3 Affordable Homestead Projects to Start Before Building Your House

Waiting to build your dream home? Learn 3 affordable homestead projects you can start now to improve your land, prepare for construction, and build your future home with intention.

Do you own property and have plans to build your dream home someday, but that “someday” just isn’t here yet? You’re not alone. Actually, it seems quite common, especially for homestead-minded people. Whether you are trying to stay debt-free, learn more about building before you jump in, or other projects are taking priority – there are plenty of reasons that you might delay building your dream home.

But that doesn’t mean there aren’t things to do before building on rural land. If your goal is to build not just a place to live, but an intentionally designed, well-crafted property that is meant to be passed down through generations – then it takes time. These 3 affordable homestead projects to start before building your house will form the foundation for what will eventually become your legacy property.

If you are looking for more on improving raw land or how to prepare land before building a house, check out these posts:

• 5 Essential Steps to Complete Before Building a New House
• Best Water Source for Your Homestead
• Deep Submersible Well Pump Installation – Our DIY Project
• Getting Power to Land: Phase 1 of Electrical Setup and Install
• Getting Power to Land: Phase 2 of Electrical Setup and Install
• 5 Things to Consider When Choosing a House Build Site

Why Start With These Affordable Homestead Projects?

Good things take time. Many property owners wait to do any property projects (other than the essentials like utilities) until after they build their house. But if you’ve got some time before you’re ready to build, you might as well use it to establish the things that, well, take some time.

Low cost. These budget homestead improvements are great for those trying to save money to build, but still wanting to make some progress on their homestead.

Can be done slowly. These projects don’t have to be done all at once. In fact, it’s better to work on these projects over time. You may need to observe your progress through the seasons and make changes accordingly.

Prepare your land for living. These projects not only help you prepare your land for construction, but they go beyond the construction phase and prepare your land for living. It is one thing to build a house on an entirely blank slate of land. It’s quite another to build an intentional living space, indoor and outdoor, with a sense of belonging and old-time charm and character.

3 Affordable Homestead Projects to Start Now

If you’re in a season of waiting on your home build, you can still make intentional progress on your property with these three affordable homestead projects. These projects can improve your land, make small steps toward preparing for construction, and keep your dream alive.

Homestead Site Plan

Creating a master site plan for your future homestead will not only give you clarity on your vision, but it can also help solidify your goals and simplify the process. Drawing a site plan can take your land from a blank slate to a well-organized, efficient and intentional setting.

It doesn’t have to be complicated – a simple sketch up using a free platform like Canva, or even good old fashioned pencil and paper, is all you need. Lay out major infrastructure such as the driveway, parking area, house, garage, barns, gardens and pastures. Then detail your site plan with landscaping features, shade trees, swings, sitting areas, fences, and whatever else you have in mind.

Your site plan doesn’t have to be set in stone, either. It’s just a tool to reference, a reminder to keep you focused as you slowly develop your homestead. Make changes as needed. Having this homestead site plan will help you create intentional, harmonious spaces throughout your property. It will also keep you motivated when you have a clear vision in mind.

Plant Trees

Planting trees has to be one of the most overlooked projects when it comes to property development. A beautiful, mature tree adds so much character, and the shade it provides on a hot summer day is appreciated by everyone. But trees take time to grow large enough for these benefits. Which may be why it is so often overlooked.

The sooner you plant trees though, the better. Be mindful of which trees you plant, and where you plant them. Trees with aggressive roots or messy foliage can be a nuisance if planted too close to your future house site or near important underground infrastructure like water pipes.

Planting trees can get expensive if you’re purchasing a lot of trees from a nursery. But many trees, especially fast-growing varieties, can be started from seed pretty easily.

If you’re looking for more on tree varieties and seed-starting tutorials, check out these posts:

• The Best Shade Trees for Zone 8
• How to Grow Honey Locust Trees From Seed
• How to Grow Black Locust Trees from Seed
• 12 Lovely Garden Trees for Zone 8 – And How to Choose the Right One For You!

Improve Drainage

When you are improving raw rural land, drainage is one of those things you’ll probably return to over and over. Whether it’s your future house site, your driveway, or even your garden – having good drainage is important.

Drainage is also one of those things can be improved slowly over time. You don’t have to have all the heavy equipment either. If you’re willing to put in the work, a shovel can make some impressive progress. You may need to observe your property over a few wet seasons, making some changes as you go, to get optimal drainage. This is why it’s great to start working on this ahead of time. You don’t want to wait until your ready to build your house only to realize the drainage needs some work.

If you want to learn more about types of drainage solutions, check out our post Top 5 Water Drainage Solutions for Any Landscape.

If you are dreaming of building your homestead someday, these simple projects can add value to your land while you wait – even on a tight budget. I hope this post was helpful and maybe inspired you to start one of these projects. What other projects are you working on for your future homestead? Let me know in the comments below!