Interactive FAQs
Below you’ll find some of the frequently asked questions posed to the Budget Home Kit staff. CLICK ON EACH QUESTION to see answers about every aspect of our work, including kits, services, assistance, payments, and the site.
You’ve heard people refer to a house that their father or grandfather “built with his own two hands.” Until very recent history, people have always had the knowledge and often the need to build their own homes. So many of our forefathers, with their adventurous spirits, enjoyed the sweat equity earned from investing their own time and efforts into constructing all or part of their own dwellings. But in the past few decades, the construction know-how which had been passed down through generations began to dissipate. Though the ability for one to build his own home sufficiently and affordably has diminished, the need has only increased.
The idea for an all-steel home that could be assembled by the common consumer came about because so many people were asking this question: “Why does it cost so much money to build a simple home?”
The main reason building a home usually costs so much is because there are several steps that potential builders just don’t know how to do, and they end up hiring a general contractor to portion out the labor to different subcontractors – all of which charge enough to make an individual profit. Different contractors for the foundation, for the home framing, for the roofing, for the siding, for putting in windows and doors, and the list goes on and on.
Some exterior home designs are just so complicated that they require expensive specialists. But what about a simple, traditional, single-story ranch-style home? This style of home has been built for centuries by everyday men and women, some with very little means and limited construction experience. What if you could forgo an expensive general contractor? What if you could build the entire exterior, and only subcontract out the interior building steps you choose? How much money could you save?
The answer is here. You CAN build your own all-steel home – stronger and straighter than wood, resistant to fire, termites, and rot. You can usually save up to 50% of the total home construction cost by acting as your own general contractor. You can become self-reliant when it comes to putting a roof over your head and your family.
The question now is this: When it comes to saving money, do you tend to be more assertive? Are you the kind of person that puts in the extra work to get the very best deal? Do you have the motivation to handle a project and see it through? Do you see the opportunity of generating sweat equity as a welcome challenge? Are you on a mission to save as much money as possible in pursuit of your new home?
If you repeatedly answered “Yes” to most of these questions and see yourself as a person who embraces challenges, we believe you’re in the right place.
Absolutely, you can change your floor plan. Our kits are designed to allow you to install your interior walls with the most customization possible, and thanks to our clear-span design, none of the interior walls in our standard design are load-bearing.
We can offer an option for steel studs to use in framing your interior walls (as availability allows). Your home’s layout can follow our floor plan exactly, or you can redesign your layout as you like. All studs are pre-punched, allowing you to easily run and wiring through, regardless of your room arrangement.
If you’ve placed a hold on a kit, we offer you a complimentary floor plan revision.
Please be mindful that multiple revisions that add to design man-hours invested will not typically add to your overall purchase cost, but may affect the kit hold deposit required, so ask your project coordinator about this if you have specific questions.
This comprehensive kit comes with all the steel framing, roofing, and siding necessary to complete your home’s structure as well as complete exterior finishing. Check specials for other options that may be included, such as porches, windows, exterior doors, and/or interior steel wall framing.
Each home kit includes everything you need to assemble our outer superstructure. Here’s a quick overview:
a.) Our exclusive EZ-Form Foundation system to make pouring a slab easier and cheaper than ever. Just add concrete. No need for a foundation contractor with our DIY system.
b.) All heavy-gauge steel roof and outer wall framing system. Extremely strong wind, snow, and seismic resistance system is engineered for a lifetime of worry-free living.
c.) All steel roofing, siding, and trim to finish the outside of your home. Zero maintenance, baked-on paint finish that looks great with durability that’s unmatched in any other siding.
d.) Pre-punched steel studs and wall framing components for exterior walls, ready for electrical and plumbing line installation.
e.) A full-length 6-ft porch which you can install on the front or rear of your home. This porch can be extended to 9-ft if desired, and an additional porch can be added, no problem.
f.) All necessary steel fasteners to completely assemble all component packages provided with your kit.
