The words of the famous investor and financier “We are not so rich to buy cheap things” can also be applied to the construction of residential buildings. And yet, in the process of building a house, it is almost traditional that costs arise that are clearly not included in the estimate.

And it’s also good if this estimate was compiled by a competent specialist. For example, the designers and estimators of the InnovaStroy company quite successfully cope with this task, eliminating additional costs with almost one hundred percent probability. But what to do if the construction budget was planned independently, and all costs are not included in it. Is it possible to save on anything during the construction process?

If you adhere to objectivity, then it is certainly possible to find some “unnecessary” costs in the project. The main thing is not to confuse them with key costs, without which the construction and further operation of the house will be at risk. So, let's try to find out what you can't save on when construction of cottages or a country house.

Where are the funds sent?

To better understand what it is undesirable to save on, you need to be aware of the directions of financial flows when building a house. Traditionally, significant amounts of funds are allocated to achieve the following goals:

• Geological exploration on the site;
• Drafting the project;
• Approval of design documentation;
• Rental of special machinery and equipment;
• Purchase of materials;
• Arrangement of communications;
• Payment for construction work.

It would seem that for each of these points it was possible to reduce costs, and in some places even to significant amounts. And in order not to come to undesirable consequences, we will further find out what exactly you should not save on. All other actions and materials may be accompanied by varying financial amounts of investment.

Why pay for something that is only on paper?

Unfortunately, in the minds of many developers, the project of a future house seems to be a sketch in which the layout of future apartments, the number of floors and the roof configuration are sketched out. Visually, such a “document” should give an idea of ​​the appearance of the future structure.

Filling the interior - this already seems to be a matter of taste for the owner himself, and in this regard, nothing at all is required to be added to the project. Unfortunately, it is precisely this approach that leads to the fact that the construction of a house is delayed for several years.

How else? Indeed, during the construction process, it will certainly be discovered that the thickness of the walls presses on the foundation with such force that the level of window openings dynamically move in the direction of the ground, and the foundation itself goes deeper and deeper into the ground. Or halfway through the construction stage it turns out that the ill-conceived layout of the rooms interferes with the wiring of communications. And there may be many such circumstances not taken into account in the project. As a result of savings on project preparation:

• Cost overruns;
• Delaying the construction period;
• Increased labor intensity of construction.

And when preparing a project, you should remember that diagrams and drawings made on ordinary paper, if compiled correctly, will very quickly transform into a beautiful and reliable house. But - provided that the owner of the site does not save on the project.

By the way, it is also sometimes possible to try to save a modest amount on its approval. But:

• Firstly, the amount is so small that it is not worth trying to save it;
• Secondly, such diligence can lead to claims from architectural, engineering services, as well as sanitary and fire departments.

As a result, such savings can result in multiple losses due to payment of orders and fines.

How to save money on site surveys

For some developers, it seems like just a formality for a surveyor to visit the site. A completely logical reflection leads them to this opinion - even the regional geological exploration departments have a map showing the soil structure in all development areas.

But even within one area of ​​several hundred square meters, a surprise may appear in the form of a surface groundwater horizon, clay inclusions in the soil, sandy mosses and other troubles. It is their detection that is the purpose of the surveyor’s visit. Moreover, in the process of surveying the site, it is quite likely that it will be necessary to drill test wells. Sometimes this requires additional costs - calling out special equipment and performing drilling work sometimes require significant costs.

If we imagine a situation where test drilling is not carried out due to the “cost-effectiveness” of the owner of the site, then it is possible that if there are sandy layers in the soil on the territory, the foundation of the house will be right above them. The consequences will make even the most economical people think - the sliding of underground sand will lead to deformation and collapse of the house around the stage of its completion, when the supporting structure will be quite heavy for such a sand cushion.

The basis of the estimate and the house

Based on the results of many years of activity, many contractors, designers and all construction workers know that approximately 40% of the entire estimate falls on laying the foundation.

This is where you can save money! Moreover, the volume of construction work and materials seems to leave room for the implementation of the basics of economics and savings. But is it worth experimenting with the stability and reliability of the foundation of the house? Savings on the foundation can be manifested in lower consumption of materials, which will inevitably lead to a decrease in the design strength and stability of the foundation of the house. As a result, the thickness of the supporting structures will have to be reduced. And this will lead to a loss of heat capacity of the house.

If you try to save on the quality of materials for the foundation, then negative results may become apparent a little later. The gradual destruction of the integrity of the foundation will also lead to deformation of the walls, disruption of the structure of communications and, as a result, to huge costs to eliminate the cause of such unsuitability of the house.

