How to build a country house with your own hands inexpensively: projects and selection of materials

• May 29, 2020
• Construction
• Daisy Angel

Many city residents today dream of a small beautiful house outside the city, where they could go to escape from the city noise and bustle, hiding there to feel the pleasant freshness of the earth under their feet instead of the hot asphalt.

But not everyone’s dreams come true, because a country house is expensive, time-consuming and difficult. This is exactly what most city apartment owners think. But, having familiarized yourself with the market of modern building materials, you will understand that a one-story country house can be built very inexpensively.

Space layout

For a country house, first of all, you will need to choose a place so that the layout is competent and thoughtful. Every piece of available land should be used wisely and as efficiently as possible. Despite the fact that this land is yours, you will have to fulfill some requirements by maintaining a minimum distance. For example, from the driveway to the house there should be 3 m, and from the building to the street - 5 m. To the neighboring plot, 3 m should be maintained.

If land for a one-story country house has not yet been acquired, you should carefully select the territory. It should not be located in a low area, as water will accumulate there. The most optimal solution would be a high place in the northern or northwestern part of the site.

Wooden masterpieces

Wood crafts look great. Absolutely any breed is suitable. It is enough to find available material. The simplest thing that comes to mind is a table and a bench. No, we are not talking about classics here.

Products made from stumps, saw cuts, and log cabins look unusually creative. In addition, your site can be decorated with various birdhouses, swings, tool storage boxes, a fence, candlesticks, lanterns and much more.

House projects

When considering country house projects, you must first determine how much free space you have. A one-story building with an attic is the undisputed favorite today. This option is time-tested, and if it is built, it will be possible to abandon the utility block, and household supplies and equipment can be stored in the attic.

It will be possible to add a terrace to the house. In summer it is usually used as a dining room. Country house designs often include two floors. The second one usually has an attic, while the first one has a living room and a kitchen.

The second floor is the owners’ personal space. You can arrange a bedroom there. If you want to build a house inexpensively, you can try to save on heating, because even the simplest scheme costs about 15% of the total budget. In this case, radiators, pipes and a boiler are provided.

If you want to build a country house with your own hands inexpensively, but only want to live there during the season, then you can get by with infrared or electric appliances for heating. Prefabricated houses are becoming very popular today; they are outwardly monotonous, but can even have two floors and an improved layout. In this case, you purchase a construction kit that can be easily erected with basic knowledge of construction.

The house will already have the following basic systems:

• ventilation;
• wiring;
• water pipes;
• conditioning.

This will allow you to avoid many mistakes that beginners usually make during construction. A prefabricated house is intended for long-term recreation; it is larger in area, can have two floors and an improved layout. This house has a kitchen, technical room, bathroom and rest room.

Roof

The shape and type of roof for the dacha is chosen according to the wishes of the owners. Whatever option you choose, the order of its arrangement will be the same:

1. First, the rafters are installed.
2. The grate is getting clogged.
3. Thermal insulation materials are laid.
4. The finishing decorative coating is installed.

When choosing roofing materials, it is worth considering the region of construction. The most popular and widespread are:

• corrugated sheeting;
• metal tiles;
• bitumen shingles;
• soft tiles;
• slate;
• copper roofing.

As a rule, cold roofing is done for country houses. If the attic space will not be used as additional living space, then it is not necessary to insulate this space.

In addition, it is customary to live at the dacha during the warm season. Therefore, you can save a little on roof installation.

A cold roof consists of the following elements:

1. Supporting structure;
2. Waterproofing;
3. Counter-lattice;
4. Lathing;
5. Roofing material.

Attention: the roof is a complex element of the house, consisting of different layers that are laid in a certain order.

Before you start arranging the roof, carefully think through everything, calculate and make drawings.

Each layer of cold roofing performs its functions:

• the outer covering protects the building from precipitation;
• lathing is necessary for laying the outer covering;
• the counter-lattice is needed to provide a ventilation gap;
• waterproofing protects the house from high humidity;
• a gap for ventilation prevents the collection of moisture in layers of materials;
• The rafter system is the basis of the roofing pie. It creates space for laying layers of insulation if necessary and helps organize the attic space;
• vapor barrier removes moisture vapor from the room;
• The inner lining is intended for fastening metal tiles.