Our fully illustrated and easy-to-follow assembly guide will help you put these high quality steel systems together. All essential illustrations are labeled for your convenience.
Ease of assembly, safety of the design, and money savings for our customer – these are just a few of the many advantages of going with Budget. Our kit frames are fabricated from 100% heavy gauge #1 American steel – the best made steel. Additionally, our exterior roofing and siding comes with a 50-year extended warranty. Want to create your own floor plan? Simply design whatever you like within the four perimeter walls of one of our home kits — all exterior wall columns and studs are included.
We offer customers the choice of galvanized steel or red primed steel (often known as “red iron”) for the primary framing of their home kits.
Structurally, THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE in strength between galvanized steel or red steel. The difference is is the coating. Red steel is steel that has a sprayed-on paint primer, similar to the primer coat applied to a car before the finish coat. This gives the steel a rusty-brown color, hence the name “red iron.” Galvanized steel, on the other hand, is the same steel (size, girth, weight, strength, etc.) but it goes through a process which applies a zinc-alloy plating. This plating protects the galvanized components from the elements, the moisture in the air and natural environment (not to mention precipitation, dirt, etc.).
Having said that and when it’s available, we always include the galvanized variety for all ground-contact anchors. For all other framing components, the primed steel is provided and is a cost-saving option. If you wish, you can upgrade to 100% galvanized framing (may affect lead time, availability, etc.).
Your home’s siding and roofing will be made up of strong and beautiful steel paneling. These panel sections have a beautifully colored, weather-resistant, baked-on enamel finish that will give you years of maintenance-free living. With an extended 50-year warranty, you will get the most from your home’s exterior.
Some of our customers elect to attach a different type of siding to one or more of the walls after the home is constructed. For more information about siding options, see the next FAQ below.
Sure! Though our kits come with strong, zero-maintenance steel panels, our steel framing design allows you to attach the exterior siding of your choice. A substrate, such as or similar to plywood, can be attached either to the outside of our steel wall panels or directly to the vertical steel studs. Construction methods for attaching different types of siding vary, but techniques which work for traditional stick-frame homes will work with our steel frame system.
Our customers have used siding materials that include (but are not limited to):
- Brick
- Hardiplank
- Stone
- Wood
- Vinyl
If you choose to attach a different kind of siding to the exterior of your home, you aren’t forced to do it during the initial construction. The steel siding we provide can be attached and act as your home’s exterior shield until you decide what other kind of surface you’d like. At that point, the steel panels can be easily removed and replaced with the new siding OR be left and used as the substrate with the new siding attached directly over.
Yes. Along with the full-length 6 ft front porch already included with each home, you can add a full-length 6 ft rear porch, and upgrade one or both to a 9 ft porch.
Galvanized pre-punched steel studs for interior wall framing are also an option, as long as supplies allow.
If you’d like to have a slightly steeper roof than our standard 4:12, we offer a 6:12 and a 8:12 roof pitch increase.
Want to add a garage to the length of the home? We can do that.
You can also have one of our designers modify the floor plan you like or even help you design a plan from scratch. At very competitive rates, our guys can help you lay out your interior walls, plumbing, and openings with multiple revisions offered.
We periodically run specials where options are included at no extra cost or discounted.
The most economical way for our unique steel home framing to be built is on a concrete foundation poured to grade (concrete on ground). Our 10-phase Assembly Guide illustrates installation of columns and attachment of our steel forming system to accommodate a 4-inch concrete slab, and do it cheaper, easier and faster than any other way.
Having said that, we recognize that some customers are interested in building over a basement, on a considerable slope, or elevated enough for a crawl space beneath. This can often be done with some design adjustments and a supplemental steel package for transitional steel — we do it all the time.
If you are very interested in building one of our steel kits in this way, we recommend ordering our Expanded Planning Package and contacting one of our friendly project coordinators who can help guide you through the process.
No. Our kits have been field-tested and developed for more than 20 years with one goal in mind: to create a truly do-it-yourself steel home kit that is systematically designed to save you money every step of the way. We’ve designed our kits so that our customers, no matter their construction backgrounds, can complete as much of the assembly as they choose. Having said that, using one of our in-house crews or finding help locally are common options.
