With housing costs rising, many are looking at all their options for housing, including multi-family, modular, manufactured homes, tiny homes, and more.

At the same time, there are actually more housing options, including traditional stick-built homes which can be more affordable than some realize if you know how to approach it.

Today we’re looking at stick-built homes as a housing option, their benefits, and how a customized stick-built home doesn’t have to break the bank.

Stick-built homes, what they are, and their history

For most of us, stick-built homes are most often what we think about when we picture a house and the home-building process.

By definition, a stick-built home is one built on-site using wood framing — hence the “stick” in the name — as the structural framework upon which the rest of the building materials are supported.

This building style has been around for centuries if not longer, depending on how rigidly or loosely you define it. If you live in a 100-year-old house, it’s probably stick-built.

More modern stick-built homes became more popular in the 1800s with the invention of balloon framing, which would become a primary method of home construction until the mid-1900s. Lighter lumber allowed for faster, easier, and, through extension, cheaper construction.

Balloon framing eventually gave way to platform framing after World War II, which was more structurally sound and also simplified plumbing and electrical installation. Platform framing also was better-suited to multi-story homes.

Today, modern-day stick-built construction remains a popular standard despite other advances in home-building options such as modular or factory-manufactured homes.

An intro to how stick-built homes are constructed

As stick-built houses are built on-site, the process includes multiple stages:

• Clearing and preparing the land
• Laying the foundation
• Framing — the “sticks” part of stick-built homes
• Installation of other building materials, roofing, insulation, and interiors

The materials involved in stick-built housing — and other types of homes, to an extent — vary depending on many factors, most notably local environment and climate needs as well as budget.

In much of North America and especially on the west coast where seismic activity is a major concern, wood is the backbone of our homes. Different types are used for different aspects of building. For example:

• Framing lumber
• Plywood
• OSB, or oriented strand board

Framing lumber tends to be made up of woods that are strong and durable, like Douglas fir or spruce. OSB meanwhile is immediately recognizable by its sheets made of pressed smaller wood strands and is well-suited for load-bearing and structural panels.

Other than the different wood components, other parts of a stick-built home include:

• Insulation
• Drywall
• Siding
• Roofing

The siding and roofing are where the customizability of stick-built homes are naturally most apparent.

Other options for modern home-building exist, which have other components to the building process. As a generalization, usually this balance simplifies the construction process but sacrifices your ability to customize your home in the process. Options for modern homes can be:

• Prefab homes: Built off-site
• Modular homes: Also built off-site, but via different sections which are built in a factory and then put together on-site
• Manufactured homes or mobile homes

Planning and building a stick-built home

If you’re looking at building your own home and want to go with a stick-built, it’s wise to familiarize yourself with the process.

In general, unless you have extensive experience in this realm, we recommend first finding a home builder local to you who knows your area and what you need to consider for your environment.

Talk with them about what designs and layouts are possible; which appeal to your sensibilities, which are especially well-suited to your climate — both man-made and natural — which fit your budget, etc.

Lastly, consider your timeline.

Permits to completion are typically around a year — although sometimes, if everything runs smoothly, this process can be many months quicker than that! On the flip side, permitting can take longer, materials supply chains can be disrupted, and other curveballs can be thrown your way from start to finish that will make the process take longer. Other factors include the home’s size and location.

Benefits of stick-built homes

While the different housing type that works best for you depends on many factors, there are a few advantages that come with stick-built houses.

For one, these have by far your most opportunities to build a customized house that ticks off all the boxes for your dream home. In comparison to other housing types like modular or prefab, you have so many more options — you can decide on the layout, the materials, the finishes, and all the other aspects that can’t be personalized (or can only be partially so) in non-stick-built homes.

As an extension of this, stick-built homes are far more flexible, too. For the same reasons that they’re more customizable during the initial construction, they’re also easier to modify, expand, or renovate in the future when compared to modular or manufactured houses.

Lastly is their longevity.

Stick-built homes last a long time, and a well-built stick-built home keeps its quality up that time too. Again, if you’re in a house that’s 50, 100, or even more years old, you’re almost certainly in a stick-built one. Particularly if you maintain it well and are proactive in taking care, a stick-built home can be not just your own long-term housing solution, but something that future generations can call home too.

As for stick-built homes’ affordability…

One of the main reasons — if not the main reason — people buy a modular, manufactured, or prefab home instead of a stick-built home is because they can often be found for cheaper upfront.

To illustrate, a good estimate of costs per square foot (while keeping in mind this varies by region and many other factors):

• Stick-built: $150 – $400
• Modular: $100 – $200
• Manufactured: $50 – $100

Other variables can also impact pricing. For example:

• Region
• Materials
• Size
• Design and layout elements
• Labor costs

That said, while stick-built homes are the most expensive to start, they have advantages that lower costs over time.

For one, they tend to be more energy efficient. This is especially true of more recently-built houses that take advantage of newer insulation and materials, more efficient lighting and plumbing, and so on.

At the same time, they have by far the best value over time so that, should you decide to sell, you’ll be getting more relative to what you paid initially than you would with a modular or manufactured home.

And, if you don’t plan on ever selling but know from the start this is your forever home, you can know that the quality and longevity of a stick-built home will save you money in repairs or necessary renovation over time.

Is a stick-built home right for you?

As there’s no one-size-fits-all home that works for everyone, so there’s no universal answer to this question. Stick-built homes are fantastic choices for many people but might not be the right choice for some.

At the end of the day, it’s up to you to consider the factors making a stick-built home the right call for so many but a less perfect fit for others:

• What is your budget?
• What are your customization needs?
• Where is your location and the variables that tie into that?
• What’s your timeline and are you open to building in phases?
• And more…

If a stick-built home fits into your initial budget, you’ll have increased value and longevity, greater durability, and save money both monthly on utilities and on future repairs (or lack thereof) — and there are often stick-built options that are more affordable than people realize.

At the same time, with a stick-built you’ll be able to renovate or add on to your home with greater ease than with a prefab or manufactured house. And, if you do end up selling it, you’ll get far more back for it.

Of course, if you do feel a stick-built home is right for you and happen to live in the Pacific Northwest, don’t hesitate to contact us for help with the process.