Simple floor plan with more of a boxy shape versus curves or lots of corners is one of the biggest design features you can incorporate. Also, a 2-story home saves money. Not having your stairs be a main design feature (tucking them away without any fancy ironwork).

It totally depends on your build and your style. Obviously keeping the floorplan simple and smaller will save you money- but not if you fill that home with tons of trim/crown molding/built ins/expensive appliances. If you are looking for an overall inexpensive build, keep your house small and simple- no super nice finishes, laminate flooring, basic appliances, limit built ins, no expensive heating/cooling and such... It just depends on what you are willing to give up.

What kind of house are you building?

I think what you can cut to save money depends a lot on your starting point. Also where you're building. A two-story floor plan saves money if you live somewhere with a deep frostline, because excavation is expensive, but I don't think that is as true if you're building somewhere warm where they tend to use slabs instead of basements.

Do you have a floor plan?

To save money, we cut square footage, simplified woodwork and went with lower ceilings throughout the house (8 ft, no one will need to duck, LOL). But we already had a simple plan, efficient bathrooms, and inexpensive flooring.

Building on a prepared, level lot is another way to save money.

#1 thing that will save you money is to spec EVERYTHING out. TO the last detail. And then DO NOT change your mind. Way too many cost overruns result from the "while we are at it's" than actual unknown site conditions that impact the build.

I am in FL & both the architect & GC said a two-story is definitely more cost effective - you can almost double your square footage using the smaller slab & roof.

Great feedback. We are building a modern home so we will have limited crown molding and trim.

When you say "spec it out" do you mean identifying (as closely as you can) each line item?

All the lights, cabinets, etc?

A wide staircase is pennies and totally worth it. Plumbing line savings are pennies. Even lower ceilings are not that helpful (but far more than narrow staircases).

Simple designs and inexpensive materials....

Best thing to look at is someone's cost sheet. When you see $30k for brick, you can see where costs can be cut....

Labor.

No three-car garages;
No aircraft carrier kitchen islands;
No rhino master bathtubs;
No gymnasium locker utility rooms;
No double living, family, multi-rooms...

Perhaps less is more!

Only a thought or two...

Less is definitely more!

Keep it proportional....you can save lots of money by not having any windows, but who wants to live in a house with no windows? You can save lots of money by not having a bathroom, but who wants a house with no bathroom? You can save lots of money by not having a kitchen, but who wants a house with no kitchen?

I'm exaggerating to make the point that if the money you save yields an end product you don't like, you've saved nothing. When we were building my "cheap" side was readily apparent and my architect dragged me into doing better, and I'm so thankful he did. It is now those same expensive elements that he insisted upon that make me love my house all the more.

Shopping around for each item is time consuming but a money saver. Making changes is very expensive, so spend all the time you need with the plan on paper and when you've decided, stick with it. DIY can be a money saver if you are good and handy. If you aren't, it's a waste of time and money...rely on the pros.

Build small will help keep ongoing costs down...less to heat/cool, less to furnish, less to pay taxes on, less to insure...but on the build it won't save as much as you think as the money goes into kitchens and baths....2x4s and sheet rock are cheap so building more cubic footage is proportionately less expensive. You already have to pay to get the trades and materials on site....a little more hammering or taping isn't that much more expensive.

Build green will help keep ongoing costs down...but it may be more expensive initially....insulation is a huge factor and is worth putting money into. Consider solar panels...they pay back in about 10-15 years depending on subsidies, but if you can amortize the cost over a 30 year mortgage, you are ahead of the game on cash flow. Look for recycling opportunities. We got a real deal on our guest bath vanity from green demolitions which recycles building materials. Habitat for Humanity's Re-store also sells recycled building materials for cheap and you're supporting a good cause.

Build "disney" will help keep costs down....if you're going to paint the molding, it doesn't need to be stain grade wood....put your money into the things that need to be real.

If it's accessible post build, you can choose a lower cost item. If it's not accessible post build then put the money you need to in it now. Go for cheaper counter tops and appliances, but not foundations or ground prep.

Ditto what hollysprings said ... plan obsessively, down to manufacturer's part number and color code.

Plan A: to minimize the affect of schedule delays, always have "Plan B" materials in case the boat sinks, the factory burns or the peasants revolt.

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Make sure EVERY sub-contractor is working from the latest version in plans - collect and shred older versions.

My BIL had a cost over-run one one project because his plumbing sub was still using the first version that was meant to be used for cost estimates only. Despite the BIG RED stamp that said "DO NOT BUILD FROM THIS PLAN" on every page, they went ahead and did it. Some fixtures had moved, but the sub's team roughed in as best they could and ended up having to replumb about half the house.

He now collects estimating plans before he hires the subcontractor - they have to show up to the hiring conference with the plan and hand it over.

