• Find a level building lot. Slopes and rock outcroppings add considerably to site work and foundation costs.

	Narrow trim, wide floor boards Saving money on inexpensive 1x4 window and door trim allowed the architect to splurge on wide-board, white-pine flooring.

• Keep the overall shape of the house simple.
  
  
• Build your chimney within the house. An exposed exterior brick chimney is more expensive than one built of concrete blocks inside the walls of the house.
  
  
• Create a pantry. This allows you to spend less money on cabinetry, which can be pricey.
  
  
• Use plain 1x4 interior trim and baseboards. You can always add decorative moldings later.
  
  
• Tile costs vary greatly. Use expensive tile sparingly as accents on a field of cheaper industrial tiles.
  
  
• Keep the mantel simple. An elaborate mantel will make the rest of the woodwork look underdressed.
  
  
• Keep the stair system simple. Elaborate balustrades cost money.
  
  
• Leave out crown molding altogether. It is an easy thing to add down the road.
  
  
• Ask your building supply yard for windows or doors with dings or dents. A scratch could save you thousands.
  
  
• Add dimmers. They're a low-cost way to change the look of a room instantly.
  
  
• Downgrade decking material, since you can always update it later with concrete-set stone or a better wood.

NEXT: Lessons Learned

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