Perhaps the only opportunity to save on the foundation, which should not be neglected, is to entrust the design and construction of the foundation of the house to experienced specialists. Hundreds of such reliable bases have already been produced by the competent employees of the InnovaStroy company. And, based on knowledge of the theoretical and calculation base, as well as on the results of their own activities, they can partially optimize the estimate for the construction of the foundation.

Economical technical supervision

Another misconception of private developers is complete self-confidence in their knowledge and reluctance to pay for seemingly unproductive work. We are talking about technical supervision. This function should not be confused with the responsibilities of the head of a construction team or foreman.

The responsibilities of a technical supervision engineer include:

• Monitoring compliance with design standards;
• Selection of construction, finishing materials or their analogues;
• Selection and registration of rental of special machinery and special equipment;
• Selection of construction specialists;
• Setting production goals;
• Monitoring the achievement of set goals;
• Providing workflow with consumables and materials;
• Organization of the work cycle, including the work of special equipment;
• Organization of logistics, including delivery of materials and removal of construction waste.

In addition, a technical supervision specialist may be vested with powers and control functions regarding the expenditure of the planned estimate and its adjustment. And this is an incomplete list of responsibilities assigned to a technical supervision employee.

In order to cope with even part of these responsibilities, the owner of the site would have to temporarily leave his main occupation, familiarize himself with the theoretical basis and devote all the available time to this activity. Such savings would hardly be justified, especially since it absolutely does not guarantee the correct fulfillment of all these responsibilities and the achievement of all goals.

The role of cheap communications in construction savings

The issue of saving on communication systems should be devoted to a separate section. This is the second most important element of a construction project after the foundation. Like the heart in the human body, communications ensure the vital activity of the entire house. arrangement and wiring of communication systems also accounts for a significant portion of the construction budget. And doubts may involuntarily arise regarding the choice of materials for constructing these systems. Saving on them is quite a strong temptation.

However, attempts to alleviate the financial burden may be limited by relevant departments. For example, when installing gas heating, the relevant services will definitely check to ensure that the equipment meets the design characteristics of the house. Similarly, requirements will be imposed on the arrangement of the ventilation system at the location of the heating boiler. Therefore, you won’t be able to save much in this regard.

When using cheap materials for the installation of an electrical wiring network, requirements will also be imposed by the district electrical network management if the type or cross-section of the wire does not meet fire safety requirements. By the way, the fire inspectorate is especially attentive to its responsibilities and tries to control all aspects that pose a risk of fire. The fire inspection requirements relate to the arrangement of power supply communications, connection of a three-phase line, connection to a transformer. They also relate to the design of the gas supply system.

How economical is the wiring of communications?

As you can see, it’s definitely not worth saving on communications, even for reasons of your own safety and safe operation of the house. But the idea of ​​saving on communications wiring may seem more than attractive. After all, if you have even a little experience, connecting pipes and connecting equipment to a consumer network does not seem like an extremely difficult task.

But such confidence usually lasts only until the moment of reading the drawings and connection diagrams. Usually, from this point, the owners of a new building begin the stage, referred to by professionals as “amateur activity.” As a result of such savings, the equipment is connected without proper configuration and testing, without observing the conditions of the trial run. And at best, minor damage occurs. At worst, the whole house and its owners themselves may suffer.

To summarize, we can conclude that there is absolutely no need to skimp on the communications themselves, and even more so on their wiring and connection. At the same time, another logical conclusion arises: it will be much more economical and practical to entrust the process of completing and connecting communications to experienced and qualified specialists. Moreover, they are always ready to respond when contacting the InnovaStroy company.

Saving on materials - which will be cheaper?

No matter how bitter it may be to state the fact after all this, you definitely won’t be able to save much on the listed items of the construction project. There is also a “wonderful” option, according to many developers, to save on building materials and interior decoration. Let's consider both versions.

Most building materials are used to construct load-bearing structures. The building materials industry is present on the market with such a wide range of prices that the choice here satisfies even not very wealthy pensioners and developers with budgets of millions. But you don’t need to be a famous expert to determine the direct relationship between the cost of a material and its technological qualities. For example, both inexpensive fiberglass wool and dense polystyrene foam, whose thermal conductivity is one and a half times lower, can be used as a thermal insulation material. Its cost is approximately the same. But the cost of heating the house will subsequently cover this difference in prices in the first season.

If the material is chosen for the construction of walls, then there is definitely no need to save money here - such savings will be to the detriment of the strength and durability of the house. The situation is similar with materials for the roof - if there is no irresistible desire to make repairs within two or three years after moving in, then it is better forget about saving on roofing materials.

Economical finishing

Here, it seems, nothing can limit the owner, who is tired of negative searches for the opportunity to save on the construction of a house. Indeed, the interior is a matter of taste. The only thing you can remember is the functional purpose of some finishing materials. For example, ceramic tiles are designed to protect walls (especially in the bathroom and kitchen) from the inside from moisture. So there is still a chance here, albeit small, for savings.