============
Don't overbuild ... you don't need a master bath large enough to film the bath scene from Cleopatra.

We realized that making a utilitarian pantry for storage could shrink the kitchen and cut the cost of cabinets by 50%.

Use standard stuff wherever possible, and use the same things wherever possible. We will be using the same tile and fixtures in all the bathrooms, and all interior doors are same size and style. There's no chance that some goofus will use the master bath faucets in the kid's bath because it doesn't matter. No chance of someone putting the wrong door size in, because they are all the same. Saves money because we can buy doors at multi-door prices, and instead of 10% tile extra for each bath we only need 10% for all three baths.

Keep your roof-line very simple.
DO NOT change your mind...change orders cost MONEY!
Make everything simple...don't get carried away with fancy light fixtures, etc....you can always change a light later if you need/want to do so.
You can save a lot on plumbing fixtures...all of them carry water, so why go over-board?
Keep things neutral...you will not tire of them as soon and think you need to change.
If you are building this for your forever house, then think one story...and make one bedroom on the main floor..you never know when someone will have an accident or illness that prevents stair climbing.
Shop around for cabinets...sometimes the local cabinet maker is cheaper than the big box stores....same for local granite fabricator, etc.
If possible...find a crew that does all the work...no subs needed...and this has saved me a bundle.
Build what you NEED (do you really need that media room, etc.?)...it is not necessary to impress others...know your budget and stick with it!!!!

Exactly what will save you money will depend somewhat on your builder. We've got different sized doors in our house, and our builder is covering them in his per sq. ft. charge. He doesn't charge for failing to align plumbing walls either. We did save quite a bit by cutting the square footage, because that is how he prices the bulk of the cost of the house.

We are paying more for not using his standard trim (although he's working with us on that) and for some other things we're doing that are unusual in houses he builds. If we'd really wanted to save money, the thing to do would have been to pick a plan he'd built a few times before, because if he's experienced with building a specific plan, he can do a better job of controlling costs on his end, and pass some of those savings on to us. But we're picky, so we're doing our own thing and paying more for it. :)

regarding jbc1-jax's comment re building a modern home. In our experience things like flush baseboards with 1/4 inch repeals and other labor intensive design features adds to cost the of building. Our GC told us it added up to 25%, which makes sense as we've noted the additional work to prepare for drywall to be installed, first there were sacrificial (my term) baseboards installed - so that the dry wall could be cut and prepared to the very precise demands of the design - once drywall was installed and all edges finished carefully the scrap base boards were removed and will now be replaced with the final base boards - with much labor to ensure the designed 1/4 inch reveal. There are similar issues with doors etc. All of this to say one way to save money is to use trim pieces that allow the carpenters, etc. some fudge room so the work is less time consuming.

Buy enough land to get into the agricultural break for your area (if it exists). In our area if you are on more than 10 acres you are allowed to do your own plumging and electrical etc. We are sub contracting everything out, being our own GC's. Doing all our own electrical, plumbing, flooring, painting, cabinetry installation, siding, porch decking, trim. Yes a LOT of work. Will let you know how it all turns out!

Jenny

Everyone is saying that 2 stories is cheaper but all my experience as a builder says 1 story is cheaper. I know, i know. Less slab, less roof. How about all the structural requirements when building 2 stories, that more than doubles the material and labor. The footings are larger and more expensive. Also all the exterior finishes take at least 3 times longer....up and down on ladders/scaffolding. Labor can be much more expensive. Also a single story is faster to build.

Consider not compromising square footage. I am spending much more to get the exact design and shell of home that will last a long time with a layout I would be happy with. I am compromising on cheaper finish materials. These I can easily change later. Laminate instead of granite etc. For me I refuse to compromise the size or shape or layout of the room. For instance my guest bedroom location might not be suited for cheaper plumbing but I am using cheap simple materials. Throw in tub surround, laminate floor etc. in the master bedroom I am spending a bit more. Focus on the areas you will live in the most and save money not doing finishing touches.

If you are in an area that needs a basement, then finishing the basement is a very inexpensive way to add sq footage. Esp if you plan on doing so, the basement need not feel like one and can be very comfortable, usable and energy efficient space.

Scrounge and do it yourself. We saved ~$40K by buying a used kitchen from a person with more money than sense off Craigslist who wanted a white kitchen. We got beautiful cherry cabinets (including an aircraft carrier sized island), a sub-zero fridge, a $1200 faucet etc, all basically unused for pennies on the dollar. A few days of fitting and fiddling and making one new cabinet to match where I couldn't get things to fit and we had a much nicer kitchen than I was willing to pay for new. (helped justify the Capital Culinarian range I desperately wanted) I installed birdseye maple flooring with walnut and cherry borders and fancy inlays for about half the price of a plain oak floor installed by the contractor. I could have done plain oak for 20% the price. We saved about $12K by doing all the interior painting myself. I'm still working on trimming out all the first floor doors and windows with a pile of scrounged cherry lumber. When I asked the contractor about doing that he just rolled his eyes and said I couldn't afford it, so I never got a comparative price on it.

