I found our tile budget to be sadly lacking. I ended up doing 12 x 12 ceramic tiles for my children's baths, rather than the mosiacs that I wanted to use. I was also fortunate to find granite remnants that were nice for all three of the secondary vanities. While I bought my "important" lighting (dining room, foyer, island, powder, breakfast) fixtures from the local shop my custom builder uses...I bought several chandeliers from Overstock (my dd's bedroom, the master bath, master bedroom.) I saved a ton! We are debating using stamped concrete rather than brick for the patio off of our terrace...the terrace is brick and we originally were going to do that for the patio, but here at the end, things are tight! We'll see!

I bet we could save a good bunch by buying our own fixtures (and not paying interest on them for 20 years!). Thank you for that fabulous idea! I haven't bought from Overstock before. Were you happy with them? Our builder said we could probably do better with tile on our own (backsplash tile, not sure about flooring).

We're doing the stamped concrete for our patio. They can make it look however you want. We'll have ours "drawn" to match our stone pattern.

Here is a link that might be useful: de Jong dream house

I bought all of my lighting online. In one case, I saved $800 off of the lighting store price. I just stalked the clearance section and didn't even look at full price fixtures. I also was not brand-specific on appliances because those weren't as important to me so I went to the store and asked for floor model samples. I got a discontinued fully integrated bosch fridge for 1/3 of retail cost and ended up w/ "higher-end" appliances like a miele cooktop because we went about a year before we needed appliances and just asked them to let us know when a floor model went on sale.

I also shopped around for cabinets and saved $20,000 by getting custom and I'm getting WAY nicer cabinets than the stock medallion cabs which weren't going to be exactly what we wanted (our custom ones are exactly what we want).

Surprisingly, by getting some things custom made- like a concrete sink- I also saved money off of buying a similar stock sink in fireclay.

beagles, what site did you find your lighting on?

Also, who did you talk to for your custom cabs? We want all drawers, and it looks like several companies offer the kind we want (I think we're leaning toward Diamond Vibe at the moment), but they still seem higher than we expected.

We're very fortunate with the appliances, DH can get a really good deal on our appliances through his work. We'll have the whole kitchen and laundry (2 washers and 2 dryers) for about $10K.

ICFgreen there were a few:

- Bellacor
- CSN Lighting
- Homeclick
- Lighting Universe
- 1 Stop Lighting
- Shades of Light (this store has some really unique pieces that were very different from things I saw elsewhere)
- Lighting By Gregory
- I got a 1930's art deco fixture on ebay (there's a bunch, probably not really going to fit in too well with your modern aesthetic, but if you haunt the ones that aren't buy-it-nows, you can get a great deal)

My strategy was to find a fixture on clearance on one site, and then do a search for the product name until I found it the cheapest since if it was on clearance on one, it was usually on clearance everywhere. It was time consuming b/c you can't just count on the Google product compare since sometimes there will be a coupon or something that lets you get it cheaper from a site that actually has a higher price. I also used Fatwallet Cash Back and a few other cash back sites, and googled for "coupon code" for any site I was going to buy from.

My 3 best deals, and again these are probably not quite your style but it might be useful for someone else):
- Progress Crawford Outdoor Lanterns These are regularly $186 or more and I got them for $62.00 each w/ coupon found by googling

- Large 15 light for great room (we needed a 4+ footer and everything else was very expensive, I got this for $1200 on a memorial day sale from this website.

- This was a discontinued fixture and it is beautiful in person.

I am getting my custom cabinets from Dutch Wood Kitchens in Myerstown PA and I cannot possibly say enough good things or recommend them highly enough. They are mennonite (which is sort of like Amish) so no website, but here's a . The quality of their workmanship is wonderful (dovetail construction, beautiful finishes, 3/4 plywood, etc). They are doing some extremely unique and difficult things for us (17 ft. high triangle bookcase going up to a vaulted ceiling, w/ library ladder), they are responsive and communicative, do beautiful CAD drawings, do what they promise when they say they will, get back to you quickly with quotes and drawings, are extremely nice (the person I am working w/ did like 40 drawings for one book shelf in my house to make sure I was completely happy w/ it because I couldn't find a design I wanted), have never ever said no to any idea I've had no matter how crazy and are very budget friendly. I've recommended them to at least 2 people on the kitchen forum who are using them and one persons kitchen is finished already and I gather turned out very well. My cabinets aren't installed yet but I've gone to visit them in the shop and they are coming along absolutely beautiful. If you are anywhere near PA, I highly, highly recommend them (they are going to Brooklyn for one of the people who found them off of here, so I don't know how far you are?). They also use domestic plywood w/ no formaldahyde (spelling?) and could probably use whatever other materials you want in order to be green, I don't know much about green design but they are very open and responsive to any ideas I have.

