Saving on your dream house
Consider savings in money and time.
There’s no way to put it mildly—building a house will cost you. Many Filipino families dream of building and living in their own homes, but it doesn’t come cheap.
The cost of today’s home would run up to more than a million pesos, an amount that doesn’t easily come by. From building materials to contractor fees, there are many factors that affect the cost of construction.
Scrimping on everything, however, won’t do. If you want a house that will last through the years, you will need to find a balance between quality and value. Building a house will always entail some spending, but being frugal is knowing how you can save.
Even with a thrifty mindset, you can still chase after your dream house if you know when to be thrifty and when to make a wise investment.
Follow industry standards
If you look around a hardware store, you’ll notice that many construction materials are sold in standard sizes. For example, plywood is often sold at the usual size of 1.2 m x 2.4 m. Hollow blocks are usually available in standard widths of 100 mm, 150 mm or 200 mm. Tiles come in common rectangular or square sizes.
Considering these industry norms, you should plan your homes to minimize wastage of materials. This can be done by using these standards as bases for planning rooms and finishes.
Avoid unusual dimensions for rooms, windows, doors and other parts of your house. Custom finishes might set you apart in the neighborhood, but they take time and effort to produce.
Consider sustainable sourcing
The cost of an item extends beyond its price tag. In buying your construction materials, you have to factor in delivery and availability as well.
For example, Manila offers competitive prices when it comes to building products. But if you live in Ormoc, wouldn’t it be wiser to buy from nearby Cebu instead? Or better yet, buy locally. Even if the item is a bit more expensive compared to the original sources, you’ll be saving on transportation.
Save time
Products that require long lead times have to be sourced out early to avoid delays in construction, which in turn will lead to higher charges from the contractor. At best, opt for materials that are easily available in your area when building your home. If you wish to source imported products, be prepared for additional costs in terms of shipping and customization.
Build up
Benson Bondstone, a US-based contractor, said that building multiple storeys would prove to be more affordable than constructing everything on ground level. A bigger building footprint would mean more material for footings and more labor in excavation. Moreover, a house spread out would require more pipework and wiring.
In the long run, you might encounter higher expenses in terms of maintenance and operation for a sprawling house compared to a bi-level one. It would be wise to build a basement or a second storey instead to keep things economical.
Limit changes
This might be an obvious advice, but it needs to be said nonetheless. Before proceeding with construction, make sure you understand and agree to every aspect of the work to be done. While changes to the design cannot sometimes be avoided during construction, there will be cost implications.
In particular, if the change would require additional material or labor, the revision would result to additional costs.
Be informed, however, that if it is your contractor who has made a mistake in construction, you shouldn’t be shouldering the expense. Make sure you are getting your money’s worth by ensuring that construction proceeds as per design plans.
Professional designers can help you save in building your house.
Invest in professional work
While there are many ways to save costs in construction, this shouldn’t be one of them.
By hiring professional architects, you are assured that the people who would plan and construct your home know what they are doing. Contrary to popular belief, these designers would help you save in the long run because they would be building based on experience and education. Quality homes are the result of good designs.
So if you want a well-built home that would prove its value in the long run, it’s best to invest in good designers.
(Sources: energepic.com from Pexels.com; Kawser Hamid via Pexels.com; Stephanie Ho via Pexels.com; www.bensonbondstone.com; www.realtor.com)
The author is a licensed architect who studied abroad and currently works for DSFN Architects. While she would describe herself as quite frugal, she finds it frustrating when people beat down the value of professional services in construction. For her, planning well and minimizing errors are the best ways to save in building a home.
