Contemplating a Cost-Efficient Home Build

TL;DR

• Exploring cost-effective home building strategies.
• Weighing pros and cons of building on current property versus buying new.
• Emphasizing resourcefulness through salvaging materials.
• Outlining steps to utilize current resources and prepare for future build.
• Balancing financial investment with providing family experiences.

Today I’ve been deep in thought about our plan to build a home as economically as possible. With my lack of direct experience, I aim to lean on knowledgeable family members, such as my dad and my partner’s brother, to guide me through the process. Recognizing the volatility in material costs, I have been researching and found that block walls could be a cost-effective yet labor-intensive option. The idea is to perform much of the work myself, leveraging skills from past DIY renovations.

While retaining my current role, a potential promotion could help fund this dream. Alternatively, selling our current property could finance a new build or a turnkey purchase, though building anew might stretch our budget further through salvage and smart spending over the next three years.

Salvaging materials is crucial to our strategy, so I’ve started monitoring online marketplaces like Facebook Marketplace and Kijiji. We’re preparing to collect and store salvaged materials, requiring investment in reliable equipment such as a utility trailer for transport. Additionally, setting up a storage solution like a 20-foot CCAN is in the works for efficient material handling.

Our aim is a balance: building on our existing property, despite being in a less ideal town, allows us to save, potentially using leftover funds on enriching experiences for the kids to expose them to more vibrant cultures. This strategy respects our property’s natural resources, leveraging our long-term understanding of its landscape and ecosystem that comes only from years of living there.