Also, have you looked at Bamboo flooring for the rooms you aren't doing your cork in? Very cost effective and enviro. friendly, and if you get strand woven, pretty hard too. We were going to do bamboo briefly, but there were a variety of circumstances that made that impossible for us, but it could be a good option for what you're going for (maybe?)

We're 95% complete with our 2-year adobe house project in a very remote NM location. We saved money in many ways. We wanted a polished concrete floor and did it ourselves - not for the faint of heart. If you want polished concrete be sure you get a really good slab pour and finishing on the initial work. My husband was near death in the hospital when our slab was poured (he eventually recovered) and the concrete guys did a lousy job. It's rustic-looking but fits the rustic house.

We bought adobes from the local "adobero" who sold them to us for 80 cents per brick. They were made less than a mile from our house. We never could've afforded to build with adobe unless we did it that way. We left all the perimeter walls "exposed" inside, they were hand scraped and sealed - lots of savings in framing, wallboard, etc.

We bought all the Talavera tile for the bathroom at 50% off and I did the tiling myself with some help from the local handyman at $10 per hour. I bought everything possible online: lighting, ceiling fans, faucets, Kohler Stages sink, bathroom accessories, etc. We bought a floor model Toto Soiree toilet at a huge saving from any other local store or online.

We wanted structural beams but that was way too expensive. We had trusses made and our contractor faced them with beautiful local wood. I shopped a lot for countertops and installed 80 square feet of Corian (I don't like granite) through a company that subs for Lowe's. I went to them direct and saved $1,000 over the Lowe's quote. Our knotty alder cabinets are from the local cabinetmaker, they're custom to the hilt.

I gave myself an $8,000 budget for appliances, including W/D. I bought all from the local appliance store in Santa Fe at very good prices. We also saved a lot by using "local labor" (rural country guys) including electrical and plumbing. But, I have lots of issues with things not working right, so still need to have them come back to rectify errors.

My husband is making all the baseboards and doing all the work on the railings for the upstairs area, including a loft overlooking the kitchen and great room. He's also finishing all the door and window trim. We also painted the pantry and closet ourselves, the rest of the walls are Tobias plaster.

Good luck on your project. Shop carefully for each separate sub-project, it makes a big difference.

finishes, finishes, finishes. As I know you know, do NOT skimp on your shell. It is the only part of your house that saves you money over time in most cases. Keep the ICF, get the most efficient windows you can buy, do the geo, stuff like that. Look at your finishes, inside and out. Using stone or brick? Maybe cut back on the amount or possible look into precast products. Same with siding, maybe consider vinyl or LP products. (vinyl wont fit your lead requirements too hot though...).
Stick with stock things such as lights and cabinets. go with molded fiberglass tubs or showers instead of all tile. Use cheaper counter tops. Hollow core doors, etc. There are plenty of areas to trim costs that are mostly cosmetic that can always be updated later.
The biggest area to save is DIY obviously. Do anything you think you can safely do. Remember, mistakes are costly however.
Get you know your local shops. In many cases, smaller dealers will work with you better then very large box stores, and also offer far better service. Get to know the sales they have, and know when a good time to buy is. Example: if they have a yearly big appliance sale, buy them then and store them until you are ready. The more homework and time you put in shopping and researching, the more money you can save.

Great ideas, everyone! Thank you! You've given us much to think about as we move ahead. I'm sure we'll have more questions over the next few months. Of course, the money part won't be as much of an issue if the buyer who toured our current house today puts in an offer! (We've got all our fingers and toes crossed!)

if you're anywhere near the chinese pre-fab granite places, then that's the place to go for granite. I believe my first choice of granite averaged about $12/sf. For basic colors and patterns without 'movement', they went as low as $8/sf, if you bought at least 2 pre-fab pieces (they're anywhere from 2' x 8' to 2' x 10', and 3' peninsula pieces are available, also). I saw some people in the kitchens forum who were quoted $80-$100/sf for granite slabs with fabrication. Of course, the $12/sf doesn't include installation, but that's a not huge cost, given that they just have to cut, epoxy, and cut holes for sinks, faucets, etc. I think I spent about $3000 in countertops for kitchen and bathrooms, and would have definitely spent over $10,000 had it been custom with a fabricator. Good thing, too, cause of my little sewer hook-up issue that I didn't account for in the budget!
Yes, many people would care about the granite being the centerpiece of their kitchen, but I've realized that I'm so short that I see the backsplash much sooner and more clearly than I see the countertop!

lol...I'm short too, which is why I'm having a baking center put in--no more kneading on my tippy toes.