All these layers protect the house from negative environmental factors. Such a roof is suitable for any non-residential premises: garage, outbuilding. It is also often made for residential buildings where a warm roof is simply not needed.

Important: cold roof slopes are installed without insulation, but the attic below must be insulated.

The process of installing a cold roof with soft tiles:

1. Creation of a rafter system.
2. We lay a continuous sheathing of plywood or OSB on the rafters.
3. We install cornice strips - droppers and fix them after 10 cm.
4. We mount the end strips in the same way.
5. On top of the lining there is a tent carpet.
6. We begin laying the tiles, starting from the eaves and moving towards the ridge.
7. We lay a row of cornices on top of the planks with deviations from the edge of 3-5 cm. We cover the joints of the cornice strips with petals.
8. All subsequent rows are laid out similarly to the first. Make sure that the petals each time overlap the joints of the previous layers.
9. At the ends and in the valleys, we cut the tiles and place them on glue, followed by fixing them with nails.
10. In places where they adjoin walls and pipes, we install bars of triangular cross-section. We place the tiles and carpet on bars and place them on glue.
11. We install an aerator on the ridge. It comes complete with tiles.
12. We lay ridge tiles on top of the aerator.

Important: a cold roof does not provide for laying a heat-insulating layer, or the presence of ventilation outlets on the slopes and under the ridge to remove moisture.

Layout examples

It’s possible to build a country house with your own hands inexpensively if you plan for everything from the beginning. First of all, you should choose a layout. So, if the house measures 6x8 m, then on the ground floor you can place:

• bathroom;
• kitchen-living room;
• hall.

There will be a terrace outside. The bathroom will occupy an area of ​​2.55 m2, the same space is occupied by the hallway. In the kitchen it will be possible to place furniture and other appliances on an area of ​​16.8 m2, and the living room will have the same area.

On the second floor there will be a bedroom in the entire area. Since the second floor is smaller, the bedroom will have an area of ​​25.6 m2. A summer country house can have dimensions of 6x6 m. On the ground floor there will be a hall with an area of ​​25.28 m2. On the second floor there will be a bedroom of 19.05 m2. There will also be a balcony, while on the ground floor there is also a terrace.

How to save on materials

Economy class small country houses cannot be built from logs or timber. These materials are very expensive, and it will be difficult to build such a house on your own, so you can’t save on work either. Among other things, such houses are sensitive to ground movements and require a reliable foundation, which is also expensive.

If you build a completely deep foundation for such a house, it must withstand so that it shrinks. It is better to start construction so that the waiting process begins at the end of summer and ends with spring warmth next year. Slab foundations, such as a Swedish slab, require the same exposure.

There is a type of foundation for wooden houses that does not provide for a technological break. But if you still build from logs or timber, then the building will have to stand for a year before you start finishing. If you are interested in the question of how much a country house costs, you should know that such a building will cost you about 12,000 rubles. per square meter. Such construction cannot be called budgetary. The same situation will arise with a brick house, as well as with a building made of gas or foam blocks.

The construction of a small country house will be advisable only on small plots when a compact structure is required. In this case, it is better to build a house on two floors. If the dacha is visited every year, then you can build a foam block house without using logs, timber or bricks. But construction from gas or foam blocks makes sense if you visit the dacha even when it is very cold outside. Then the savings will be that additional insulation will not be required, and the cost of heating the house will be lower.

When considering options for country houses, you should pay attention to panel houses and kits and construction from SIP panels. This technology is fast and simple. A prefabricated panel house of a square shape with a side of 6 m can be assembled in a week, and two people will be required. But the cost of construction here is not so reasonable. Such a house will cost you approximately 18,000 rubles. per square meter without foundation.

If you want to know how to cheaply build a country house, you should choose a building made from SIP panels, which will cost you about 15,000 rubles. per square meter with a foundation on screws. But such structures will be reliable if you put a lot of partitions inside from the same SIP panels with locks. Quite often, experts advise against SIP panels for small houses for the reason that in such buildings partitions are not installed inside, which means that it will not be possible to make the building strong enough.

Bottom harness

Before starting work, it is imperative to draw up a diagram with a detailed indication of the sizes and locations of all components of the house. This will contribute to faster and higher-quality installation work.

