10 Tips to Reduce Cost Of Construction

You have probably worked thousands of hours to save your income and build your dream home. Or, you have just received a loan from a bank for which you will pay interest for many years to come. Either way, you do not want to let your hard-earned money go to waste. Here are ten tips that will help you to reduce or eliminate the unnecessary costs during the construction of your dream project.

1. Design floor plans in squarish or rectangular form as they consume lesser materials.
2. Structural designing based on various measurements for even small homes may give savings on structure cost. Obtain a design that will reduce the surface area and costs subsequently. 
3. Avoid complicated designs, reworks and material wastages. Opt for a stock design and layout instead.  You can always build additional floors to maximise space while retaining a standard layout plan. 
4. Hire an Experienced and Professional Construction Company as they can provide a skilled workforce along with continuous supervision of works and materials. Hiring an expert also reduces the chances of miscommunication between various stakeholders. 
5. Source all materials locally, which reduce the cost of transportation Also, bulk purchases will provide the opportunity to negotiate for a reasonable price.
6. Use of GGBS, Flyash within 30% as cement replacement and MSand instead of natural sand also reduces costs.
7. Water conservation and use of materials and modern equipment that are wind and solar-powered, save energy and reduce operating costs. Furthermore, using green (eco-friendly) products tend to be more economical. 
8. Engaging more workers during the daytime rather than extending late work hours with lesser workers will save you labour costs.
9. Avoid last-minute modifications, alterations or any unplanned activity. Also, avoid making too many changes halfway through the project.  Take your time to plan and be sure before work commences.  
10. Maximum Utilisation of spaces by using foldable furniture, under stairs, behind doors, corner or niche spaces etc.

Bonus 1: 

Avoiding the following common mistakes while constructing a new home or any other structure will avoid unnecessary rework, cost of additional materials and time for repairs, consequently saving additional expenses in the long run. 

1. Designing a complicated plan and non-optimal space usage 
2. Too many modifications/alterations during construction 
3. Not planning funds for unforeseen expenses, interiors, house warming, furniture, equipment etc. 
4. Not considering the operational costs leading to wrong selection of materials, products, services, equipment etc.
5. Wrong positioning of the electrical control points (every appliance should be well planned before starting the structure)
6. Non-provisioning of future requirements in the present works and hence reworks compromising quality later.

Bonus 2:

The following mistakes are commonly made by builders and can have a serious impact on the time and cost of construction of your project. Therefore, an understanding of these common mistakes by builders will give you better control of the project. 

1. Not using the latest drawings 
2. Not examining the drawings thoroughly before approval. 
3. Not monitoring safety and auditing security measures 
4. Not Disciplining the workers at the project site when necessary
5. Absence of continuous supervision and training.
6. Error in the sequencing of works or methodologies
7. Indecision and not seeking help at the right time
8. Planning and tracking error on timelines, costs etc.
9. Choosing the wrong contractors or suppliers
10. Not maintaining a daily To-do list
11. Lacking communication skills
12. Not using modern technology
13. Accepting unrealistic target