Cheapest Ways To Build A House: 10 Tips

The cheapest way to build a home is to design a simple box. Sticking to a square or rectangular floor plan makes the building and design simple. Generally speaking, building up is cheaper than building a sprawling one-story home, so you may want to consider planning for a multiple-story home if you need more space.

If you’re worried a box-style home isn’t going to be attractive, consider that you can make the exterior more interesting with landscaping, shutters, lighting and other decor options that don’t cost a lot.

Another part of the home’s design to consider is the roof. Believe it or not, there are many different roofing designs, and they can affect the price of your home. The simpler the roofing design, the less expensive it’ll be to build your own house.

For example, according to RemodelingImage.com, installing a (nearly) flat roof on a 1,500-square-foot home costs $6,000 to $15,000 on average. For a gable roof, the typical two-pitch roof, the installation cost is $15,000 to $20,000 and up to $30,000 when you factor in the cost of asphalt shingles. An even more complex roof, the Mansard roof – with a flat rooftop and multiple pitches – can have installation costs of $30,000 to $60,000 on average.

Of course, costs will depend on a number of factors, including the size of the home/roof, the materials used, the number of pitches and the steepness and length of the slopes. Dormers can also increase the price.