Saving on construction services and choosing a contractor

But what you definitely shouldn’t save on when building a house is paying for the work of the construction crew. Cheap contractors, who have neither sufficient experience nor legal guarantees, will never worry about the quality of their work. Moreover, such prefabricated teams often do not have their own machinery, equipment and even many tools. Therefore, all this will have to be rented. Naturally - for the money of the developer. This can hardly be called an economical construction option.

The situation is completely different for responsible and competent contractors. They are always equipped with everything necessary to carry out work from scratch and on a turnkey basis. They have sufficient experience, thanks to which it is possible to achieve real savings in building a house, since qualified builders will always tell you how to minimize the cost and what not to save on when building a house.

And their experience and constant training through the development of new construction technologies make it possible to reduce the budget burden on some projects by up to 30%! Qualified and responsible employees of the InnovaStroy company have such advantages.

You can also learn more about savings on building a house from the video.

Construction of a country house always requires large material costs. Some people invest in this amount of money that they have been earning for several years, or even decades. And every penny saved is important to them.

To build a country house cheaply, it is not necessary to take on all the work and erect the building with your own hands. Moreover, this is not at all recommended if you are not a professional builder yourself. After all, if you save on the services of specialists and build a house yourself, it is unlikely to last long. In just a few years you will have to carry out major repairs to the building, strengthen the foundation, etc. As a result, all the money saved will go towards restoring the house.

But there are several other ways to reduce construction costs. Let's consider the most optimal of them.

Method number 1: refusal of the services of an architect

As practice shows, drawing up working documentation for construction work costs approximately 10% of the total amount invested in building a house. To obtain permission from local authorities, you will need only three documents: a certificate of registration of title, a town plan and building layout drawings. Drawings, as a rule, are developed by a professional architect, and he can charge quite a lot of money for his services (about 300-500 dollars, depending on the complexity of the work).

Read also: Construction formwork: types of materials used. Stages of installation of formwork from unedged boards

You can study the basic principles of creating a building layout diagram on your own. It doesn't require much time or much effort. You just need to find the relevant literature and find out how drawings of residential private houses are developed. If desired, this can be dealt with in just a couple of days. And save good money on the services of an architect. But it is worth noting that this is not the best way. You can save on the services of an architect only if you are really experiencing serious financial difficulties and simply cannot afford to hire an architect.

Method No. 2: correct selection of building materials

When building a country house, the main part of the costs falls on the purchase of materials. In order not to spend extra money, we recommend using hollow blocks to build walls. Support structures made from these blocks will have sufficient strength and thermal insulation properties. And most importantly, such a house will serve for at least 100 years. And in terms of its protective characteristics, it will be significantly superior to buildings made of laminated veneer lumber, panels and similar materials.

How will the project help you save on construction?

Through effective design solutions!

When building a house, the thought inevitably comes to the mind of any person: how to make a high-quality house and save money at the same time? Many people mistakenly believe that if you skimp on a house, it will turn out to be of poor quality. This is wrong. And here we have provided absolutely safe and effective ways to avoid wasting money.

Savings on the foundation - about 800 thousand rubles!

Savings on walls - about 400 thousand rubles!

Savings on cladding – about 200 thousand rubles!

Savings on roofing – about 100 thousand rubles!

Saving on interior decoration!

Saving on house space!

1. You can save about 800 thousand rubles. only on the foundation!

The foundation is the basis of any construction, a symbol of the steadfastness of your home and the guarantee of its durability. It is not surprising that people who are starting to realize their dream of owning their own home do not spare any expense on laying the foundation, sometimes overpaying for its construction several times over - but the cost of the foundation is up to 30% of the total cost of the house. Unscrupulous companies take advantage of their clients' lack of knowledge about construction issues and offer them more expensive foundation options than required for a given soil type.

Therefore, the first stage in building a house, even before laying the foundation, should be a geological study of the soil of your site, which will show what type of soil and groundwater level prevails on your site, what type of foundation is most preferable in each specific case, which will help you avoid unnecessary spend

In addition, the choice of foundation will be affected not only by the soil, but also by the desired type of house; for example, for most permanent and wooden houses there is no need to pour an expensive monolithic tape, for which it will be necessary to carry out excavation work and reinforcement, followed by concreting and a large volume of materials.

It will be much cheaper to make a grillage on bored concrete piles (if you need to raise the base in height) or USHP (Insulated Swedish Plate) if you don’t need a high base and the area under the house is flat - and the difference in price will not affect the quality and durability of the structure at all.

