then, depending on the selected type of material for the walls, its weight and soil composition at the construction site, the type of foundation can be chosen, which will save on materials and labor costs: not buried, shallow, columnar, piled or their combination (for example, columnar-grillage or pile-grillage).
Figure: 2 One of the options for an economical foundation: pile-grillage - bored piles and a monolithic reinforced concrete grillage.
Wall material and construction
One of the important factors in reducing the cost of building a house is the choice of the cheapest material for its walls. True, cheap doesn't have to mean substandard or unreliable. It is necessary to analyze all possible and affordable options and choose the best one.
For example, in a wooded area, wood may be the most accessible and cheapest material, but in the steppe regions it can be quite expensive. In places where there are deposits of natural stone, for example, shell limestone, this material may be the cheapest, and in the steppe zone, where there is no cheap wood and stone, adobe may be the cheapest.
If you are not satisfied with such traditional, time-tested materials, then perhaps the best option for building a house will be aerated concrete blocks: gas or foam blocks.
At the same time, when choosing a building material for walls, one should take into account not only its cost, but also the costs of delivery and installation, simplicity, ease and speed of constructing a wall from it with your own hands, the need for accompanying materials for its masonry or fastening, their volume and price ...
In addition, the thermal insulation properties of the selected material should also be taken into account, since the need for additional insulation walls can significantly increase construction costs. Therefore, sometimes more expensive material with better thermal insulation characteristics may turn out to be more profitable than a cheaper one, but requiring an additional or larger layer of insulation.
Wall types
Having chosen the best option for the material for the walls, you need to decide on the most advantageous type and design. So walls made of wood can be solid (from logs or timber) or in the form timber frame filling the inner space with insulation.
It is not so easy to build a wooden house from logs (blockhouse) or a bar with your own hands. This requires knowledge, experience and certain skills. And the consumption of wood is quite large. Therefore, the construction of such a house will be cheap only where this material can be purchased at a low price. And it would be nice, before taking on the independent construction of such a house, first build a small utility or utility room from the selected type of material and, thereby, gain skills and master the technology.
Cheaper and simple option can be a frame or frame-panel house. Such houses are quite common in the USA and Canada. They are lightweight, so cheaper options for the foundation can be used for them: shallow, columnar or pile. They are built quickly and less wood is consumed for their construction. Due to the filling of the internal space of the frame with insulation (usually mineral wool), such walls have good thermal insulation. The frame of the walls can be made either from timber or from boards with subsequent external and internal cladding.
One of the options for panel houses are buildings from SIP panels manufactured in an industrial environment, according to the so-called Canadian technology, from chipboard (OSB) -plates and an insulation located between them. They are going fast, like a house of cards. True, the cost of such ready-made panels is relatively high and in order to reduce the cost of building such a house, you can make shields from timber, boards and insulation with your own hands at the construction site.
Walls made of stone materials
If a frame or panel house seems unreliable for you or does not fit for other reasons and you have firmly decided to build the walls of the house from natural or artificial stone materials, then you must remember that three options are possible for their sufficient thermal insulation:
- Due to the rather large thickness of the wall, while using brick or natural stone;
- By including a layer of insulation in the wall structure;
- The use of artificial porous materials, such as aerated concrete, foam block, ceramic block, expanded clay concrete.
The first option has long been outdated and is now practically not used, as quite costly, both in terms of material consumption, labor and the need to build a fairly massive and reliable foundation. In order to choose which of the options: a stone wall with insulation, a porous material of sufficient thickness, or their combination will be cheaper, it is necessary to calculate all the costs for laying 1 m 2 of the wall in this way and its subsequent facade decoration.
Adobe walls
This is another inexpensive type of wall building material that can make building a house cheaper. It consists of dried blocks of a mixture of clay and straw, formed using special shapes. This material has been used for construction for thousands of years and its attractiveness is that such blocks can be made independently, spending a certain amount of time and using fairly inexpensive components.
In addition to using adobe in the form of dried blocks, it can also be used in its raw form to fill space in a frame house.
Roof
In order to reduce the cost of building a roof of a house, it is necessary to choose its simplest form, no frills. And it will be much easier to build such a roof with your own hands. The most economical option can be considered a simple gable roof with a small angle of rise, which will reduce wood consumption and roof area.
Figure: 3 Gable roof at home is one of the simplest and most economical options.
Roofing material should also be selected after analysis:
- its prices for 1 m 2 - you can find out and compare it on the websites of stores and bases that sell roofing material in your area;
- the cost of all additional materials required for its fastening (nails or self-tapping screws, abutment strips, ridge and wind elements);
- the type and volume of materials for the construction of a wooden roof frame - for fastening some types of roofing, a sheathing is enough, while for others a continuous flooring is needed, and the pitch of the sheathing may be different;
- the complexity of the work - the ability to do it yourself.
The cost of work on the construction of the roof and installation of the roof is quite high and therefore the ability to do this work with your own hands is the biggest opportunity to save money.
How to build a beautiful house
Currently, there are enough materials and technologies to make a house built with your own hands from any materials beautiful. You just need to show your imagination or consult with experts.
Of the simplest solutions, one can offer facade decoration with siding or decorative plaster ("bark beetle" or others). Such exterior decoration it is quite possible to do it yourself, it will serve for a long time, and in the case of using textured plaster, you can pick up virtually any color of the facade.
At the same time, choosing a color facade decoration, it is necessary to remember about its harmonious combination with the color of the roof. If their appearance and color are chosen well, then any house, even the simplest shape and small size, will look beautiful.
How to build a house cheaply and beautifully - video
