There’s no such thing as building a new home without framing. Framing equals the structure that holds your construction together.
This is one area where you want quality, but should still look for opportunities to save. Here are 7 hacks to help you save on the cost of framing for your new home.
1. Think Tiny
If you can stomach the reality of a tiny home, this is one of the top ways to save on the cost of framing. Tiny homes are efficient and portable making them a great option for anyone looking to get a starter home.
Tiny homes use only a fraction of the framing necessary to build a traditional single-family home, but don’t require you to compromise on style. You can still get an attractive modern or craftsman style home with a tiny home.
You’ll sacrifice things like storage space, but for many families or singles, it’s worth the hundreds of thousands of dollars you’ll save in construction costs.
2. Trim the Fat
Another way to save on the cost of framing for your home is to cut any excess space from your floor plans. It’s luxurious to have a breakfast nook and a dining room, but is it really necessary?
You can save lots of money on the cost of framing by doubling down on your square footage needs. Think realistically about the most space you’ll need at any given time.
During the holidays, do you typically host family or gatherings in your home? Keep the square footage you’ll need to operate at capacity in your home. Mounting your tv with a ceiling mount tv bracket will give you more space for other things.
Trim everything else that you’ve dreamed about but have no idea how you’ll use it. Square footage is the easiest way to trim your framing budget.
Just think carefully before eliminating spaces so you don’t end up with a need to add-on to the house down the road.
3. Plan Building Materials
It’s important to use building materials efficiently when planning your home design. Yes, builders often buy in bulk because that’s the way its sold in many warehouses.
But that doesn’t mean ending up with more materials than you need. Consult with an experienced general contractor to get accurate estimates.
A sign of a novice company is overestimating your materials so they can pocket the difference. Get more than one quote for steel frames so you can compare whose quote seems far off from the rest.
4. Get Low Maintenance Materials
It’s not always possible to save directly on the cost of framing. But according to Minnesota Industrial Coatings, there’s one hack to circumvent your need for a three-story estate: low maintenance building materials and the proper maintenance treatments of your materials of choice.
Yes, your upfront costs might still be pricey, but you’ll save money in maintaining your home in the long run. For example, think termite-free siding options to skip out on expensive pest control services.
Think of other materials and building design options that help you save on monthly and annual repair costs.
5. Energy Efficiency
Another way to save on building a new home is to plan for energy efficiency. There are tax credits available for new construction homes that are LEED-certified.
LEED-certified homes maximize natural light to help keep down your power bill. This certification also means safer building materials and clean air inside the home.
You can’t beat the health benefits of a LEED-certified home that also saves you money each year. Not every contractor has experience with LEED buildings, but once you find one that person will be worth the wait.
This certification grants you access to an exclusive club of well-designed buildings by top architects. Your income tax bill will thank you.
6. Think Inside the Box
There’s a reason many homes are rectangular. It’s an efficient style of building.
Choose an architectural style for your home that uses boxes as the bases for its design. Skip trendy home styles reminiscent of Victorian towers and get your siding done by Kihle Roofing.
These gothic styles are beautiful on postcards, but pricey when it comes to building a home from the ground up. The simpler your box design for your floor plan, the lower the cost of framing to build your home.
This style also makes it easier to estimate how much building material you’ll need for your home. Start with one large rectangle as the foundation and add on to it only as needed.
Most small families can get away with this design style which is why many starter homes are a simple rectangular shape.
7. Make the Cost of Framing Back
One important thing to account for when building your new home is that you’ll make the cost of framing back when you sell if you keep the design simple. Simple, efficient homes well quickly and for top dollar in many real estate markets.
Don’t think of saving on the build as a permanent sacrifice. You can save up your profits to put towards your dream home later on if you don’t get all your favorite features in your current home.
Talk to your real estate agent about home features that are popular in your market. You might find that some of your must-haves are actually a great investment for your area.
Other items you’re on the fence about can easily be eliminated without FOMO (fear of missing out).
Choosing the Right Framing
The cost of framing will vary based on the type of residential siding you choose. But if you’re efficient with your building materials and have the right team in place, the differences are nominal. If you change your mind on the siding materials you chose, work with your contractor on a siding replacement project.
Make sure you take advantage of potential tax breaks for energy efficiency. Low home maintenance costs don’t always save you money upfront, but they give you an overall lower cost of homeownership.
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