The bottom trim should be made of 100x250 mm timber and installed directly on the waterproofing located on the foundation. To do this, the timber is marked and, using a chainsaw or other suitable tools, cut to fit, cutting out recesses in it for the location of the lags. Before you begin fixing the lower trim to the foundation, all its components must be thoroughly treated with an antiseptic to protect against mold, rot and insects. In order for the construction of the house to be completed correctly, it is necessary to check the location of the entire piping along the diagonals (the length of both diagonals must be the same).

The grooves of the trim must be sealed with window sealant. This will help eliminate the possibility of blowing at the joints of the beams.

What material to choose for the house?

If you want to build a country house with your own hands inexpensively, you should choose a military kung. Such houses can be found on sale today for only 30,000 rubles. If you do the construction yourself, then the process will be reduced to bringing a kung-shed to the site and placing it on posts that are laid on a crushed stone bed so that weeds do not grow and animals do not infest.

A foundation for a kung is not needed on any ground, because such a house is designed for off-road driving and overturning of a car. If you want to build a country house with your own hands inexpensively, choosing a kung, then there will be only one minus - the appearance is not attractive enough.

But there are a lot of advantages here. Firstly, it is good insulation. Secondly, the price is an order of magnitude lower than that of a construction shed. Thirdly, kung has high resistance to external influences. It is fireproof, has electrical wiring and ample opportunities for redevelopment. Such a house does not require legislative registration and can be installed on any site.

If you are wondering how to build a summer cottage with your own hands inexpensively, then it is best to choose kungs from GAZ-66 and ZIL-131. They are cheaper and can be easily equipped for housing, which is much simpler than Ural and KAMAZ trucks.

DIY garden ideas

To create an object that accents attention in the courtyard of a private house, you will have to spend a lot of effort. Various materials, skills, and even tentative drawings will come in handy. In a schematic drawing you can indicate every little detail that needs to be transferred to reality.

You can organize objects of your own imagination, but new ideas from designers will not leave anyone indifferent.

Plant pots made from old shoes

To organize unusual flowerpots and pots, worn-out old shoes or sneakers are often used.

Even children's shoes can be used during the design process. Paired and unpaired numbers of accessories are allowed. Women's shoes and children's lace-up sneakers look very impressive with flowering plants and evergreens. You can also create a temporary summer greenhouse by placing pots of indoor plants in wide men's boots.

Living bouquet in a wheelbarrow

Often unnecessary tools and means for transporting waste are left on the farm. One of them is a three-wheeled wheelbarrow, which can become an original flowerbed in the middle of the lawn. It is not difficult to build such a structure. Climbing perennials, field chamomile and ivy will look good in it.

Cozy sitting area

At your summer cottage, you can’t do without a gazebo for friendly gatherings. You can decorate it in an interesting style, where the main attention is paid to the burning hearth. A small area planted with plants and limited by a fence will always delight you with coolness.

Bench and grill

A rounded wide bench made of wooden slats looks stylish and rich. In the middle of this bench there is a grill in the shape of a wok frying pan, intended for cooking. For safety and to give the object a natural look, crushed stone of the middle fraction is poured in a circle.

Nearby, the landscape design can be supplemented with wide flower beds with perennial flowers and cacti.

Homemade playground

A mini gazebo will bring pleasure to children who regularly visit the dacha with their parents. It is best to equip such a structure from wood: it will be natural and harmless. It is advisable to add a crossbar with a swing and a climbing board to the house.

You will have to buy a factory slide. Alternatively, it can be made from a long piece of tin.

Hammock swing for the garden

Unusual design for a recreation area. You can really make it yourself, it’s just important to choose the right material. The frame is made of wood and varnished. The upper part is covered with tarpaulin or thick reflective fabric.

The swing itself is designed in the form of a bed, having built a durable fabric base.

Crafts made from timber, lining and boards

A lot of interesting things are created from wood. High-quality boards and timber are rare and it is better not to cut them, but to make something large-scale, for example, a bench.

Materials:

• board "twenty" 160 cm long - 7 pcs., 60 cm long - 3 pcs.;
• timber 50x50, length 60 cm - 4 pcs.;
• nails or screws;
• studs for the foundation.
• Tools:
• sandpaper;
• hammer or screwdriver, drill.

