Building A Green Home Doesn’t Have To Be Expensive

When it comes to finding housing, there are certain considerations we have all come to understand over recent years. Although we may not have put them all together, we are certainly aware of their implications.

For one example, it is now clear that if you want a new home it is cheaper to build a new one than to buy one. For another, you can benefit from lower bills and expenses going forward – and from grants upfront in some areas – if you choose to build green.

It is to a combination of these two points, then, that we will turn in giving our advice today. With an uncertain economic picture on the horizon, nobody wants to spend more money than is strictly necessary.

Equally, we could all do with contributing to the improvement of our environmental picture, so let’s look at the affordable ways you can make your new build as green as possible – while also sticking to a budget.

Build up, not out

Instinctively, you might think that keeping a new build all on one level was more environmentally beneficial, but this is not the case.

Yes, it can block out a bit of natural light, which isn’t ideal, but it also affects the ground soil much less as you won’t be digging into it in so many places to lay ground wires and plumbing.

Also, due to their smaller footprint, taller houses cool down quicker in summer and heat up faster in winter. So more stories will always be the better choice – and will save you on your energy bills in the future.

Simplicity is a virtue

When a house takes almost as long to draw up as it does to build, you can be sure that there are countless extraneous features. Quite simply, the more complicated the exterior or interior of a home gets, the more effort it will take to build and the more materials it will use.

Not only that, but a house with more visual features can become a headache to live in and a nightmare to clean. Keeping clean lines and tasteful decor will use fewer materials, cost less money, and take less out of the planet. Better yet, experienced custom home builders will be able to turn it around in a much shorter time period. This means you can get on with living there sooner!

Make use of renewables where possible

Where you live will always affect what you can do with a home. For example, there is little point in having a house with plenty of outdoor sitting space if the weather is always rainy. From a practical and green point of view, your situation is also worth taking account of.

Do you live somewhere sunny? If so, then solar panels will supply a lot of your energy. You can also look into geothermal heating for both your water and the wider house. You’ll then be burning fewer fossil fuels, and less money, than most houses in your neighborhood.

Following these three simple tips can ensure you get more for less when building a green home – and there’s much more you can do, too.

Previous post:
5 Tips for Moving On A Budget

Next post:
Renting the Right Way: 8 Amenities Every Apartment Should Have