Building Your Own House: How Much Does It Cost and What Should You Consider?

Building your own home is a dream for many people. You can design your house exactly the way you want it, right from the very first brick. And the good news? Building your own home does not necessarily have to be more expensive than buying an existing property. Before you can make that dream a reality, however, there are quite a few steps to take. We’ll guide you through the process and help you understand what you need to consider.

Think about the room layout when building your own home

Because you have control over the entire building process, you can decide exactly how you want to divide the rooms. Do you want several bedrooms, a home office, a separate kitchen or an open-plan kitchen and living area? There are plenty of possibilities.

Kitchen layout

When designing your kitchen, a kitchen island can be a great option. You could even add seating so that everyone can admire your cooking skills up close. What is your signature dish?

Home gym and bathroom

If you enjoy staying active, you could also create a home gym. An adjoining bathroom with perhaps a Finnish sauna or Turkish steam room could make it even more luxurious and your muscles will thank you for it!

After exercising, your sportswear will need washing too. So where should you put your washing machine and dryer? In the kitchen, you may be bothered by the noise of the washing machine and the heat produced by the dryer, while the garage may already be occupied by your car, tools and other belongings. A separate laundry room could therefore be a practical solution. Washing machine, dryer, drying rack, ironing board and everything else can all be kept together in one place.

Home office

Do you prefer avoiding traffic jams, or simply enjoy working from home? A home office can help you stay focused without being distracted by everything happening around the house. It also makes it easier to keep your work and private life separate. That room is for work, but once you leave it, you are simply back at home.

Something you may not immediately think about is a walk-in wardrobe or perhaps a man cave. Consider reserving space for these too. When building a new home, wishes like these are relatively easy to incorporate into the design. For more inspiration, read our other blogs about creating a walk-in wardrobe or the perfect man cave.

Get inspired by different styles for your new home

There are countless possibilities when choosing the style of your house, which can sometimes make the choice feel overwhelming. Looking at a few examples can help. Home builders often offer different architectural styles, such as 1930s-style homes, Scandinavian houses or traditional notary-style homes. These can provide a useful starting point from which you can add your own personal touch.

How much does it cost to build a house?

Research by organisations such as Vereniging Eigen Huis (VEH) shows that building your own home does not necessarily have to be more expensive than buying a ready-designed property. So the cost itself does not automatically have to be an obstacle.

You do, however, need to find a suitable plot of land. This can be considerably more difficult in urban areas than outside the city. Always check the local zoning plan as well. The land must be designated for residential use before you are allowed to build a house on it.

Building a house involves many different parties. You will need different professionals for different stages of the process, such as an architect to design the property and a contractor to carry out the construction work.

Before you can finalise your mortgage, the relevant contracts will generally need to be in place. You can, of course, already check approximately how much you may be able to borrow from a bank beforehand.

Start requesting quotes from different companies well in advance. This will give you an indication of the costs and allow you to compare different providers. Don’t be afraid to negotiate and let suppliers compete for your project.

Put as many agreements as possible in writing

Although discussing and designing your new home will probably be exciting and inspiring, do not forget about the business side of the project. Put as many agreements as possible in writing so that everyone knows exactly what needs to happen and who is responsible for what.

This can help prevent unexpected surprises later on. Don’t hesitate to insist on written agreements: they provide more clarity and certainty for everyone involved than verbal arrangements.

That does not necessarily mean everything needs to be paid upfront. On the contrary, in some cases it may be better to arrange payment based on completed work or agreed milestones.

The details behind the details

Unlike buying an existing property, building a new home allows you to make almost every decision yourself. You may be surprised by just how many choices you will have to make.

Naturally, you will think about things such as the type of kitchen you want, what kind of shower you prefer and whether you want underfloor heating. But there are countless smaller details too. Where exactly should the electrical sockets go? What colour should the grout between the tiles be?

It can be quite a task, but the advantage is that your finished home can truly reflect your own preferences.

Store belongings externally – spacious living does not have to be expensive

While sorting through your belongings before moving, you will probably discover that you own quite a few things that you still need but rarely use, or that are only used during certain seasons.

Think of skiing equipment and thick winter coats, or perhaps an inflatable crocodile and snorkelling gear. Instead of using valuable space in your new home to store these items, you could keep them in an external ALLSAFE Mini Storage unit.

This could even mean that you do not need to build such a large house. You may be able to choose a smaller plot or use the available space in your new home for something more enjoyable.

Time to celebrate!

Once everything has finally been arranged and you receive the keys, it is time to celebrate. The planning, the design, all the contracts, building your own house involves a lot of work.

It will therefore probably feel like a huge weight has been lifted from your shoulders when you can finally move into your new home. At last, you can enjoy the property you designed yourself from the ground up.

A little pride is definitely justified. So invite your friends and family over as soon as possible to admire your creation.

Cheers!