2. You can significantly save about 400 thousand rubles. on the thickness of the walls and the volume of wall materials, if you

Use effective insulation.

The more material is used to build the walls of a house, be it Warm ceramics or Aerated concrete, Warm wall or Brick, Wood concrete or Durisol - the more expensive the construction will cost you. But insulating a house by thickening the wall is an unjustified expense and a false path. Even for thick walls you will need to lay insulation - otherwise, up to 40% of the heat can escape through the walls, no matter how thick you build them! Initially using proper insulation materials, you will spend much less money and resources than building overly wide walls, which, in the end, will still not be able to retain heat properly. And what is especially important, wide walls will steal the useful total area of ​​the house, which will also affect the dimensions of the house and the price.

Every year, more and more effective insulation materials appear on the construction market, so their choice today is huge - for every taste and budget. Our company will select the most optimal and inexpensive insulation for your project. You can also familiarize yourself with the types of materials on our website.

Insulation of walls is possible not only inside the wall (for example, when finishing with facing bricks), but also outside. Depending on the choice of insulation, you can create a microclimate indoors that is optimal for you. In any case, this solution will save the lion's share of construction costs, its implementation will be carried out in the shortest possible time, and your house will become 2 times warmer than it would be without the use of effective thermal insulation.

An important role here is also played by the so-called “dew point”, the place where condensation forms in the wall material, which subsequently crystallizes when freezing and can lead to the destruction of the wall material. With effective insulation, the “dew point” is located in the insulation.

3. You can significantly save about 200 thousand rubles. on the exterior of the building.

On the one hand, everyone wants the exterior of the house to match your ideas and wishes. On the other hand, facing materials and their installation are an additional burden on the budget, which not everyone can afford. But don’t rush to get upset - we will help you find the ideal solution that will suit everyone!

Firstly, not all types of houses require additional exterior finishing. For example, houses made of thermal walls, timber or rounded logs and without cladding delight the eye with their natural beauty; the only thing you need to take care of is the protective impregnation of the wood or painting of the block, which is the main guarantee of its durability.

Secondly, even if you want to cladding your timber or log house, or any other type of house, you can select less expensive materials that are in no way inferior in appearance and quality to their expensive counterparts, for example, fiber panels.

Here are examples of similar materials that will help you find a more economical and affordable solution for cladding your home:

Plaster. It is widespread, very inexpensive and simple solution. In addition, a rich palette of colors is available, which will help to especially emphasize the individuality of your home.

Facing tiles. Essentially an artificial stone, this material is reliable and durable, and it gives a home a special charm. This is an inexpensive and accessible material, and its installation will take very little time.

Ceramic brick. One of the main features of this material is its environmental friendliness, and it costs even less than artificial stone. It is easy to install and serves as additional protection for the building from adverse natural influences, however, this material also has some disadvantages...

Clinker tiles. The main advantage of this material, which has recently appeared on the domestic construction market, is its durability. You are guaranteed at least 60 years of uninterrupted operation. It is possible to choose from more than 500 shades and a huge variety of textures and shapes, to suit every taste and color. It is also very environmentally friendly since it consists of clay and is essentially the front part of a brick with a thickness of 6 mm to 15 mm.

Fiber cement panels. New reliable material for exterior decoration of houses. It has a very wide range of applications in high-tech style homes.

In addition, combined finishing of the facade of the house is possible, because the combination of two or more materials will not only give a pleasant visual effect and emphasize the style of your home, but will also significantly reduce the cost of expensive facing materials.

It is possible to save money on roofing only by choosing a cheaper type of flooring.

The most common type of floors is wooden, but they are not without significant drawbacks: this floor can only be used as an interfloor floor (wooden beams are not used to cover the foundation - they lack strength), it may turn out to be less stable and more shaky than other types of floors. Wood practically does not insulate sounds, which means you will have to spend additional money on soundproofing materials. And that's not all: installing a wooden floor will require additional installation of a monolithic belt, and you will also need finishing materials.

So in reality, the statement that wooden floors are the cheapest turns out to be nothing more than a myth. The apparent cheapness hides additional costs, as a result of which the cost of a wooden floor can be equal to the supposedly more expensive monolithic and aerated concrete floors.

One of the most popular solutions today is the installation of a monolithic ceiling. It is extremely reliable and can withstand high loads. Many sites tell you that you can easily install a monolithic ceiling yourself, without resorting to the services of a construction company for installation, which will also save additional money. Theoretically, this is, of course, possible, but we consider it our duty to warn you that the lack of qualified assistance from an architect can lead to dire consequences - after all, only a specialist can correctly calculate the weight load that a specific monolithic floor can bear.

