Need a new home but feeling overwhelmed and discouraged by just how expensive buying a house is?
Well, why not spend half the money and build your own house? Instead of sinking hundreds of thousands of dollars on an existing home or fixer upper, build a house for under 50k!
Believe it or not, there are ways to build a beautiful house without breaking the bank. In this article, we’re sharing tips and tricks on building a beautiful home within a budget that works for you.
How You Can Build a House for Under $50,000 Dollars
There are many reasons why people assume it’s impossible to build a house without spending hundreds of thousands of dollars. More often than not, land and permit costs can eat up your entire budget. But there are ways to cut down costs without compromising on your dream home.
How can you build a house for under $50,00 dollars? The key to success: tiny house living.
What is Tiny House Living?
Tiny house living is a social movement that involves downsizing the space you live in. Instead of living in a typical American home, which is about 2,600 square feet, you live in a tiny house that is between 100 and 400 square feet.
These homes cut costs, reduce your environmental impact, and provide you with more free time and freedom. Here are some of the other major benefits of tiny home living:
It Costs Significantly Less than a Traditional House
The biggest draw of tiny homes is that you can build them at the fraction of the price of a traditional home. You can purchase a traditional home for as little as $25,000, or you can splurge for a more glamorous option with things like granite counter tops and upscale appliances.
The nicest of tiny homes can cost you up to $150,00 thousand, which is still significantly less than the median cost of a traditional home, which is now nearly $300,000.
You Can Take Your Home Wherever You Go
What’s great about tiny homes is that they’re mobile, so you can hitch it to your vehicle and move it around. This is great for people who travel a lot for work, need to move, or just want an excuse to be more adventurous and travel from place to place.
Most tiny homes have things like rain barrels and solar, which mean you don’t have to worry about water, sewerage, or electricity needs as you travel.
It’s More Environmentally Friendly
Tiny homes have a significantly smaller carbon footprint than traditional homes. They’re eco-friendly and often use things like solar or wind power to reduce your environmental impact and reuse energy.
Because the spaces are smaller they also require less heating and cooling, so you’ll also be saving big on things like utility bills.
How to Build a Tiny House for Cheap
Are you interested in building a tiny home under 50,00k? Here are some tricks and tips to get you set up for success.
Check Your Local Laws Before You Start Building
When building a tiny home, many builders design them on trailers to eliminate the need for a building permit, which can be quite costly. It’s important to note, however, that laws can vary by city and state, so you should check them before you start building to save you time, energy, and money.
These laws will also dictate how big your house can be, and if you can only build with certain types of materials.
Prepare and Educate Yourself Beforehand
Most lenders are not interested in providing housing loans to people looking to build alternative housing types like tiny homes. Likewise, contractors may not want to bid on a low budget project if there’s no lender involved.
In general, the key to success is planning everything in advance so you can avoid costs down the road. You can do this by educating yourself on everything house-building before you begin.
Finance through RV-Certified Tiny House Builders
As mentioned above, it’s easier (and more affordable) to build a tiny home on top of a trailer. If you do it this way, you can also connect with major tiny house RV builders who can work with lenders on your behalf to finance your property.
Note: These lenders generally require a 15 to 20% down payment, which is a lot less expensive than what it would cost for a traditional home.
Salvage Materials Wherever Possible
If you’re looking to build a home within a 50,000 budget, you need to use second-hand and repurposed materials wherever you can. Visit construction sites and stop by places like Habitat for Humanity Re-Store to purchase affordable leftover materials.
Also, check the free section of Craigslist to get materials you can re-purpose for your home. By salvaging cheap furniture and materials, you can save thousands of dollars on building and furnish your home.
Tip: Need help finding affordable roofing options for your tiny home? Connect with this roofing company to see your options.
Look for Possible Partnerships
Tiny houses are super trendy, which means you can score press and publicity for building one. You can save money by leaning into potential partnerships with companies, brands, and products that can provide you with free goods in exchange for press.
By cold-calling companies and emailing them you can potentially build partnerships and gave free materials, discounts, or even entire furniture items donated to you.
Sell Items You No Longer Need
Building and living in a tiny house involves major downsizing. Why not put that downsizing to good use and sell your extra items to finance your project? By selling clothes, shoes, housewares, and furniture items that won’t even fit in your new space you can save space (and money) and make sure your new home won’t end up cluttered.
You can sell yourself on Craigslist, eBay, or in your local classifieds. This will provide you with funding for things you may not initially think of when calculating your home’s costs like water tanks or hardware. You can also donate your old items to Goodwill.
Final Thoughts on How to Build a House for Under 50k
People may tell you it’s impossible to build a house for under 50k, but they’re wrong! By building a tiny home and following these tips and tricks you can build a functional (and fabulous) home without breaking your budget.
Ready to build your new home but not sure where to start? Need some help? Browse providers who can help you with your home project.