Your dream of building a home starts with choosing a plot of land and designing the floor plan. Inside, you choose the finishes and surface materials that reflect your own personal style. Let’s go through the main steps of building a house without forgetting the lighting plan, it’s not just about lighting. It’s about creating atmosphere, improving security and energy efficiency.
Key observations
- Consider plot shape, size and views when choosing and planning your building site
- Design foundations and frame structures
- Choose sustainable and energy-efficient materials
- Place windows strategically to get natural light
- Plan the functionality and layout of the rooms according to the family’s needs
- Integrate lighting seamlessly into the interior, it affects the structure
- Carefully choose interior materials and finishes to create the right atmosphere
Choosing a plot and planning a house
Choosing a plot of land is the first step in your building project, and it affects everything from the design of the rooms to energy efficiency. When considering the shape, size and outlook of your plot, you need to take into account building rights, materials and practicality. This is especially true if you want to design a home that uses sunlight and wind to capture energy.
Also consider where on the plot the storage, parking and orientation of the rooms will be. These decisions affect both day-to-day functionality and long-term energy efficiency. Planning the right kind of lighting is worth starting at this stage. Adjustable lighting and other features can increase comfort and reduce energy consumption.
Foundations and frame
Once you’ve chosen your ideal plot, it’s time to focus on the foundations and frame structures that are the cornerstone of any sustainable home. Designing foundations and frame structures requires precision and an understanding of soil properties to ensure your home remains stable for decades. Remember that a durable foundation is not just a concrete block underneath; it is important to ensure structural integrity and safety. Foundations often cost tens of thousands of euros to build, and blasting and quarrying the rock adds to the cost.
The design of the frame structures must also take into account future needs, such as the lighting system. Especially in a log house, the drilling should be done at the factory. In a stone-built house, the cabling in the exterior walls can be retrofitted, but making grooves for the cables is laborious. With wireless (zigbee) control devices, you avoid drilling and electrical wiring to wall switches altogether!
Roof, windows and cladding
As you progress with your building project, now is the time to focus on the choice of roof, windows and cladding, which will have a major impact on the energy efficiency and lighting performance of your home. The right windows and their orientation maximise the use of natural light.
Your choice should take into account the following key factors:
- Roof material and design: choose durable materials and remember that the shape of the roof will affect both the appearance of your house and its energy efficiency.
- Window placement and quality: south-facing windows help to harness sunlight for heating, while reducing the need for lighting and heating.
- Choice of cladding: the material should be resistant to the local climate and also take into account energy efficiency. Of course, this is always a stylistic choice, but in many cases it is also a matter defined in the building plan.
For optimal lighting design, be sure to plan the luminaires and their placement early on, together with the electrical work. This will ensure that lighting meets both aesthetic and functional needs. It is also important to consider the interplay between daylight and artificial light when designing lighting.
The room remains dark despite the large windows
Windows are taken into account in lighting design, but unfortunately in Finland it’s dark 50% of the year and when you need lights, those windows are no use… We often come across customers who think that, for example, there is no need for light in the living room because of the large windows. There is no light coming through those windows half the year.
So, in lighting design, all things must be taken into account, including those big windows.
The main steps in building a house, without forgetting the lighting plan
When starting a lighting plan, carefully consider both functional and aesthetic factors to ensure that the lighting in your home supports the function of the space and creates the atmosphere you want. A lighting plan is an important part of home design because it helps to create functional and comfortable spaces. Here are two key steps in the process of drawing up a lighting plan:
- Understand the basics of lighting: learn lighting terms such as lumen, Kelvin, CRI, watt and CCT. This information will help you choose the right luminaires and their placement.
- Assess the purpose of the space: think about what the lighting needs to do. The bedroom needs soothing light, while the kitchen needs bright and efficient lighting.
Use professional help
Consider hiring a lighting designer who can help you create a coherent and energy-efficient lighting plan. The lighting plan is always made on the client’s terms. There are four different types of lighting designers on the market:
- Electrical engineer: This is typically a housebuilder-supplied carvery model with just the basics. Only pendant lights and a limited selection from the factory collection. Price included in the house package or externally hired 500-3000€, depending on the size of the house. Electrical cabling as a bonus.
- Interior designer: a lighting plan made by an interior designer is, depending on the designer, a basic or very complex plan with 2D or 3D models. The price range is between €1,000 and €10,000, depending on the content. Note that not all interior designers are technically versed in lighting, but often just look for nice-looking luminaires regardless of their lighting characteristics.