Monolithic floors are very convenient to work with, they greatly simplify the work of designers and can be used almost everywhere and always. One of the few disadvantages of this design is the duration of the laying - the process of completely assembling a monolithic floor can take about two weeks. Also, the disadvantages include its heaviness - the walls and foundation of the house will bear additional load, which must be taken into account at the stage of designing the house.

Hollow-core reinforced concrete slabs are another excellent alternative to both wooden and monolithic floors. In terms of cost, it is almost equal to monolithic, but its additional advantages include comparative lightness (hollow floor slabs are three times lighter than monolithic), quick installation and good sound insulation properties. They are cheaper than monolithic and aerated concrete floors, very durable, and are produced in a huge variation in size and for any load. Their installation does not take much time, and construction practically does not stop.

It is worth noting, however, that reinforced concrete slabs practically do not insulate sounds and will place a large load on the walls and foundation, which must be taken into account when drawing up the project. Most likely, additional laying of monolithic belts under the floor slabs will be required. There is no doubt that their use will make it possible to build a very durable building at minimal cost.

5. One of the best ways to save money on building a house, without resorting to reducing the area of ​​the house or buying cheap and therefore low-quality materials, is to build the so-called. combined house.

When building a house from one material, its cost can sometimes skyrocket - especially when it comes to such expensive materials as brick or natural stone. And even if you are satisfied with the price, such a house may have certain disadvantages. For example, a brick dacha is not suitable for living, because if you come there irregularly, you will find that the house is cold and damp, and warming it up takes a lot of effort and time. In a house made entirely of brick, you must either live all year round or maintain heat constantly, even if you are not there. To avoid such frustrating situations, the best solution is to build a combination house.

It would be a mistake to believe that combined houses are a modern invention designed to save money for clients of construction companies. The combined house has been around for many hundreds of years, as we can see from medieval buildings in Germany and Switzerland - the famous half-timbered house, for example, is a classic example of the combination of wood and natural stone when building a two-story house. Due to the more substantial stone or brick first floor, the structure acquires greater strength, and the second floor, made of rounded logs or timber, does not place a strong load on the walls and foundation.

Even in Russia this technology is traditional - many provincial two-story houses are made using the same technique.

Why is building a combined house more profitable than a building made from one material? The point here is not only that you will save significantly on expensive materials:

The first floor is traditionally made of heavier and fireproof materials that will ensure your home stability and safety - concrete blocks, brick, stone, aerated concrete or foam concrete blocks, which are not only not prone to fire, but also retain heat well and allow moisture to pass through , like a tree. You will not only provide your home with fire safety, but also make it comfortable for living - the first floor is ideal for a common living room and utility rooms, while the second floor, made of natural wood and therefore the most environmentally friendly, will serve as the best place for sleep, work and rest. In addition, we don’t even have to talk about the huge number of design solutions possible for a combined house - you can decorate the entire house “like stone”, “like wood”, or leave everything as is, so that the natural beauty of wood on the second floor and stone on first emphasized and shaded each other - it’s up to you to decide!

For the second floor, as we have already said, the best choice would be materials such as timber, blockhouse, rounded logs or frame structure. In terms of cost, the second floor will cost you significantly less than the first, and in terms of environmental qualities it will be even better. Wood perfectly retains heat when heating in the cold season, and coolness in the hot months; a wooden room will not be damp and it will be easier to warm it up, and the aroma of natural wood will have a beneficial effect on the psyche and your mood. Another positive point is the relatively low weight of the second floor due to the use of wood, so you can also save on the foundation by making it less massive. The only drawback is the danger of fire or rotting of wood, but nowadays there are many fire-fighting and antiseptic impregnations for wood.

When drawing up a project, it is worth paying attention to the fact that the service life of all materials may vary; If the materials are incorrectly selected, one part of the house may require repairs after 30 years, while the other will be in the same excellent condition as when the construction work was completed. Based on this, we recommend that you do not select materials yourself; Our leading experts will help you decide and correctly compile a list of materials with approximately the same service life.

Thus, the construction of a combined house will not only save you a fair amount of money, but as a result you will also receive a comfortable and environmentally friendly home, protected from fires.

6. Savings on interior decoration of the house.

Interior decoration is the final chord in the construction of a house. Everyone wants the house to look as stylish from the inside as it does from the outside, but here a new problem arises - the budget is still not flexible, and any of us may have financial difficulties. Some homeowners try to solve the issue with interior cladding themselves, but at the same time they waste precious time, effort, and sometimes much more money than they originally expected. We treat our customers with understanding, and therefore we can offer a range of economical solutions for the interior decoration of your home, which will not be as burdensome on the wallet as their more expensive counterparts, but no less high-quality and effective.

The simplest and most inexpensive option is gypsum plaster, which is applied directly to aerated blocks. Immediately after gypsum plaster, you can stick non-woven textured wallpaper for painting.

