Designing and building your own home is a lifelong dream for many, but the process can become exorbitantly expensive if you don’t watch your wallet. While building a house in the UK is going to cost you a pretty penny no matter what, there are a few tips you can put in place to help you manage the costs and stick to a stricter budget.
If the projected feed is looking insurmountable right now, here are a few of our best tips for building your house on a budget.
Research Ahead of Time
As the saying goes, “if you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” This rings true when it comes to financial decisions as well – especially for projects as major as building a home. Before getting started on anything, it’s crucial that you spend at least a few months doing the research necessary to help you plan your budget.
Make sure you start looking for quotes to find out what builders and architects cost in the UK, and you might even want to research the fees for an interior decorator. Leave no stone unturned so you can have the closest possible idea for your total budget. During this stage, it is essential to ask questions when contacting companies to ensure they’ll be reliable and meet your standards.
Choose Your Location Carefully
Remember, too, that location will play a huge role in your costs. In simple terms, certain areas will be far more expensive to purchase in than others.
However, there’s more to consider here. You need to make sure that you’re purchasing land in an area of the country that will suit your lifestyle and that will offer your home a good resale value should you choose to sell it one day. There’s no use in purchasing cheap land in a terrible area that you’ll be unhappy in and struggle to sell your house.
Figure Out Your Budget
Once you’ve done all this planning and researching, it’s time to figure out your budget – i.e., what you are willing and able to spend on the project in its entirety. When doing this planning, make sure to include every possible expense and the limits you’ll be putting on yourself.
Remember to allocate money toward unexpected expenses, things that might have to be repurchases, or building that goes over schedule due to weather or other delays. Use quotes, averages, and the other research you have done to plan your finances carefully and once you have a budget in place, try to stick to it.
Hire Experienced Professionals
Once you have your budget in place, you can start considering ways that you might save money on this project. One of the best ways you can do this is to splurge where it counts – in areas such as the professionals you hire to do the work.
Paying for cheap labour that will be done poorly might only end up costing you more in the long run, when you realise that the job hasn’t been done properly and needs to be revisited. The same goes for the base design and the materials you buy.
Choose Your Materials Wisely
When thinking about being budget friendly with your materials, it won’t help you to purchase cheap options that won’t last. However, choosing the materials that are durable and strong, but not necessarily the most luxurious, will be your best option.
Talk to professionals about what your options are when it comes to flooring, kitchen countertops, cabinetry, etc., as well as the building materials for the building itself.
See What You Can Do Yourself
Once the structure of your home has been built, there will be plenty of interior and landscaping projects that you might be able to handle yourself, saving on labour costs and other related expenses.
Look online for home building and renovation projects that are safe to do by yourself, and let your home be an ongoing project for you and your family to design, model, and create over time. This will help you to save a lot of money, and you’ll learn invaluable skills that will help you in future projects. Investing in some home DIY-related tools and equipment will also be a good use of your funds, as you’ll be able to use them over and over again.
Shop Smarter
Finally, when you’re shopping for the materials for your home, the furnishings, and other items related to the build, design, and decorating, make sure to shop smart.
You might be able to find the perfect product for your home at a more affordable price in the most unexpected of the places. For example, you can browse mental health furniture from Knightsbridge furniture, showcasing innovative designs which can be perfect for professional or personal use. Ultimately, building your home on a budget requires a high level of resourcefulness and creativity. But having your dream space without spending a fortune makes it all worth it.
Wait for sales, use any discounts available to you, buy in bulk, and make sure you’re certain of which items are better to save on, and when it’s worth your money to splurge.