Step-by-step instruction:

• Pour the foundation for the legs. Wait for the solution to harden.
• Take 2 pieces of timber, lay them on the foundation and secure them with a pin on the foundation stone, drilling holes in it.
• From the back side of the future bench, nail 2 vertical backrest posts to the ends of the beam.
• Place 2 boards on the edge perpendicularly to the beam and secure.

• Nail 3 short boards across them. Place seat boards on top.
• Assemble the back.

A simplified version of the bench is constructed from timber and hollow building blocks.

Landscape design elements, for example, decorative wells, are constructed from the remains of clapboard, timber, and boards. There are many options for execution, but there is only one correct sequence of work:

1. First, a well base box is created, to which the racks are attached.
2. A ridge beam is installed between them at the selected height.
3. Then rafters are attached on top of the racks, on which the roof is installed: lining or boards.

If you have to buy additional materials for building a well, take a board - the cheapest option.

Stylish flowerpots and tubs are made from scraps.

Frame and panel construction. Foundation

To build a frame-panel country house, you first need to build a foundation. In this case, there is no need for an expensive foundation; a strip, column or prefabricated foundation will do. The shape of the pillars does not matter; it can be arbitrary.

If the site has wet soil, and the area is located in a marshy area or on a slope, a durable cushion should be laid on the base. It consists of well-compacted sand, which is filled with cement mortar. When building two-story frame panel houses, concrete must be reinforced with metal rods. The posts are installed on the base of the soil surface or dug into points below freezing of the soil. Such posts should be placed in the corners, and the distance between them should be maintained within 3 m.

A very convenient base is made of asbestos pipes, which are evenly spaced. Marks are made along the perimeter a meter apart from each other, then holes up to a meter deep are dug, pipes are placed there and filled with soil, then filled with cement mortar.

Construction stages

Construction stages always begin with the selection of land. When choosing, you need to consider:

• the presence of beautiful landscapes;
• soil fertility;
• infrastructure development;
• possibility of connecting all communications.

After choosing the land, you should take care of enclosing the area with a fence. Next, the location of the country house on the site is thought through, construction materials are selected, the entrance to the house and the entrance to the site are thought out. Only after this can you proceed directly to the construction process.

Attention: even if you are planning to build a house on your own, one person cannot cope with such a difficult task. Call a friend or family member for help.

Assembling the frame and wall

Metal or wooden beams are used to construct the frame. During construction, available materials are selected, and the planned load on the building should be taken into account. For a one-story house, 10-centimeter wooden beams or 5-centimeter metal beams are sufficient. Metal hollow posts will not place a high load on the foundation, although they are extremely durable.

The racks need to be strengthened in the corners. Every 2-3 m the following supports are installed, between which cross-beams of the same section made of similar material are built. Fixation is carried out in a checkerboard pattern. The crossbars in the span should be spaced 1.5 m apart from each other.

Sheathing

When the frame is ready, you can begin cladding. The outside is made of moisture-resistant plywood. Its sheets are fixed on the frame in a checkerboard pattern. Additional crossbars must be installed at the joints. The sheets are connected at the level of the racks. The inside of the house can be covered with boards or plywood using the same principle. Thermal insulation sheets are placed between the outer and inner skins.

At the final stage, you can do insulation, if necessary. For interior wall cladding, plasterboard or boards, which are fixed with self-tapping screws, are suitable. Drywall is suitable for any final finishing, and wallpaper will become a decorative cladding. You can use wallpaper for painting.

Crafts from saw cuts

The wood looks beautiful when cut. The simplest decor from saw cuts is an owl. The parts are connected with nails or glue.

Original flower pots are made from saw cuts glued together in the shape of a vase.

• Another good option is a bookcase. Holes are drilled in the center of each cut with a drill, then they are put on a wooden pin. To prevent the shelves from sliding, a screw is screwed under each one.

• A cute decoration for the door is a wreath. Wooden circles are glued to a plywood ring.

• For the New Year, I decorate the coniferous trees in the garden with toys made from saw cuts.

The hole for the pendants is drilled with a drill.