Another option is drywall; this material is a recognized leader in interior finishing materials in the domestic construction market. This is a cheap and durable material that is not afraid of nails and screws. When used in finishing work, plasterboard forms a flat surface on which wallpaper can be glued.

The top ten most popular and inexpensive materials for interior decoration include panels. They come in two types - with photo printing and laminated. Laminated panels are the best choice for those who want calm and light colors to dominate their home. PVC panels are distinguished by their environmental friendliness, wide choice of colors and high fire resistance.

Even with the help of such seemingly unpretentious finishing materials, you can create exactly the atmosphere in your home that you wanted, and which will delight you for many years to come.

The desire to save money when implementing such a large-scale and, frankly speaking, not the cheapest project as the “home of your dreams” is quite natural and understandable. Here we have indicated only a few basic ways to do this. However, we urge you to remain prudent and not try to save money by buying cheap and often low-quality materials for capital construction; this can not only have a detrimental effect on the durability of your home, but, ultimately, even lead to tragedy.

Building a house is a serious and responsible matter, so we recommend that you come to our office and consult our specialists for free. We will select for you the most optimal materials at the lowest prices, since we have direct deliveries from factories of trusted manufacturers.

(with a floor frame and wall insulation during construction), today varies between 1500–4500 rubles. for 1 m 2. The difference is so great because many large companies offer houses in two or three configurations. They are called differently: “economy” and “comfort”, or “country” and “winter”, or “budget”, “standard” and “luxury”. Construction companies may deviate from the requirements of SP 31-105-2002 and other standards, since the configurations differ from each other not only in the finish or brand of materials used, but also in the quality and properties of the main structures. If you fall for an advertising bait, you can build a house that is unsuitable for living even in summer.

What can you save on when building a frame house?

1. On architectural elements

Reducing costs without sacrificing the comfort and durability of the building will be possible, first of all, by abandoning “architectural excesses” - balconies, bay windows, hatches, multi-gable roofs. Choose a rectangular house. A properly selected combination of colors will help to decorate it without extra costs, as well as functional elements harmoniously integrated into the project - a porch, wide eaves overhangs (which will also protect the walls from moisture), and high-quality gutters.

2. On an individual project

Purchasing a standard project will also provide significant savings, because the cost of individual design is about 500 rubles. for 1 m 2.

3. On an expensive finish

It is worth abandoning expensive finishing, for example, clinker or stone cladding. Sheathing with PVC siding (including stone siding) or coniferous siding will cost 3–5 times less.

4. Using the services of intermediary companies

Finally, you can win a large sum by refusing the services of intermediaries. But this path requires serious preparation, time and effort: you will have to independently purchase materials from manufacturers, look for workers, and control all stages of construction.

What you can't save on

In many cases, the savings are not justified, as they entail serious construction errors. So, nothing good will come from the desire to reduce the cost of the foundation as much as possible (we will return to this issue in the article) or the base of the walls.

1. Frame material

Mostly sold on construction markets, often around 100% (a compact needle moisture meter will help you measure this parameter). In winter, the boards are frozen, and there is no way to dry them in the open air. Alas, this is the kind of material that is often used for wall frames, floor beams and rafters. What does this mean? First of all, because inside a poorly ventilated structure, damp boards will begin to rot, and the fasteners in contact with them will begin to corrode intensively. We cannot exclude warping of parts, which will lead to the appearance of gaps at the L- and T-shaped joints, that is, cracks into which air will then blow.

According to SP 31-105-2002, wall frame elements must be made from dried lumber. You should not deviate from this rule, especially since it is unlikely that you will be able to save a significant amount (on the scale of the estimate). Wood consumption for the frame of a house with an area of ​​120 m2 (including beams and rafters) does not exceed 6 m3, and the difference in price between dry high-grade materials and raw low-grade materials is about 3 thousand rubles.

The frame is the basis of the building, and if it turns out to be unreliable, time-consuming repairs cannot be avoided, and most likely, the house will have to be completely rebuilt.

2. Insulation

A common mistake that builders make is filling frame walls with insulation that is not intended for this purpose. Today you almost never find universal thermal insulation. Mainly specialized products are presented - for facade insulation, floors, pitched and flat roofs, internal partitions.

They are distinguished by significant density (more than 50 kg/m 3), their composition contains specific additives that increase elasticity. Thanks to this, they do not shrink during their designed service life (at least 30 years). If you fill the walls, for example, with rolled thermal insulation for floors (it is somewhat cheaper than elastic slabs), then soon inside the structure. As for the thickness of the insulation, it must be determined for a specific region in accordance with SP 50.13330.2012. In the middle zone, the requirements of this standard are met by walls insulated with a layer of mineral wool 150–200 mm thick, the basement and roof (attic floor) - 200–300 mm.

