Most homes are built from traditional materials like wood, concrete, and bricks, but there are plenty of options out there now to make your home construction process much more affordable using other materials.
Below we’ve compiled some alternatives you might not have considered that can even add unique features to your home.
Ready-Made Home Construction Panels
Prefabricated panels are a popular choice for home construction. Because they have already been made, the amount of labour needed to build a home significantly decreases. Some homes can even be made using a set of prefabricated panels.
Don’t worry, although they are pre-made, it doesn’t mean the panels look any less appealing and unless someone pointed out to you what panels were pre-made it’s unlikely you’d notice which were and which weren’t.
Plus, by choosing them for your house, you can reduce home construction waste and thus your environmental impact.
Stone Cladding
Stone and brick homes are incredibly beautiful and stylish, but they are less affordable as a result. A good compromise is through the use of stone cladding. Like a veneer, stone cladding is built to the exterior of your home. Oftentimes it’s also lighter than normal stone home construction and is great for personalizing your home exterior.
Because of its versatility, it can be used for the entire exterior of the house or just small sections like the chimney. Stone cladding comes in a variety of different colours, styles, and finishes of varying thickness to truly suit the style of your home.
Using Shipping Containers as Homes
Probably not your first choice, but if you’re living alone or even want to make an addition to your home, you could build it with a shipping container. Because they stack and fit together well, they’re easy to combine and have become especially popular with the tiny home movement.
However, they can also be perfect for guest houses, or even extended sheds to store more of your equipment.
Use Reclaimed Timber for Home Construction
Wood will always have an aesthetic appeal, and it couldn’t be truer with reclaimed timber.
For those that don’t know, reclaimed timber or wood is wood that has essentially been “upcycled” or repurposed from the demolishing of something it was used in previously. These could mean it was originally used in a wine barrel before it was re-sold or even old factories or barns.
Often chosen for its historic appeal and rustic look, reclaimed wood is an excellent pick for building with as the material is more durable and dried out.
Integrating Plastic as a Building Material
Although it’s not something you’d likely build your entire home out of, as a home construction material it’s a good option for select sections.
Nowadays you can get your roof made from recycled plastic and even use it in insulation to keep your home warm or cool. Plus, because of how little plastic costs, it’s great to use for making your home more affordable.
You can still build a quality home without using traditional materials, and in some cases, there may even be a significant advantage to do so.