Want to do more with less? This is called value engineering. Your log and timber home producer and builder have various reduced construction cost cutting tricks. Use their expertise. Simply communicate that you need to save money on your budget. They can provide all kinds of helpful advice, including:
Reducing Square Footage
One way to dramatically reduce costs is to just reduce construction costs for the square footage of the entire home. Think small and cozy to cut costs. Another smart strategy is to build upward with a two-story design rather than outward, such as with a ranch design.
Choosing a Stock Design
custom designs reduce construction costs more in design time, materials, and labor. Most log and timber home manufacturers have dozens of stock plans that they have built time and time again. The elimination of many errors in these designs has resulted in them being easier to build, resulting in time and money savings.
Reducing Lineal Feet of Logs
Adding decorative stone, cedar shake or stucco can actually accent logs and reduce costs.
Opt for a Simple Roof System
The roof is one of the most expensive material and labor line items in your budget. This is why the simpler the roof system, the less expensive it will be. The most inexpensive roof is a simple, single ridgeline with a shallow pitch. More complicated roof systems, called hips and valleys with a steeper pitch, are more visually interesting. But they are also a lot more expensive.
Use Drywall on the Interior
Pine paneling on the interior of your ceiling looks great. However, it’s roughly twice the cost of drywall—and cedar paneling is even more expensive than pine.
More Modest Kitchen
f your marriage can take the heat, downgrade your kitchen appliances and amenities. Almost everything in a kitchen can be upgraded later, including flooring, appliances, and cabinetry.
Don’t Take a Bath on Your Bath
Much like kitchens, bathrooms have a variety of materials that can be upgraded later. If you want that jetted tub in the master bath but can’t afford it now, specify a soaking tub of the same size from the same manufacturer. Swapping it out in the future will be a snap.
Avoid Change Orders
Last-minute changes in design or materials are called “change orders” and they can quickly take a toll on your budget. Save these for correcting any serious errors.