Finishing with imitation timber, wide architraves with antique cornices, plank balustrades, window frames - thanks to these materials and architectural elements, a frame house becomes indistinguishable from a wooden one

3. Sheathing

For the external and internal cladding of the frame, oriented strand boards (OSB) are most often used; much less often - other sheet materials, such as plywood, cement-bonded particle boards or fiberboards.

OSB boards must be moisture resistant (type OSB-3), formaldehyde emission class - E1 or E 0.5. The minimum thickness of the material is 9 mm, although it is advisable to use thick slabs on the outside
12 mm. Under no circumstances should you purchase slabs of unknown origin that do not have a certificate of conformity to GOST R 56309-2014.

Sometimes, in order to save money, they abandon the outer sheet cladding, limiting themselves to the installation of wind protection and. In principle, this is acceptable, especially if we are talking about a small one-story house. But in this case the frame needs to be strengthened with permanent jibs.

External OSB is sometimes replaced with windproof fiberboard with a thickness of 25 mm or more (Isoplaat and analogues). This gives an increase of at least 20 dB in insulation of traffic noise and somewhat improves thermal insulation, but increases the cost of 1 m 2 of wall by 150–250 rubles.

4. Vapor barrier and hydro-wind protection

The insulation inside the frame wall copes with its task only as long as it is dry. To protect mineral wool from moisture, a vapor-permeable waterproofing is installed on the outside, and a vapor barrier on the inside. Unscrupulous builders often make do with cheap plastic film in both cases or install short-lived glassine on the outside. Refusal to use a vapor-permeable (diffusion) membrane reduces the cost of 1 m 2 of wall by only 20–30 rubles, while entailing a decrease in the service life of the building and an increase in heating costs.

“Express installation” of vapor barrier, in which the joints of the film strips are not taped, leads to the same consequences.

5. Ceilings and roof

Here, in addition to the thickness of the thermal insulation, the cross-section of the load-bearing beams is often reduced (or their pitch is increased). As a result, the floor vibrates unpleasantly when walking, and the rafters bend under the weight of the snow.

Floor and roof frames should be designed in accordance with SP 31-105-2002. An insulated roof should consist of the same functional layers as the wall (from room to street: vapor barrier-thermal insulation-waterproofing-ventilation gap-finishing or coating), and in addition to the ventilation gap it is necessary to provide ventilation devices: supply soffits, exhaust ridge, sometimes aerators. This is a fairly significant expense item, but if you exclude it from the estimate, leaks may appear.

To illuminate, gable windows are usually not enough - it is necessary to build lucarnes or install inclined windows. Today, as a rule, the second option turns out to be 20–30% cheaper.

4 common misconceptions about frame houses

1. Frame walls weigh little, so almost any foundation is suitable for a house

But a columnar one (or a support-column one, as some construction companies call it for respectability) consists of several concrete blocks on a sand bed. Due to uneven freezing of the soil and as a result of sand being washed out, the blocks inevitably move up and down, which leads to the skewing of the house frame. A shallowly buried tape without an insulated blind area on heaving soils often gives uneven settlement, and if poorly reinforced, it cracks. With screw piles, too, not everything is clear: low-quality piles (welded, made of low-carbon steel St3) may not last even 20 years - the welding seams will rust, the blades will come off, and the trunks will begin to settle into the ground.

Like really

It must be selected taking into account geological data, eliminate buckling and subsidence, and be made from materials and components that can last more than 50 years. If you buy screw piles, then they will have a factory-made anti-corrosion coating and cast tips, and the shafts must be concreted. For a house in which people live permanently, an insulated slab or strip foundation is optimal.

2. A “framework” in a minimal configuration, although not suitable for winter living, will be an excellent country house

However, in the “dacha” configuration, the thickness of the insulation in the floors and walls is usually 50–70 mm. Roof insulation and sound insulation of internal partitions are often not provided at all. The floors in such a house will remain cold until the real summer arrives, and on May nights you will freeze, despite the heaters being turned on and the stove being lit. At the same time, as soon as hot weather sets in, the temperature in the rooms, especially on the attic floor, will rise above 30 °C - even open windows will not save you.

The normal desire of any person of average income is reasonable savings on building a house. If you dream of building a house with your own hands, you need to know which points you can save on and which ones you shouldn’t, what you need to consider in advance and what issues you should pay attention to. Use only practice-tested tricks to save money on the cost of materials, choosing a building site and the time of year for construction.

Before starting construction, you must have a building, preferably fenced, and a building permit. Decide what buildings in addition to the house you want to put on the site, for example, for a modest, and, 10 acres of land will be enough. Remember that an excessively large plot will significantly increase the cost of purchase, and in the future you will have to invest a lot of work, time and money to improve it.