- 2D lighting designer: alighting design by a lighting designer with expertise in lighting. Lighting design focuses on the structures and the technical functioning of the lighting. The lighting designer knows the technical characteristics of the luminaires and calculates the amount of light. The price range is 0€ – 1000€, depending on the author.
- 3D lighting designer: like a 2D lighting designer, but the client receives a 3D modelled version of the design. Visually nice, but think about whether 3D modelling can add value for you. The price range is 500-3000€.
Remember that well-designed lighting improves the aesthetics and energy efficiency of your home. Investing in a lighting plan will save you time and money in the long run.
Interior finishes and surface materials
When choosing the surface materials for your interior, you can’t ignore their importance for the atmosphere and durability of your home. Carefully chosen interior finishes and surface materials determine not only the appearance of a space, but also how easily surfaces can be cleaned and withstand everyday wear and tear. High-quality materials can therefore save you energy and costs in the long run.
Once the practicality and orientation of the rooms have been thought out according to your family’s needs, it’s time to consider how lighting will be seamlessly integrated into the interior. Lighting becomes particularly important when you consider the reflectivity of colours and surfaces. The right lighting can make spaces visually more spacious and inviting.
Lighting plan affects structures
Remember that lighting planning needs to start early so that the electrical work can be coordinated with the interior design. So in practice, the best time to do the lighting design is before the electrical design, so that the lighting plan can be drawn up quickly.
If indirect light is desired, a lighting plan done in good time (before the roof is installed!) will make the construction easier. The indirect solutions used in the design often require lowered ceilings and a rethinking of transformer placement. The lighting plan should always include structural drawings for indirect lighting.
Terminology of light
Lighting terminology such as lumen, Kelvin, CRI, watt and CCT have a major impact on lighting performance and mood. They will guide you in choosing the right lamps and lighting that not only enhance the best aspects of your interior, but also save energy.
If colour temperature controlled luminaires (CCT control) are selected, the choice of light shade beforehand is irrelevant. With CCT adjustable luminaires, you can freely adjust the light from warm to cold according to your interior. So one thing to keep in mind when decorating your new home! As if there weren’t enough other things to decide when building..
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to build a house yourself?
Building your own house can cost you between €2 000 and €3 000 per square metre, but this will vary depending on your choice of materials and other decisions. Don’t forget that building permit fees, the cost of earthworks and the impact of your choice of materials all affect the final cost. You should also set aside a budget for decoration and lighting to make your home both functional and inviting.
Can I build a house myself?
Yes, you can build a house yourself, but it’s like navigating a maze. The building permit process is complex, and you face many challenges during the planning phase. You will be forced to hire a chief designer, a foreman, a plumbing professional, and an electrician. You can do the rest of the work yourself. Construction is a huge project, and expertise from different disciplines is crucial to a successful build.
Is it worth building a house yourself?
Building a house yourself can be rewarding because you can control your own schedule and ensure quality meets standards. However, you need to assess the risks carefully. Without taking important steps in the construction and lighting design process, you may miss important aspects that affect the functionality and atmosphere of your home. It is important to weigh the benefits of flexibility and control against the potential challenges you will face during the construction process. What is your hourly rate? It’s often said that only the third house is a success, because as you move in you learn what you could have done differently..
LedStore helps
LedStore can help you through the different stages of construction. We have people at work who have built their own houses, renovated and decorated. Our professionals know what they are talking about and can help the carpenter and electrician at the right moment to ensure a smooth construction process. For us, it’s not just lamps and switches, it’s a strategic spotlight on your home stage!
Order a lighting design! From 99,00€ for a whole house or apartment. No fox tails under your arm or other surprises.
Led lighting expert
LedStore has been an expert in LED lighting since 2010. We have our own product design, so our products are technologically state-of-the-art.
We focus on light colour temperature controlled and high colour rendering index lights. We do around 500 lighting designs in a year.
We offer a service of custom made led strips, i.e. custom made led light strips in profile. Also installed.
Remember that we are always ready to offer our help to you along the way, by email (myynti@ledstore.fi) and by phone (045 251 4510). Feel free to share photos of your own projects on social media #ledstorefi on IG and ledstore.fi on FB. We love to see the cool things done by our LEDs, and it also helps to provide inspiration for those who are not sure about the power and awesomeness of LEDs. Did you know that we already have over 3 500 pictures of our LED installations in our Gallery!
Gallery of Led lights:
Product gallery: Pictures of products in different installation locations
Indirect light: Indirect light in different spaces
Room-specific: Light in different rooms
References: Complete houses that have been photographed
