The urge to build remains even during the months when the finances are tight... But not everything needs to cost a fortune and be luxurious. How about gathering some tips on how to build cheaply (but still well!), if there are any?
Preparation is cheap. Paper and pencil in the planning stage. Googling for knowledge, materials, etc. Digging and shoveling, i.e. groundwork, is also cheap (though tiring).
What can be done with wood is relatively inexpensive unless it is too extensive or requires special products.
Paint and re-putty wooden windows.
Plaster with regular plastering mortar.
Anything that requires a lot of labor and little material (standard materials).
What can be done with wood is relatively inexpensive unless it is too extensive or requires special products.
Paint and re-putty wooden windows.
Plaster with regular plastering mortar.
Anything that requires a lot of labor and little material (standard materials).
Windows are usually a significant expense, but if you search on Blocket, etc., you can gather quite a few new ones at a significantly lower price. Then you design the house based on the windows you have. Also, check with carpentries, there are usually quite a few incorrect orders that have a good price.
Paint the interior ceiling with cheap white paint (1-300:-/10 liters)
demolish and plan
fix all the little things and the final touches that are sometimes postponed to the future
demolish and plan
fix all the little things and the final touches that are sometimes postponed to the future
Buying second-hand or finding bargains at sales can indeed save a lot of money. But it is not a straightforward path to significant savings. I can reference my own experiences. I have often bought second-hand building materials or taken advantage of sales. Not just because it was cheap, but because sometimes I thought it was exactly the kind of material I wanted, and it was just as well to take the opportunity.
But when you then go to use it, the problems arise. It may turn out that the material has been damaged while stored or damaged during moves. I have also experienced that items were defective when I finally unpacked them, and by then the return period was long gone. Or it turns out that the things don’t fit. Sometimes plans change, so the items are never used at all.
One successful purchase I made was when I bought decking boards on sale. They were put to use a couple of years later, and as if by a miracle, they were just enough for the deck I built. I had just bought a random amount, and I had designed the deck without considering how much material I had. So it worked out well. But the sad part was that, due to various circumstances, I had to transport the stack of wood twice and restack the whole pile three times. Altogether, I spent a couple of days just moving the boards around. So the question is whether it was really worth the trouble.
But when you then go to use it, the problems arise. It may turn out that the material has been damaged while stored or damaged during moves. I have also experienced that items were defective when I finally unpacked them, and by then the return period was long gone. Or it turns out that the things don’t fit. Sometimes plans change, so the items are never used at all.
One successful purchase I made was when I bought decking boards on sale. They were put to use a couple of years later, and as if by a miracle, they were just enough for the deck I built. I had just bought a random amount, and I had designed the deck without considering how much material I had. So it worked out well. But the sad part was that, due to various circumstances, I had to transport the stack of wood twice and restack the whole pile three times. Altogether, I spent a couple of days just moving the boards around. So the question is whether it was really worth the trouble.
Build in SketchUp. It gets really fun when you start getting the hang of it. And you build for free!ricebridge said:
Like when I learned SketchUp and it suddenly just took off...
http://www.byggahus.se/forum/smahus-garage-friggebod-m-m/91149-frigga-2.html#post634899
Sketchup is exemplary from a user standpoint! Especially now that you can have layers and materials.
A big plus is that it's completely absolutely free
Mikael_L have you used http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/ for inspiration, or to incorporate furnishings into completed drawings?
A big plus is that it's completely absolutely free
Mikael_L have you used http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/ for inspiration, or to incorporate furnishings into completed drawings?
Nope.Micke64 said:
Since the garden shed drawing, I haven't had time to sketchup more than the absolute necessities.