You can also save on the features of the terrain. The plots can be flat or sloping. The cost of the work is based on the size of this slope, since an individual project or leveling of the site may be required.

The size and structure of costs will also depend on the site: on the degree of heaving and saturation with water. You can find out this information by contacting the organization for geological and geodetic surveys in your area, or ask your prospective neighbors about the composition of the soil.

It is worth paying attention to the fact that communications are connected to the site. Sometimes it is cheaper to buy a house that is being demolished with all communications than to pay a lot of money to obtain permission to connect and.

Project and connection of the house to the site

There are standard and individual projects. To save money, you can purchase a ready-made project. Many companies sell them, their cost varies from 24,000 to 65,000 rubles. Be sure to make sure that the project contains a complete set of documents, including architectural, construction and engineering parts. The latter is especially important, and you need to have it right away. Even if the house design suits you, but you want to change something, it will be cheaper than ordering an individual project.

You should also evaluate the interior layout of your country house. It should be economical and convenient.

The best building shape for saving is a square; it has the optimal ratio of living space to utility space.

The house does not need a large number of corridors, and their area should not exceed that specified in the regulatory documents.

After purchasing the project, you should correctly place the house on the site. Using the principle of “solar architecture” will avoid additional financial costs for heating. According to them, the house is oriented on the site so that the maximum number faces south. This simple method has been known since ancient times. Through windows, ultraviolet rays heat the room and thereby reduce heating costs.

How to save money when purchasing materials

If you are building a concrete, brick, or all work related to the ground, foundation and walls, it is better to do it in the warm season. A frame wooden house can be built all year round, but it is better to build the foundation in warm weather. By the way, you can save money when choosing technology. It allows you to build a house with your own hands, regardless of the time of year.

An example of a Canadian house. Construction in the winter season

If you start construction in the spring, then it is better to start preparations at the beginning of winter. Preparation – saving and reducing construction time at the same time.

What you can do in advance:

1. Buy wire, all components for formwork, sand and crushed stone for concrete, necessary tools
2. Build clamps for frames, beams, floors, lintels, crossbars, formwork
3. Select and order and.

It is better to make purchases in winter, and you will save a lot of money on building your own home.

During this period, the pace of construction falls and the cost of materials decreases. And if you are determined to build a house inexpensively, to save on cost rather than on the quality of materials, it is better to prepare for the start of construction in winter.

How to spend less on wall materials when building a house

The ability to save money depends on how you imagine your future home. The most expensive is brick construction. This is a large investment of labor and time; the construction features also require highly qualified workers and a strong foundation.

It will be more economical to use porous ceramic stone. Its use simplifies construction technology: less concrete is required, work time is reduced. And the low coefficient of thermal conductivity makes it possible to build walls without additional insulation, only ceramic stone and facing bricks.

Expensive materials include chopped logs, rounded logs,...

Among the economical options, you can consider the construction of frame houses, or from. Construction of a house, based on technology, can be considered budgetary very conditionally.

Foundation

The foundation makes up 20% of the cost estimate. They can be reduced both when choosing the type of foundation and when constructing it.

The most expensive is the tape monolith deep buried foundation. When constructing a slab foundation, you can save 35-40% by replacing metal reinforcement with composite reinforcement. We recommend that it is reliable and can be erected in 1 day, the price is not expensive, the cheapest is a columnar foundation or on tires, if you do everything yourself, it turns out very cheap.

Floors

Monolithic floors are the most expensive type, which are also low and create a significant load on the walls and foundation of the house. As an alternative, prefabricated reinforced aerated concrete slabs can be used. They soundproof well and have less weight, but in cost they are practically not inferior to monolithic ones.

An economical option is hollow cores of all sizes and for any load. They are easy to install, but are famous for their poor sound insulation and heaviness. In addition, they do not have top reinforcement and are not used in balconies, canopies and canopies.

The most affordable material is wooden beams. It reduces costs at this stage by 2–2.5 times. But you need to correctly calculate the load on the floor and perform the installation efficiently. You can improve the quality of sound insulation by using mineral wool.

Roof

You won't be able to save much money here. The more complex the roof shape, the more expensive materials you will need and the more qualified builders you need to attract. The most economical option is a simple gable roof. You can reduce costs by using Russian analogues of expensive imported materials. Compared to copper seam roofing, ceramic tiles and slate tiles, cement-sand tiles, flexible tiles and metal tiles are more affordable.

As a result, we can add that the main directions in which you need to go in order to reduce construction costs are not to strive to build huge and complex luxury structures. A simple, small country house is the most profitable and winning option.

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