How House Plans For DIY Saves You Money
All research is complete and plans for building a small home have been drawn. They lay out on the dining table while you pour over them anxious to get started.
Rooms are already being furnished in your mind, colors chosen, and visitors welcomed. It is nice to daydream and play with ideas while waiting for building to start.
Before you begin to buy materials you need to settle on a building location. You also need to decide whether you want a fixed location or a a mobile platform.
The next step in the building plan is to purchase the materials and get to building.
DIY Building
You have the house plans for your affordable tiny housing and you will build it yourself to save money.
What steps should you follow to save as much as possible?
First think is to know and understand your budget. That may sound simple but things can get complicated quickly.
When you create your budget plans, it's a good idea to break down the building process into segments like foundation, structure, electrical, plumbing, walls, etc.
Each segment should have its own sub-budget.
By budgeting to the minutest detail you will be able to see when, where, and how the money allocated to the new home could be cut or rearranged.
Another great suggestion is to keep it all documented on your computer where it is easy to keep track of it all. Be sure to include a formula that will keep a running total of costs every time you add something.
Keep track of all the receipts.
And update the budget on a daily basis.
This may seem more of a nuisance at first but you will see how monitoring the costs will help in the long run.
Skills
Know your skill level. If you you're not a very experienced builder (which most first time tiny house builders are not) try to keep the design simple. Squares and rectangles are the least expensive and easiest to build.
Know your limitations and stick to them.
It's also good to use recycled materials whenever possible. The reason for this is twofold – you can save money and help with environmental issues.
One word of caution; take care when buying salvaged goods. Not all companies are reputable. You want to know and have faith in what you are buying. For example, if someone is selling something as “vintage” they may charge more than it is worth or it may not be worth the cost.
Whenever possible do some of the leg work and labor yourself. Find a house that is being torn down and swap labor for supplies. You may be able to snare old bricks, cypress boards, mantels, and other unique items.
Labor and Contracting
If you are not able to complete the entire house yourself be your own general contractor. Plumbing and electrical work usually needs to be done by a licensed contractor; you can find and hire the contractor yourself.
When building a small home you may not have all the tools you need. Instead of purchasing the tools that may never be used again, you can rent them.
Keep in mind that if you buy all the tools they need to be stored after the home is built. Remember, you are building a small house and storage space is at a premium.
If you are building your house on a trailer, you will want the best trailer recommended by the experts.
The same goes for the structural items; don’t shortchange on the integrity of your home.
Just think – once your home is finished, it will be unique to you. You will have memories. You'll be proud of all you accomplished.
Another great suggestion is to keep a scrapbook of everything that you have gone through and learned. It will become a treasured keepsake and you'll be proud to show off to your friends and family how DIY house plans saved you money.
All research is complete and plans for building a small home have been drawn. They lay out on the dining table while you pour over them anxious to get started.
Rooms are already being furnished in your mind, colors chosen, and visitors welcomed. It is nice to daydream and play with ideas while waiting for building to start.
Before you begin to buy materials you need to settle on a building location. You also need to decide whether you want a fixed location or a a mobile platform.
The next step in the building plan is to purchase the materials and get to building.
DIY Building
You have the house plans for your affordable tiny housing and you will build it yourself to save money.
What steps should you follow to save as much as possible?
First think is to know and understand your budget. That may sound simple but things can get complicated quickly.
When you create your budget plans, it's a good idea to break down the building process into segments like foundation, structure, electrical, plumbing, walls, etc.
Each segment should have its own sub-budget.
By budgeting to the minutest detail you will be able to see when, where, and how the money allocated to the new home could be cut or rearranged.
Another great suggestion is to keep it all documented on your computer where it is easy to keep track of it all. Be sure to include a formula that will keep a running total of costs every time you add something.
Keep track of all the receipts.
And update the budget on a daily basis.
This may seem more of a nuisance at first but you will see how monitoring the costs will help in the long run.
Skills
Know your skill level. If you you're not a very experienced builder (which most first time tiny house builders are not) try to keep the design simple. Squares and rectangles are the least expensive and easiest to build.
Know your limitations and stick to them.
It's also good to use recycled materials whenever possible. The reason for this is twofold – you can save money and help with environmental issues.
One word of caution; take care when buying salvaged goods. Not all companies are reputable. You want to know and have faith in what you are buying. For example, if someone is selling something as “vintage” they may charge more than it is worth or it may not be worth the cost.
Whenever possible do some of the leg work and labor yourself. Find a house that is being torn down and swap labor for supplies. You may be able to snare old bricks, cypress boards, mantels, and other unique items.
Labor and Contracting
If you are not able to complete the entire house yourself be your own general contractor. Plumbing and electrical work usually needs to be done by a licensed contractor; you can find and hire the contractor yourself.
When building a small home you may not have all the tools you need. Instead of purchasing the tools that may never be used again, you can rent them.
Keep in mind that if you buy all the tools they need to be stored after the home is built. Remember, you are building a small house and storage space is at a premium.
If you are building your house on a trailer, you will want the best trailer recommended by the experts.
The same goes for the structural items; don’t shortchange on the integrity of your home.
Just think – once your home is finished, it will be unique to you. You will have memories. You'll be proud of all you accomplished.
Another great suggestion is to keep a scrapbook of everything that you have gone through and learned. It will become a treasured keepsake and you'll be proud to show off to your friends and family how DIY house plans saved you money.