Building your own home may seem like an unattainable dream due to the cost of traditional construction. Fortunately, there are affordable options to create your own unique, eco-friendly, and economical living space. Take a look at these economical home construction ideas.
Quonset Homes
Quonset huts came into existence as temporary housing for soldiers. The design has been adapted to be an economical alternative to traditional residential housing. According to SteelMaster USA, Quonset homes can be constructed for as little as 10% of the cost of traditional construction methods. To further save on costs, prefab Quonset home kits can be assembled with a few people and some basic tools. These homes are designed to withstand high wind and snow loads. Many vendors offer kits made from recycled materials, increasing their eco-friendliness. Quonset homes can be treated with coatings that reflect the sun to increase energy efficiency. They can also be made rust-resistant and generally do not require frequent repainting, lowering maintenance costs.
Pallet Homes
If the rustic look is more your style, you might consider a pallet home. The main appeal of the pallet home is that wooden shipping pallets can often be obtained for free. This makes it an economical home construction idea. There are numerous plans and how-to guides on the Internet to help you with design ideas and construction techniques. There are also lots of ideas out there for creating furniture and other home décor from pallets, so you could save money by also building your furnishings.
Straw Bale Homes
Another rustic option is the straw bale home. Straw bales are widely available and provide excellent insulation, which can reduce the cost of heating and cooling your home. They are also naturally fire retardant. As one of the more sustainable home building methods, straw bale homes are particularly appealing if eco-friendly is high on your needs list.
Re-purposed Structures and Vehicles
Another way to save money on building a home is to re-purpose an existing structure or vehicle. You’ll still need to spend some money adapting the structure to be a residence, but using an existing structure or vehicle as the outer shell can both save you some cash over starting from scratch and benefit the environment. Popular choices include farm silos, shipping containers, buses and boxcars.
Tiny Homes
Tiny homes have become trendy in recent years, partly because they are economical to build and live in. Depending on the design and materials you choose, a tiny home can be built for as little as a few thousand dollars. Because of the relatively small amount of living space, they can be heated and cooled more economically than traditionally sized homes.
Their relatively low power needs make them well suited to solar power solutions, which also helps make them more mobile for homeowners who don’t want to stay in one place. While many companies will construct a tiny home for you, you can save some money by doing it yourself. Plans can be found on the Internet or purchased from tiny home designers.
If you’ve been longing to be a homeowner, without going into debt, one of these economical home construction options may be right for you. These low-cost alternative housing options allow homeowners to express their style, without breaking the bank.
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