Building a new home for yourself or your family can be a huge undertaking. And since most people want to try to build their home as cost efficiently as possible, it can be hard to know where to save and where to splurge when it comes to the materials you use to build the home.

To help you find the right balance with this, here are three things to think about when purchasing materials to build your new home. 

Get Something Durable

For most people, the real balance they want to strike when building their house is using quality materials without overpaying for something unnecessary.

As you try to find items that fall into this category, Anastasia Hamilton, a contributor to Realty Times, shares that what you should really be concerned with is durability. If you use materials that aren’t durable and won’t stand up well to the elements or even basic wear and tear, you could wind up replacing those items much sooner than you otherwise would have. So even if you save money on the upfront cost, you’ll wind up paying more since you’re making this purchase twice. But if you try to get the most durable of products that you can afford, you should be in a good spot. 

Choose Neutral Colors For Finishes

The look and feel of your new home is something that’s likely on the forefront of your mind. And while your current style might be what you’re using as your jumping off point, Jae Curtis, a contributor to MyMove.com, warns against going too far astray from neutral colors when it comes to big items or the finishes of the home.

While you can often find brighter or bolder colors for a cheaper price, saving money in this way usually isn’t a good idea. So if there’s something that you’re not going to want to replace too soon, it’s best to choose materials in a neutral color that you can then accent with other colors or styles in the future. 

Consider All Associated Costs

When purchasing the materials you’ll use to build your new home, you need to think about more than just the cost to buy the item.

According to Tina Gleisner, a contributor to Home Tips For Women, there are other costs associated with all of the items and materials that you’ll use to build your house. Things like operating costs and maintenance or repair costs can make something that was inexpensive to buy much more expensive to use or repair. Knowing this, you should try to choose materials that will bring about energy savings and will be a good long-term investment for you.  

If you’re stressed about knowing what to look for in the materials you’re purchasing to build your new house, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you figure this out.