Yes. In fact, providing the do-it-yourself knowledge to erect our home kits is what our system is based on. We give you an easy-to-understand, step-by-step assembly guide which covers everything from ground preparation to final trim installation – with fully labeled illustrations at each step.
Worried about the learning curve? Don’t be! We don’t give ultra-technical exploded drawings with too many details to keep track of. And you don’t have to be an engineer to follow or understand our illustrations, because they were conceived with first-time builders in mind. Our designs and instructions are both appreciated by less-experienced builders and respected by professional builders.
Yes. In fact, we encourage you to purchase your own windows and doors for your home. Though your Budget Home Kit will include all of the steel stud framing needed to enclose your door and window openings, you have the greatest selection when buying from a local door/window supplier. With so many door and window options on the market of varying style, size, and quality, we wouldn’t presume to know which would be best for you. And by shopping around, you’ll ensure that you get the look and feel that you want at the price that’s right for your budget. Once your doors and windows are installed in the wall framing, our provided trim package will ensure they have a nice finished look.
EXTERIOR
We must emphasize that these are NOT commercial style “metal buildings” sold as homes. Our models have been designed exclusively as homes. See how a full-length front porch, 4-12 roof pitch, decorative doors and windows give a definite residential look to your new home.
The exterior walls are framed with vertical steel studs. This not only adds strength but also allows you to further customize your home siding beyond our design. Though your kit comes with steel siding, our design allows you to easily modify your exterior with stone, brick, wood or hardiplank siding at a later date. With your kit assembled, adding decorative touches, such as window shutters and porch railing, can go a long way to make your home even cozier.
INTERIOR
The inside of your new Budget Home Kit is completely clear span and can accommodate any design or utility that a standard, wood-frame home could. Vertical steel studs mean you don’t have to double frame the exterior walls, and drywall can attach easily to the steel studs with traditional drywall screws. From tile, carpeting, or stained concrete on the floors all the way up to crown molding, chandeliers, or recessed lighting on the ceilings, your decision to purchase a steel home kit won’t restrict your interior design options in the slightest. Your home kit’s interior is a blank canvas, and the design is up to your imagination.
Whether extravagant and spacious, or cozy and efficient, you’ll be able to invest more in your home’s
interior thanks to the savings you’ll realize with your home exterior.
This is where our 10-Phase Assembly Method really adds value and can save time. Take things as slowly or as quickly as you wish. The average home owner can typically complete the assembly of their home kit in about 4 weeks! This will depend on number and length of consecutive days worked, along with number workers contributing.
In a hurry? Or just wanting a little help? Take a look at our Assistance Packages.
Yes. We offer professional assistance. One of our friendly certified crews will arrive on the day of delivery to give you a free on-site orientation to help you get started. Additionally, we offer more extensive assistance for our customers who want further help. Take a look at the tiers of certified assistance we offer with our Assistance Packages.
The main difference is AVAILABILITY.
“Overstock” is an umbrella term we use for discounted kits in stock. Some structural components for the kit have already been fabricated and packaged prior to order. Regardless of the situation (overstocked, manufacturer imposed discount, etc.), “overstocks” are deeply discounted. Because of the great savings, these kits often sell quickly and are only available “first come, first serve.” Features and advantages of overstock kits also include:
• Pre-fabricated superstructure framing components to assure fluidity in availability and in our delivery process
• Overstocks, without project-specific engineering, can be built as-is in most of the rural U.S.
• Overstocks still offer approximately 40-50% flexibility in floor plan changes and exterior opening locations
Standard kits are made-to-order, fabricated and packaged after each order is placed. All of the options available to customers, including major modifications, can be considered when placing a Standard kit order, and your Standard kit can be ordered any time at your convenience. Features and advantages of standard kits include:
• Standard kits offer 100% flexibility in floor plan changes, including exterior window and door placement
• Some special engineering offered to allow for permitting in areas of county with such requirements
• Structural modifications available for unique features and permitting
Options such as panel and trim color, porch upgrades, garages, and roof pitch upgrades can still be added to Overstock kits. Major structural design modifications may be limited.