We aren't doing granite, but you shared great info for those who are. We're doing quartz, probably Hanstone because it's the one fabricated closest to us (good for LEED points) and cheaper because they don't spend as much on marketing.

ICF- what about recycled glass counters?

I agree with Lzerarc's point about not skimping on the shell..... however he says to skimp on finishes.... I disagree there, or at least to an extent.

What's the point of building a custom or semicustom house if you fill it with low end finishes? Having the layout you want counts for something, but really, having laminate counters and fiberglass showers aren't really the answers to building a custom house, unless you A) really like those things or B) they're in a secondary area of the house you just want something there.

A phrase I've kept using on my build is "I'm only going to do this once" that may or may not be true, but given the headache of doing it the first time, the expense, the planning, I don't envision doing this for a long time and I want to feel that I'm happy with the end result and it isn't a giant compromise. It always is to some extent, there always is a budget...but putting in low end to save a few hundred here or there isn't going to make affording this easier. In the grand scheme of things, the fixtures I bought for the bathrooms had a minor impact (15%)on the plumbing costs. I can point out probably 5 or so places that I could have saved 2000 by choosing the cheapest option, however, that $10,000 I spent on that stuff was very noticable in the renovation, whether I spent $150K vs 160K was less noticable.

I'm also doing only 2000 sqft and have vinyl on my house and not only do I like it, it is considered "very nice" in my area. you can certianlly break the bank on really high end finishes, but don't cut off your nose to spite your face convincing yourself that the $200 you saved on picking the cheaper kitchen sink that you don't like as much, is really going to impact your overall build

Lzerarc,
dang, I had written up a response about the recycled glass and apparently didn't publish it. Short answer is, we LOVE the idea of it, and it was our initial first choice. But when we priced it out, we were STUNNED to see that it *started* at $100/sq. ft. in our area. Plus, it's not made locally, so it doesn't help for LEED. And it's not as durable as quartz (it's cement based), so that's why we've opted for a quartz countertop with recycled glass.

ChrisK,
You bring up some really good points. I agree that part of the allure of a custom home is that you end up with a home that you love. And anyone who can afford a custom home can probably afford a NICE custom home! :-) That said, as we look and drool over other GW poster's new homes, it's easy to keep adding on new things and watch our overages go, well...over and over.

DH and I are rather thrifty in most areas of our life. We have nice things, but it's definitely quality over quantity. We spend out money on: giving, our home, and travel. So for us, the price tag on certain things does make our heart drop on occasion, and we're constantly asking ourselves, "Is this a want or need?" "Is this something that could be easily changed later?" "Is this something I would regret not having later?" and "Does this help or hinder our overall goals."

a few examples:
* We chose cork floors because they are quiet, easy on the knees and back, and green. They cost more, but what they offer over other options make the extra cost worth it to us.
* I really prefer brushed nickel to chrome if I looked at them both, but honestly, two weeks after we move in, I'm not going to care one way or the other, so the extra expense of brushed nickel is not worth it to us. If we wanted to upgrade to nickel later on, we easily could.
* We are doing quartz countertops because they are green an durable (and beautiful). The kitchen was a must for me. We priced out quartz, corian and cultured marble in the bathrooms. I love the quartz, but didn't *need* it elsewhere. The corian and CM were pretty close in price, so we're doing the CM. In the laundry room, I don't care at all. We'll do laminate.

I think I originally posed the question because I've been surprised at price differences on things. Some things cost more than I would have anticipated. Some cost less. We want to make smart choices, but not cheap ones.

The most dangerous phrase in the English language when building a house is: "It's just another ____" (fill in the blank w/ $100, $1000, whatever). We have done this so many times over the course of our build in every single area that we just about doubled our allowances on everything.

The problem is, once you go down the path, it's hard to stop. I.e. you upgrade to the fancy countertops, then you don't want to skimp on the cabinets, then you don't want to skimp on the floors, then you need fancy lights to go with it all, and it all spirals quickly!

When I first come on this site months ago I read somewhere that you should expect to be 10-20 percent over your expected cost. Since our expected cost was pretty high to start with, I figured there was no way that could happen. I was wrong.

