Do you want to take your sustainable life to the next level?

It doesn’t get more eco-friendly than building a sustainable home from the ground up.

You don’t even have to go into debt to build a green home. The tiniest houses only cost $10,000 to $30,000 to build. Many sustainable concrete homes cost only $3,000.

Living sustainably also means living minimally. Green homes don’t have to be complicated. Plus, they can encourage you to live a more minimalist (and cost-effective) lifestyle.

Here are three must-have tips for building an eco-friendly home.

1. Pick the Right Location

Choosing a location is one of the challenging parts of building an eco-home.

Luckily, there are fewer restrictions on building residential property than commercial property. However, you should thoroughly research any home construction regulations in your state before purchasing land.

Since you’re living sustainably, you need land with healthy, fertile soil. This soil is best for planting gardens and small crops. Certain locations are better for growing food than others too.

It’s okay if you find a great location with not-so-great soil. Most soil is clay-based anyway, so you can always re-soil the land.

If you buy forested land, you’ll need to hire a land clearing company. However, you can use uprooted trees as lumber for your sustainable home.

You’ll need enough land for plumbing, gardens, and a garage. You may want to build a greenhouse on the property too.

2. Think About Green Building Materials

Remember that earlier point about location?

Consider your environment when choosing sustainable building materials.

For example, desert eco-homeowners like concrete houses. This building material uses natural sunlight to warm homes at night. It also keeps indoors cool during oppressive heat spells.

Concrete homes are much better at keeping homes cool during summer. You may need to add an extra layer of sustainable insulation for chilly winters.

Here are more sustainable building materials to know:

• Bamboo
• Recycled fibers
• Rammed earth
• Mushroom
• Cork
• Natural clay
• Stone
• Green engineered wood

Engineered wood is interesting because it’s made from the waste of previously-made lumber. That’s why it has a layered look to it.

Cordwood also has an interesting look. This sustainable wood comes in short circular pieces. Contractors stack and bond the pieces together with an eco-mortar.

3. Don’t Waste Anything

A sustainable life is all about cutting waste.

Home construction produces a lot of leftover waste. Thankfully, you can reuse most of it!

First, get a residential dumpster rental.

Use your dumpster to collect wood scraps, uprooted foliage, leftover insulation, and more scraps.

Compost any dead plants and replant salvageable foliage.

Build a doghouse out of your leftover building materials and insulation! You could also build a desk, chair, storage box, table, or mantel.

Start Building a Sustainable Home

Building a house takes time. That’s why planning is so important.

Remember these tips as you start building a sustainable home. Think of more ways to reuse materials and enhance your sustainable life.

More tips and tricks are right around the corner. Keep reading to discover more creative ideas.