Overstock home kits are available on a limited basis. As such, special terms require customers to qualify. The project coordinator assigned to your project must first check on availability and current overstocks in “hold” status. Note that the number of available overstocks listed on our site may not be updated at the time of viewing, so always check with your coordinator.
The qualification criteria include:
1. Hold: As Overstocks are limited, customers can reserve the availability of a kit by placing a hold. This locks in the current price and availability of your preferred kit. If you finalize your home purchase within your hold window, the kit hold deposit is credited back to you in your final kit invoice.
2. Prepaid: No C.O.D. unless pre-approved. Because of the substantially reduced price of these packages, Overstocks ship prepaid.
3. Payment Methods Accepted: Check, cashier’s check, or wire transfer. No credit cards accepted for Overstocks (this applies to the purchase of the full kit package, not the kit hold deposit).
To be sure they can reserve a kit’s price or availability, our customers will often place a hold on a kit until they are ready to finalize their purchases. And because Overstock kits are sold on a first-come, first-served basis, a kit hold is even more appealing to those with intentions of saving the most money on their home purchase.
The method by which you reserve a kit is simple; visit our Expanded Planning Package page and scroll down to click on the green “Select Your Hold” button. Choose either the Basic, Plus, or Premium kit hold, and follow the directions to reserve your kit and place your deposit. With a deposit made, we will hold the kit of your choice and lock in its current price for at least 90 days!
As a bonus, when you place your kit hold, we’ll send you our Expanded Planning Package — a mailer full of resources including but not limited to our Planning & Ordering Guide, enlarged floor plan drawings, and steel color samples— at no extra cost. Plan out your project at your own pace and on your own budget.
The kit hold is not a payment for the planning package materials but rather a deposit on the in-stock home components themselves. The deposit effectively takes the home kit off the market and freezes the price of the kit for 90 days to start, which may be extended by Budget Home Kits upon request.
Planning package materials are free proprietary resources sent only to those who have placed a hold on a kit with the sincere intention to purchase and build one of our homes.
As a matter of policy, deposits are not refundable. But if you find that you will not be able to finalize your kit purchase with us and return the planning package within 10 days of placing your hold, a partial refund may be granted. Note that we must receive the returned complete planning package within 10 days of your original hold date.
Structural roof and wall panels carry an extended pro-rated 50-year limited warranty. Structural framing components carry a 10-year warranty against individual failure. Design and labor package carries a one-year warranty against structural failure. With your home kit delivery, you receive two signed certificates of home ownership and this warranty.
Other companies have chosen a business model that requires high-cost, high-maintenance on-site models to show you around, and hopefully to hook you into the sale. These services add many thousands of overhead to the cost of each kit they offer, which is passed along to their customers. Such a business model is not unlike a store in the mall.
Our business model is 100% online. We deal in a higher volume and can deliver a higher quality product with savings passed on to our customers. Our model is high-tech and efficient – similar to Amazon, eBay, etc.
Our management team saw this as the wave of the future over two decades ago, and that’s the reason we are ranked so highly in search results for steel homes across all major search engines.
And a huge difference is that ours is truly do-it-yourself friendly. Even if others come close to our prices, they’re much more expensive to build because you have to contract the assembly labor. With ours, you have the choice to build it yourself if you choose, and that creates even more savings.
About 80% of our customers finance their home purchases. Though we don’t currently offer in-house financing, we do all we can to keep our prices low enough to minimize the amount of money our customers have to borrow in order to buy. Over the last few years, it has become increasingly easier for our customers to secure their financing through their local bank or credit union. The Expanded Planning Package will include all of the descriptive and instructional materials your loan officer will need to feel comfortable with the process.
