Your first chance to save a lot of money is now, when you are selecting the plans for your home. Think about the following issues.

▪ Do you need that many square feet? Every reduction you can make in size will cut the costs.
▪ One story or two? It’s cheaper to build the same number of square feet of housing in a two-story house.
▪ What is its shape? A simple rectangle is the cheapest to build. Curves, extra corners, and extensions in the floor plan will all increase costs.
▪ What style roof? The least expensive is the common gable roof. Dormers and multiple gables make the roof more difficult to build and therefore more costly.
▪ How’s your timing? If you’re building when there’s a lull in construction (such as in winter), chances are you’ll get your money’s worth — and maybe a bit more.

Make Changes Early

Try to make all changes in the plans before you start construction. You need not have the plans redrawn for minor changes such as moving, adding, or deleting a window or door, but you should if you move walls or change roof lines and roof pitches. On-the-job changes are expensive, so make your decisions on paper and live with them or expect high cost overruns.

Pay strict attention to what is in the floor plans. Picture yourself walking through the house from room to room. If you are unsure as to whether a room is large enough, find a room of about the same size in another house, and compare.

This is a good time to mention the only two tools you’ll need as a general contractor: a 25-foot tape measure and a cell phone.

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