Episode 27: Ideas for Building a House on a Budget
How small can you go and still fit three bedrooms?
In this episode, host and managing editor Justin Fink discusses a listener question with editor in chief Rob Yagid and design editor Brian Pontolilo. The team tackles the challenges of building a whole house on a very tight budget. They cover a wide range of topics, including site work, building design, windows, insulation, roofing, siding, HVAC, interiors, and appliances. The show is driven by our listeners, so please subscribe and rate us on iTunes or Google Play, and if you have any questions you would like us to dig into for a future show, shoot an email our way: fhbpodcast@taunton.com. Also, be sure to follow Justin Fink, Rob Yagid, and Fine Homebuilding on Instagram, and like the magazine on Facebook.
The Fine Homebuilding Podcast embodies Fine Homebuilding magazine’s commitment to the preservation of craftsmanship and the advancement of home performance in residential construction. The show is an informal but vigorous conversation about the techniques and principles that allow listeners to master their design and building challenges.
The team also announced that there will be four podcasts broadcast from the 2017 NAHB International Builders’ Show, Jan. 10-12, 2017. Click here to find out more about that and other FHB reporting from the show.
Also, here are some links and articles on topics mentioned in the podcast:
BUILDING A HOUSE ON A BUDGET
- Lessons Learned by a First-Time Owner-Builder
- Real-World Rebuild on a Budget
- Building a House in Sweden on a Tight Budget
- A Low-Budget, High-Impact House
- Bungalow on a Budget
SPECIFIC COST-SAVINGS IDEAS
- Make It as Energy-Efficient as You Can Afford
- Skip the Basement and Use a Shallow Frost-Protected Foundation
- Use an Exterior Air Barrier
- Plan for the Essentials Now and Allow for Extra Add-ons Later
- Make It Small — But Not Tiny
- Skip the Furnace and Consider MiniSplits and Wood Stoves
Fine Homebuilding Recommended Products
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Although you made some good points here, it was difficult to listen to this podcast. There was too much back & forth "arguing" about the "best way" to do something rather than discussing the relative costs of each and stating advantages & disadvantage of each approach. Getting a calculator in the middle of the podcast rather than being prepared before starting was unprofessional.
I freakin' LOVED this episode! I laughed out loud a lot. A real life debate for us working class folks on working class budgets! :D