Having said that, customers sometimes ask us about the best method of acquiring financing for their new home kit, or even to finish out the interior once the kit is complete. Because the circumstances of each home kit purchase are unique, you will obviously need to contact lenders in your local area to see what options are available to you. If you really want to secure a deal on one of our kits but don’t quite have all the funds necessary, it often comes down to how creative your borrowing plan is. Anecdotally, our customers have used conventional as well as non-conventional means to acquire their loans, a few of which are shown below:
- Put up a piece of property as collateral for a loan to purchase the kit. After assembling the complete steel kit, a restructured loan which includes the land as well as the erected home should more than finance the interior build-out.
- If possible, purchase the kit with available funds and erect the kit. With your home’s exterior erected, it should be easier to acquire a loan to be used to finish the interior.
- Look into getting an unsecured loan for the kit. This could be a signature loan from your local lender or even a personal loan from a friend or family member.
Remember to check with local banks, credit unions, and other financial institutions to get more information about applying for construction or completion loans.
These borrowing techniques are not meant to encourage you to take one path or another, but rather to inspire you to be creative when other financing options become unavailble.
Here’s a rundown of the ten phases in our Assembly Guide:
| » PHASE 1: Site Preparation » PHASE 2: Setting Column Anchors » PHASE 3: Preparing for Foundation » PHASE 4: Installing Wall Columns » PHASE 5: Framing Your Roof » PHASE 6: Framing Your Walls » PHASE 7: Attaching Wall Metal » PHASE 8: Porch Roof Assembly » PHASE 9: Primary Roof Assembly » PHASE 10: Installing Your Trim Package |
Each phase has its own collection of illustrated drawings, with each illustration accurately labeled and displaying only the pertinent information needed for the task at hand. These renderings show multiple perspectives when needed and even show you placements of individual screws. Virtually all drawings are to scale, and notes throughout the guide give helpful building tips and strategies to consider for your home’s completion. Even the placement of individual screws is clearly displayed when components are to be attached.
The concrete foundation pour usually takes place between Phases 3 and 4. Though we do not give specific instructions on how to pour your foundation, we do give many pointers about successful tactics leading up to that stage, and our EZ-Form simplifies the foundation forming process so much so that it is common for folks to cut their foundation installation cost in half (or more)!
Simple tools such as a handheld drill, leveling tool, and metal cutting shears are all that’s needed for a large part of the exterior assembly, and just two or three adults can erect the entire kit. After fabrication, we prep much of the steel before shipping, meaning that there is no field welding and little-to-no heavy cutting needed on-site.
Over and over again, our kits are successfully assembled by customers, regardless of their construction backgrounds, by following the 10-step assembly guide.
Not at all. In short, anyone can assembly their own kit by simply following the straightforward steps of the Budget Assembly Course. This assembly manual, which you receive with your steel home kit delivery, also describes any necessary tools and equipment you’ll want to have for your build.
In researching our competitors, you’ll find that hiring trained construction crews or renting large, expensive equipment is a requirement for assembling their kits. With our kits, you’ll find that only simple tools (found at your local hardware store) are needed to assemble the components. And even the largest steel members can be lifted with manual lifting tools you can rent from a local Home Depot or Lowe’s. No cranes needed, no scaffolding needed… no fuss.
We’re constantly offering shipping specials, and we ship directly to your location. Our shipping policy is based on delivery to the six shipping zones shown below. Scheduling and availability is based upon your building location, but if you’re in the continental U.S., you are not too far for a Budget home kit!
Each Budget home kit is delivered by certified staff with expertise in steel home components, job site orientation, and on-site pro assistance services. Any Assistance Package services you’d like to include in your order must be purchased prior to delivery.
We bring your kit right to the site you designate in the ordering process. Usually the entire kit will be delivered in one shipment. Any unpaid amount is due upon arrival.
It is imperative for you to confirm that all of your components are accounted for and then our staff will present you with your Certificate of Ownership. Though you are responsible for unloading the steel components, our friendly staff will oversee the unloading and help familiarize you with your new kit and materials as part of our courtesy on-site orientation.