Plus what the others have said-- make it smaller and make it simpler. Design to use as many materials as possible in uncut standard sizes (eg multiples of 4x8 sheets). Use the materials your contractor is most comfortable with. Cluster plumbing fixtures. Don't skimp on the insulation--that will cost you down the line.

JennyBC, I have enough land to get the "agricultural discount" on my taxes, and it's probably not something everyone'd want to do. These are the requirements in my area:

- 30 acres or more in one plot.
- Must be actively farmed every year, OR must have a forest-plan on file with the county (meaning you have planted a certain number of trees of a certain type).
- Getting approval from the county is like pulling teeth (after all, it means accepting less money), but once you have it, you're automatically "in" year after year.

Don't get me wrong: It's worthwhile. The taxes for my 44 acres are less than $500/year, BUT that much land does take some care. For example, not long ago we discovered five headless deer bodies dumped on our land. We had to dispose of them. A couple years ago the state dumped a bunch of asphault on the edge of our land -- we never did get them to remove it, so eventually we're going to have to pay to remove it ourselves. And even though it's posted, hunters are an occasional problem.

Mrs. Pete

In our county its only 10 to meet agrculture breaks but one county over it used to be 10, but now you can't build a new house unless you have 30 acres. We love the farm life so its a win win for us.

Our building code also changes once you are in the agriculture break.

Bumping this old thread because I found it very educational! Does anyone in 2015 have any additional tips?

I'm in the 'build small, simple, and tight' school. Our house is only 1295 square feet, but very solid and tight. Because of ICF construction, decent widows, and attention to construction details, we were able to use very small HVAC equipment which costs less to buy, and much less to run. Our power bills are 1/3 of our old house during A/C season. With recent advances in building science and materials, it's becoming more affordable to build efficient structures. In addition to the savings, our house is very comfortable to live in, with not hot or cold spots.

I agree with Mushcreek - only heat/cool areas of the home in which you actually live. Does the storage area above the garage or in the basement really need HVAC?

Second, I've studied home designs regularly and have noticed that homes are built around plumbing stack areas. 2 or 3 rooms can share the plumbing supply, drains, and stack. Consider running 1 large PLEX water supply to each of those shared plumbing zones and using a small on-demand water heater unit for those areas. You can eliminate long hot & cold runs this way and only heat the water you need in that zone. Side benefit - not waiting long for continuous hot water.

Third, keep the depth of your home at 32 feet or less. Any more than that and
roof trusses may need to be specially designed, which can add
significant dollars to the overall building cost. (quoted from another source)

Fourth, I've heard large roof eaves help with home temperature. In that regard, the direction a home faces can make a difference. I feel however, that window views and shade preference (ie. if a deck is in the home's shadow during the afternoon) trumps directional energy conservation. On that note, if you are into gardening, by designing your own home you can add a lean-to greenhouse onto the side of the home which faces south. This longer sun exposure helps plants grow which equals lower grocery bills.

Fifth, consider solar. I understand that China has flooded the market with cheap solar panels in the past few years making the initial financial hit more managable. If your staying in your home long term -- as one would believe if you're building it -- the advantages of solar becomes apparent.

Sixth - media room? We've saved a tremendous amount (over time) on movie ticket prices by foregoing neighborhood theaters and projecting our Netflix movies onto a 12 foot wall. Plus there's the cool factor.

Seventh, geothermal HVAC system. My HVAC tech installs these and, like solar, reap lower HVAC costs. Combine solar + geothermal and you may be able to live off-grid.

Love this thread! Would like to hear from others on their ideas too!

Rodney

I agree with everything Phoggie said! She had an excellent floor plan, which she built almost exactly as it was designed. The plan was created by a GW member and it's a beautiful home! :)

There ain’t any magic that makes the unaffordable affordable. If you can’t afford it, buy existing. It’s cheaper.

You save money by how the house is designed...if you truly want to save money. You spend money on the "features", finishes and doo-dads (architectural term).

Good luck on your project!

Susie - What's your budget?

PLAN, PLAN, PLAN!!!!

Keeping the outline as simple as possible helps, thoroughly shopping
for finish materials helps. Minimizing your want list helps.
You can't do much about construction costs except plan a house with minimal frou-frou! No fake dormers, eyebrows, turrets and corners that do nothing except change the plane of the wall. Smaller = cheaper to build, heat, and cool.

Minimize hall space, unless you can make the hallway wide enough to do double duty as a play area, study area or something.

