Building Economically: 5 Tips to Help Make Your Dream Home More Affordable

Setting a budget is a vital part of the building process. Even a tight budget doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice the amenities you desire most that will turn an affordable house into your dream home. To help save on your budget without having to compromise too much, we have come up with 5 tips to help you build an affordable home on any budget.

1. Consolidate the Plumbing. To reduce the cost of running costly pipes all over the house, make sure to plan your heavy plumbing areas (i.e. laundry room, kitchen, and bathrooms) in close proximity to each other.

2. Build a Two-Story Home. At first this might seem counterintuitive but when you consider the two most expensive parts of any house are the foundation and roof, you can double the floor area while cutting the costly square footage of the foundation and roof in half effectively getting the most bang for your buck.

3. Spend more on Insulation. One place to not spare your pennies is on insulating your home. The amount you can save by reducing the amount you must spend on energy and larger heating and air-conditioning equipment is well worth the investment and a great way to save in the long run.

4. Simplify the Roof. A complex roof heavy in angles will cost more to build and increase your risk of future leaks. A simple roof can save you money on your build and protect your investment over time.

5. Mix Brands. When building a home it can be easy to get carried away with all top name brand finishes. Don’t trap yourself into spending extra on finishes that will get rarely seen. Pick high traffic areas for you best finishes and look to save in areas that aren’t visited frequently.

Gentry Jensen – Salt Lake City, UT

Blue Pine Homes is, quite simply, the best construction company I have ever worked with. I have used their services for multiple projects requiring innovative solutions and they have always exceeded my expectations. The single most impressive attribute of the company is the way its owner approaches any job. Justin is constantly thinking about the “very best” way to accomplish a given task, and he thinks like a home owner. When we discuss construction issues – from framing to finish work – he inevitably approaches the situation from the perspective of what he would do if it were his project, or his own home. That mindset always yielded the great results.

-Gentry Jensen
Salt Lake City, UT