Our system of home construction is less expensive than the traditional home construction process due to several big reasons. For instance, our slab foundation system (or EZ-Form system) creates a much easier and inexpensive method of slab pouring. You can easily save thousands during just this early step of construction. Concerning long-term benefits, due to the high reflectivity of our roofing and siding, the energy savings you will gain during the decades to come will be a source of comfort. As a bonus, it is common for our customers to save 20%-40% on their insurance premiums after building a Budget steel kit thanks to the advantages steel give you over fire, termites, storms, and other factors.
In addition to these advantages, there is also the long-term advantage of not needing to apply for a 30-year mortgage to start this process. As you know, the interest payments alone can be astronomical. Instead, consider getting one of our kits without a loan, assemble it yourself, and pay for the interior finishes as you go. This type of process can take a little more time, but your home will be completely yours in the end. You will have a great amount of equity as well as a great amount of satisfaction.
It all starts with your size needs and your budget. Visit our interactive Floor Plans page to see all of the kits offered and details about each kit, including:
- Price
- Square footage
- Number of bedrooms/bathrooms
- Overstock availability
- Interior wall layout
- Artistic rendering
Once you know which kit(s) you’re interested in, take a closer look at (What’s Included link) with each kit to get more information about options and add-ons. Or, you can place an order for the (Expanded Planning Package link) to reserve the kit and pricing of your choice. If it’s an overstock kit you’re interested in, we recommend you act quickly to reserve it… Chances are, others are interested in it too.
budget home kits
Assistance
Packages
Need an assembly jumpstart? Request an Assistance Package and our friendly crew will stay to help with specified phase assembly. Ranging from setting corner stakes and measuring elevation to full assembly of the superstructure framing, we can start you on the right foot.
| Need Assistance? Pick your package. | Countdown | Launchpad | Booster | Liftoff |
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| On-Site Orientation
Measuring ground elevation, Squaring pad corners, Setting comer stakes, Component labeling and familiarization |
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| Perimeter Prep
Building and setting batter boards, establishing perimeter ref. line |
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| Steel Start
Installing column anchors, Cutting and installing concrete forms |
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| Truss Assembly
Assembly of trusses, Marking trusses for purlins, Attaching truss clips |
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| Upper Wall Orientation
Pre-drilling / marking for truss-column contact points, Marking for top plate clips, Preparing eave struts for installation |
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| Ascension
Installing columns, Attaching galvanized track to columns |
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| Roof Solution
Installing trusses, Installing purlins |
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| Pre-Stud Wall Framing
Attaching eave struts, Installing top wall plates, Attaching temporary bracing |
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| Need Assistance? Pick your package. |
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| On-Site OrientationMeasuring ground elevation, Squaring pad corners, Setting comer stakes, Component labeling and familiarization
Countdown Launchpad Booster Liftoff |
| Perimeter PrepBuilding and setting batter boards, establishing perimeter ref. line
Countdown Launchpad Booster Liftoff |
| Steel StartInstalling column anchors, Cutting and installing concrete forms
Launchpad Booster Liftoff |
| Truss AssemblyAssembly of trusses, Marking trusses for purlins, Attaching truss clips
Booster Liftoff |
| Upper Wall OrientationPre-drilling / marking for truss-column contact points, Marking for top plate clips, Preparing eave struts for installation
Booster Liftoff |
| AscensionInstalling columns, Attaching galvanized track to columns
Liftoff |
| Roof SolutionInstalling trusses, Installing purlins
Liftoff |
| Pre-Stud Wall FramingAttaching eave struts, Installing top wall plates, Attaching temporary bracing
Liftoff |
budget home kits
Contact Us
Please fill out the form below, and understand that the more you know, the more you can make an informed decision about this significant life choice. One of our friendly project coordinators will be in contact with you to answer any questions you have and speak to you more about your project. Though we truly want your business, be confident in that we do not employ high-pressure sales techniques.
Of the many requests we receive each day, know that none is more important than yours.