ICF- I know they cost more.....should not have posed it in a "cut costs" thread......:) Was just curious if you have looked into those before.
Also, for LEED points...."local" actually means 500 miles...

Beagles, you are so right. I think our gut check is another question I didn't put in my last response: do I want to pay interest on that extra $30/$300/$3,000 dollar upgrade for the next 30 years, or is it something I can easily change out when I have the money to buy that item outright.

DH and I are not great DIY candidates. I have a brain injury (which does many my neuro wonder why I would stress myself out with a new build!). DH is short on time and know how. So we're paying the experts to get it right. However, it looks like we might be able to barter some of DH's IT and "green" knowledge for a few upgrades.

LZerarc, it is a bit ironic to have green ideas in a cost cutting thread! Maybe I'll start a green thread and we can talk more there (and dream about what we'd do if money wasn't an option.

Yes, LEED local is 500 miles. We'd need about 2,000 miles to get the recycled glass. Our quartz plant is about 300 miles away.

We did some great savings by watching specials at HD and Lowe's. Got solid core interior doors for the hollow price on a JeldWen special. Bought all my paint for interior and exterior at HD over memorial weekend, Behr had a special rebate for gallons and 5 gallons. They won't start painting until next week, but paint can sit.

We bought lots online. But anything we've bought at HD or Lowes I ask for a discount. I haven't been told no yet. So just ask, the worst case scenario is you will hear no, but you'll be surprised how often you will hear yes.

Hi beaglesdoitbetter,

Do you have some pictures you can post of the concrete sink?

Has anybody gotten shower floor and/or walls done with concrete? Is it cheaper than pan and tiles? Is it easy to maintain?

Many thanks.

AJ

Here you go:

Look how well he matched the color w/ our granite:

It is a 3 ft. long sink including the integrated drain board. Cost me $800. That price was way, way better than some of the other prices I got which were into the $3000 and $4000 range.

I've never been in a home with a concrete sink. That is very interesting looking, and looks amazing with that granite. Is it easy to clean? I bet it's heavy!

I'm doing a full kitchen remodel, but just going with a regular 2 bowl stainless steel sink and black granite.

Our house is quite modest compared to most on this forum, but here are some of the areas where we saved:

We went with custom cabinetry instead of Medallion or Showplace. I did get bids from all 3, custom was WAY less expensive and by far a better product. And the cabinetmaker had done much work for us in the past, so we knew the quality of his work. We got all our cabinet hardware at Menards. Long before we even started building, they had a huge sale, and we were able to special order everything at an incredible price.

I did not save a thing on counters, more from my ignorance than anything. I paid $100/sq ft for Blue Pearl, and $85 for Bianco Romano. That was the total price, install, edges, cutouts, etc. I did save by buying off the shelf granite vanity tops from Menards. $70each for three 48" vanities, and $199? for the 60". They are the 3cm and came with undermount sinks. Very pleased with them. Also got great prices for the vanity mirrors.

I purchased most of our lighting and plumbing from Faucetdirect.com and lightingdirect.com. Great to work with and were great about "price matching". I saved $100 on the garbage disposal alone. A few items I got at overstock.com.

Areas where we didn't skrimp...not necessarily over the top, but we got what we wanted.

geothermal
hot water heater
insulation
flooring
trim
waterproofing (not by choice, but by necessity)
driveway
whole house sound system/home theater

The concrete sink is heavy. 400 pounds or something like that. I am not moved in yet so I don't know if it will be easy to clean. My kitchen wasn't really designed around being practical, to be honest. The other sink in it is marble. The concrete, the marble that is on the sink and the perimeter counters, and the blue bahia granite all etch if they are exposed to acidic things for any length of time. We aren't cooks and I wanted a very specific look, so...

I wish I could say we've made more cuts than we have...but areas we saved/cut back on:
-polished chrome plumbing fixture finishes throughout house
-super basic Kohler bathtub in MB, no jets, heat bubbles, etc.
-stayed with inexpensive porcelin/ceramic tiles throughout for baths, laundry, etc.
-one main hall bath for the kids upstairs, no jack-n-jill or single baths in bedrooms
-changed original appliance choices based on special package pricing if we stayed with one brand for all
-full overlay cabinets instead of inset
-no extra sinks (none in mudroom, butlers, or in kitchen island)
-stayed with oak floors to save on higher cost of wood stairs to match a more exotic wood
-using Ikea for mudroom cabinets and possibly our closets too
-purchased most of our lighting online through Overstock and Mendards

that's what I can think of for now :)