Tag: houses

Architecture & Building

What Are The Top 5 Cheapest Types Of Houses To Build?

30th November 20210

Are you looking to build a home but don’t want to spend a fortune. Here are the top 5 cheapest house styles you should go for when building or buying.  

1. Tiny house  

As you might have thought the house with a square footage of between 100 and 400, is typically the cheapest. Although they may be the cheapest, they have a lot of restrictions included. Fitting your everyday needs into a tiny home can take some work. So, if you’re not looking to live a minimalistic lifestyle, this house might not be for you.  

Cost to build: £50,000 – £65,000 

What Is a Tiny House? - Dengarden

2. Shipping container houses  

 Shipping container houses are becoming a growing trend when it comes to constructing homes. Using a container will save you time and money because you won’t need to frame or really construct the home. You can use a container for a tiny home or if you would like a larger one you could add and join more together. They usually come in two sizes – 20 feet by 8 feet or 40 feet by 8 feet. 

Cost to build: can easily cost less than £82,400  

14 stunning homes made out of shipping containers | loveproperty.com

3. Homes built off site  

Premade homes are built off-site, and are transported to your property, and assembled on site. You get to choose and customise the materials of the home and design it to how you like. Prefabricated homes aren’t cheap; however, they are cheaper and quicker than building a home on site.  

Cost to build: £134,000 – £269,000 

What Are Prefab Homes? - Facts About Modular and Manufactured Houses

4. Ranch/ farmhouses  

Houses with a simple layout is usually the cheapest type of house to build. Ranch homes/ farmhouses are typically single storey structures with attached garages. They are highly customisable, so you will be able to find a home that fits your need and budget. They also come with large land so if one day you plan to extend you will have the room too.  

Cost to build:  £136,000 – £505,000 

Madison Park Ranch House / SHED Architecture & Design | ArchDaily

5. Cob construction house  

Cob refers to the building material, which is a mixture of clay, sand, and straw. This can be mixed with water and can be used to construct natural, surprisingly durable walls. The oldest standing cob house is currently 10,000 years old. This shows how strong and worth the money they are.  

Cost to build: £25,000 – £40,000 

Cob Houses - Design for Me

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Advice Center, House Renovation

Are New Build Houses Better Quality Than Old Houses?

17th September 20210

Many people say older homes are of better quality than new homes. This is because in an older home they are probably with plaster and lathe. Whereas, the modern newer homes are often made out of drywall which is a weaker material.   

What is the difference between a new builds and an old builds?  

New build houses are homes that have recently been build and have never had anyone live in them. Whereas, an older house has had at least one person living inside and has been built for a couple of years.  

There are many pros and cons for both types of houses for example:   

Pros for a new build:  

  • Energy efficient – newer and modern buildings have become super insulated, they have double glazing and have heating and cooling systems.  
  • Builder’s warranty – usually new builds have a warranty for around 10 years, and if anything goes wrong the builders will fix it.  
  • More personalisation – you get to have more of a say in the design element. For example, you can choose the carpets, flooring, kitchens and bathrooms. 
  • Everything is brand new – because everything is new it will all be less maintenance than an older home.   

Cons for a new build:  

  • Space – new homes are often a lot more crammed and they seem to suffer with parking.   
  • Smaller rooms – new builds are often smaller and you would need to think more about internal space.  
  • Premium prices – the houses are brand new which means everything is new so it will become more expensive.  
  • Build delays – if you buy the house before its actually built you can experience delays. It can also have a knock-on effect on your mortgage offer.  

Pros for an old build:  

  • Character – if character and history is important to you an old build is perfect. They often have decorative windows, fireplaces and flooring.  
  • Size – older houses tend to have more internal and external space. And houses that were built around 1920 – 1930 often have large gardens and high ceilings.  
  • See issues – with these houses’ problems are usually visible and if you are purchasing you can pull out of the deal if you like.  
  • Adds value – you are able to renovate the house to how you like and add on to it. However, it’s hard to add value to a new build because everything is new.  

Cons for and old build: 

  • High maintenance – the houses have been standing longer and could have had a lot of owners. You also need to keep it looking good and structurally sound.    
  • Poor energy efficiency – the energy bills may be higher because the houses are bigger and less insulated.  
  • Renovations costs – the houses are less likely to be suited to you and they could be run down from previous owners. It could cost you money to repair it.  

Deciding on which houses are better is completely down to people’s opinions and there is no right or wrong answer.  

Old house vs New house

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