You could read here, in a previous publication, what are the elements that determine the price of a new house . We now propose to go a step further and give you the practical advice needed to build a new house within your budget.
1. Do your home price survey by common
In the city, near friends and family or near the workplace: these are the most frequently cited priorities in terms of the geographical location of a home. However, it should be noted that these criteria can significantly increase the bill compared to a house located just outside the city or in a town near the town ideal for you. Apply this first advice and you will see that you can already save a few thousand or tens of thousands of euros on the invoice for the construction of your home.
Do your own investigation? Discover here prices of common dwellings by municipality (figures of 2014) .
2. Build “simple” and “high”
Opt for a simple construction with as few angles and corners as possible . This will save you money on the number of hours your contractors work and the materials used.
By building your home in height rather than width , you will need less foundation and less material for your roof. Please note, however, that this principle only applies when comparing height construction and width construction on the same living area.
3. Build “compact”
We are not aiming here at the size of your dwelling, but at the efficiency of the construction work. The objective is indeed to find an ideal ratio between the space where we live (and that we will have to heat), that we want the greatest possible , and a ” lost surface ” (external walls, ground , roofs, etc.) that we intend to limit as much as possible. It is essential, in this respect, to intelligently structure your home. In this regard, think for example to guide your stay south side and your storage north side.
A cubic house, a spiral staircase rather than a straight staircase, a closed construction, etc. are examples of compact constructions.
Opting for a compact construction will not only lower the price of your construction project but will also have a positive impact on your energy bill thanks to a lower E level .
4. Stable foundations
Consider the lift of your land. If it is unstable, the costs can be high. If you have doubts about this, have a survey done.
5. Go for a garage outside your home
A garage in a house occupies a very large living space, which is detrimental to the principle of compact construction developed in point 3. Then choose a garage outside your home. Opt for a carport rather than a masonry garage, it will save you extra costs.
6. Choose material with excellent value for money
When choosing your equipment, choose the one that offers the best value for money. Simple advice that will allow you to make substantial savings, without having to make too much concessions in terms of quality or personal preferences.
Some examples :
- Flooring : choose laminate instead of parquet. By the square meter, the difference can already represent a nice package of euros;
- Interior doors : opt for MDF rather than glass or oak;
- Doors and windows : set your sights on PVC, a cheaper material than aluminum and requiring less maintenance than wood, but equally robust and which also has good insulating capabilities;
- Cuisine : opt for quality standard cuisine rather than a custom kitchen or design. Also, be sure that a worktop in wood, stainless steel or blue stone will cost you less than a granite or composite worktop.
GOOD PIPE : Start with cheaper materials or a partial finish, then gradually increase the value of your home, at your own pace and according to your financial possibilities.
7. Build with the future in mind and with a view to saving energy
Above all, we think of techniques that allow you to reduce your energy bill .
First, make sure your home is well insulated , with special attention to your roof and walls. Combine these efforts with solar panels and low-energy devices , such as a heat pump or solar water heater.
Be careful not to over-invest . Calculate in advance what efforts will be needed to reduce your energy consumption as efficiently as possible.
8. Put your hands in the grease
If you can free up some time and have some handyman talent , why not do some work yourself? We do not think of complex tasks like plaster work, but work that is not difficult to do but takes a lot of time, such as painting, setting up a kitchen and doing some preparatory work.
9. Premiums
Fortunately, there are a lot of bonuses you can claim when you’re building a new home. You can consult them online here or contact your municipality for more information.
10. Opt for a turnkey construction
The “turnkey” is a concept where a single construction company handles the AZ construction process . To build with such a company is to build without worries . You always have 1 single contact, you only work with professionals and your contractor can make a proposal that takes full account of your budget and your preferences.
Another advantage of a turnkey construction is that construction times are usually shorterbecause you do not have to contact a different contractor each time for each job.