Personalization may not be the first thing on your mind when you’re building a house on a budget. You think it’s more expensive to customize when there are ready-made options. They are mass produced, so surely they cost less per piece, and you can take advantage of that. But what about the quality?
When you’re settling for ready-made parts of the house, you might be compromising integrity. Rather than deal with replacements after a couple of years, choose the following:
1. Contact metalwork companies
Don’t know how to handle the roof situation given your tight budget? Businesses in Utah offer laser metal cutting as well as metal roofing as services. They’re not a general roofing company, and if you’ve approached one of those, you’ll have an idea of how drastic the price difference will be.
Metal roofing is not only inexpensive, but it’s also recommended for homes that aim to last years. It will be the perfect base for a solar power collection system, which means you’re not just getting a good roof, you’re also preparing to collect your own energy. The benefits just keep adding up.
2. Go second-hand furniture shopping
There’s beauty in antique furniture that is simply unmatched by mass-produced, low-quality furniture. Yes, you’re on a budget, but must you really design a house to look drab because of it? Get a couple of unique pieces from a second-hand store and combine them with newer pieces to reduce the cost of furnishing the house without making everything look cheap.
Don’t be afraid to bargain for better prices from the store if you’re buying a set. If they don’t give you any discount, you won’t lose anything, but if you don’t ask, you’ll never know.
3. Get help from family
That distant cousin who is in the construction business might just be free around the time you’re building the house. Why not employ them to get a little friendly treatment? You may be able to get the family discount if you ask them nicely.
Other members of the family can also help with tasks that do not require much skill, such as cleaning up after construction or getting furniture out of the way when painting walls. With everyone’s help, the house you’re building truly earns that feeling of home.
4. Talk about your budget upfront
Your budget is not something you need to be ashamed of. Contractors will appreciate that you’re honest about your financial limitations, so they can plan each phase of construction with ease. They can tell you how much materials cost and will help you figure out which aspects need to be reconsidered if you don’t want to go over the budget.
If you tell them to just keep building, they will assume you have money to spare, and of course, they will try to give you the best that money can buy. What happens when you can’t afford to pay for everything? You’ll be losing the faith of contractors, and there’s no way they’ll want to work with you again for future renovations.
You want the best for the home you’re building, but when money is an issue, don’t turn a blind eye. There’s always a way to make things work if you’re honest with yourself.
