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.

1. 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.
2. Another part of the home’s design to consider is the roof.
3. 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.

1. 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.
2. 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.

How can I build a house inexpensively?

Cheapest types of houses to build – When building a house inexpensively, thinking outside that traditional box of a 2,000-square-foot, three-bedroom, two-bath home with a standard builder’s package can be a potential way to reduce costs. There are a lot of different housing options available these days, and being open to different types of builds might mean big savings.

What are cheap building materials made from?

Waste materials – View in gallery You can find cheap building materials among the wastes that modern world society discards. Creative builders are using all kinds of free and cheap items. Everything from cigarette butts to plastic bottles and rubble from previous buildings are free materials for building new homes. View in gallery View in gallery Like an artistic collage of multimedia materials the Collage House in Mumbai, India is a genius construction of waste and other materials. Designed by S+PS Architects, the home is fully modern on the inside. The exterior façade includes windows and doors reclaimed from demolished houses in Mumbai. View in gallery The central courtyard features scrap rusted metal plates, colored tile samples cut-waste stone slivers. It also has hundred-year-old columns from a dismantled house. All these old materials contrast with the sleek new interior. Even that still makes use of reclaimed materials like fabric waste and colonial furniture.

What is the cheapest timber to build with?

Reclaimed timber – View in gallery Reclaimed timber is not only one of the most common cheap building materials, but also one of the trendiest. Whether it’s shiplap or rough-hewn timber, this type of timber can be stylish choice for building a new home. According to YR Architecture, Old timbers are usually more durable and dried out.

In turn, this means they are less likely to warp or split. In addition to increased visual appeal, environmental friendliness is also one of the reasons to use reclaimed timbers. Each piece is unique and will likely have an irregular shape. Of course, this can also be a challenge in sourcing materials and in construction.

It is possible can achieve cost savings on materials. Nonetheless, there can be a greater up-front time investment in locating and using reclaimed timber

Is it cheaper to build a prefab house?

7. Prefabricated Homes – Average cost to build : $90-$120 per square foot Average cost to buy : $100-$200 per square foot Prefabricated homes are built off-site, transported to your property, and assembled on-site. You choose from your builder’s selection of layouts and materials to customize the home.

Building the home in panels off-site and restricting the build options makes prefabricated or modular homes affordable. The home layout and upgrades are customizable, but these changes are costly. Prefabricated homes aren’t cheap — just cheaper than an on-site build, so keep affordable style in mind. Prefabricated homes are quicker to construct than on-site builds and are generally more sustainable.

Get pre-approved for a prefabricated home.