No vast kitchen with a
sub-continent sized slab of expensive marble and "professional"
appliances, no master bath suite big enough for the entire crew of a
skin flick to film in. Think functional and adequate.

Someone made a spreadsheet to track the cost of their finish materials, with formulas that tracked the cost of the choices. They could see the effect of each choice and make trade-offs ... maybe lower price wall tile in the showers to make up for something more expensive elsewhere.

In the "still waiting for the economy to improve" dream house planning ...

The kitchen is galley, with a lot of counter space on one side, mostly cabinets on the other.. The walk-through pantry is large and does double-duty as a rear entry and an air-lock to keep out cold or hot air. Pantry shelving is cheaper than cabinets, and in this dusty place, open shelves are impractical.

Closets are back to back for soundproofing, and the bedroom is just large enough for sleeping. The closet is the dressing area.

Looking at flooring, the price range of floor tile that met the design specs was from $2 to 25+ per square foot. Labor and installation would be the same no matter what. That's $$$ difference in just the floor finish!

Bathroom and shower tiles ... using the same tile in all baths, same fixtures. That minimizes tile-setter errors and means less tile wasted.

PS: STAY OFF PINTEREST!

no master bath suite big enough for the entire crew of a skin flick to film in.

OMG! I just spit my coffee at the screen laughing.

“Buy existing, it’s cheaper” how I wish that were true in Canada. Existing homes tend to be more expensive due to many factors, landscaping is usually done I.e. grass, eavesthroughs are usually in, basements may be developed etc.

Pre planning and programming before design begins to make sure you have all the necessary spaces, all your spaces are the right size and you have no unnecessary rooms. Balance the area on each level as much as possible to minimize the overall size of the project. There is no free space. You will pay for that garage, unfinished basement or bonus room.

For more info on pre-planning

Planning Your Project

Using a Spreadsheet to Fine Tune Your Wishlist to Meet Your Budget

Also, careful site design can save a fortune in excavation and foundation costs. Proper orientation can save heating and cooling costs and make the home more comfortable.

Pre-Design Meeting

I'd add in, "Listen to your architect and builder."

This adds the caveat to make sure they know what your budget is and that you will LISTEN to advice on maximizing it.

I've had both of them explain calmly and gently that something I wanted to do is probably going to be ghastly expensive. And then proffer an alternative that helps get closer to what we want without spending needlessly. If you listen at the front end of the project regarding siting, design, and site development, you'll save yourself so much more money than can be squeezed out of the budget by altering finishes at the end. Some things I've just had to give up on entirely, but I think I'll be happier in the long run for having heeded professional experience.

Now, I'm not trying to build a house for $50/sq ft or otherwise get ridiculously under the market rate. But my husband and I were just talking about prioritizing our budget. Which, for us, means spending money on the things that either cannot be changed or would be very difficult to change later - structural elements, windows, etc. Finishes can be upgraded later, built-ins can be added, etc.

I find that if you are upfront with most professionals you work with about wanting to be cost-conscious, they'll suddenly become a font of information about how to do so. It helps to be friendly, polite, and not condescending when you do so. Often I've had this happen when I go to one of them and say, "I'd like to do A, but it's sort of expensive." It is not unusual for the response to be, "Well, if we do B, C, and D over in these other areas of the house, we can probably free up enough of your budget for A. And that's really cool, and now I want to do it, so let me go think about it some more." Most of the time, they go think about it, and then come back with an even better idea. Cultivate your pros. They know so much more about their craft than a youtube video does. (Side note: Most of them also seem to like homemade chocolate chip cookies). Also note that this approach is more likely to get you what you want than telling them, "I want A, and Google says that it shouldn't cost me more than $X, so I think you should do it for that even though you quote more."

;-) it probably goes without saying, throw out everything you’ve ever seen on television for costs, time frames, ROI, etc. and probably better to bring pictures of what you might be interested in rather than reference ambiguous terms (dare I mention “farmhouse modern”)

To plus what H B says, when clients are going for a certain style or look pictures and a wish list are much more valuable than a floor plan. We could talk for hours about a certain style and be on different pages. A few pictures let me know what they have in their minds eye.

I love Holly's comments about working together. Trust and communication amongst builder, architect and client open the door to creative collaboration. Those projects are fun for everyone.

My wife and I always laugh at the TV remodel shows where they find something they didn't expect... Like some new wiring needed for code and it will cost (gasp) an extra 2k to fix. And the homeowners have a struggle to cover the cost or some such.... and then you see the final shots and they have a kitchen with an island the size of a continent with a marble counter with waterfall edges on both sides, etc. or other VERY expensive design choices that the refuse to let go of to help cover the cost of said repairs.

Those are all great ideas, but the biggest driver of cost is size. Smaller = less expensive.