How To Build The Perfect House In Skyrim [10 Tips]

One of the most exciting aspects of Skyrim is the ability to build your own home. Building a house in Skyrim not only provides a place to call your own but also allows you to create a custom home that reflects your personal tastes and preferences. I will take you through a step-by-step process, from choosing a location to decorating your new home. Thanks to the Hearthfire expansion pack, that provides the opportunity to players to construct their own unique homes.

Purchasing A Plot Of Land

The Hearthfire expansion allows you to build your own house in three different holds: Falkreath, Hjaalmarch, and the Pale. You have to unlock these holds before you can proceed to build the house in Skyrim. There are three different plots of land available in Hearthfire: one in Falkreath Hold, one in Hjaalmarch, and one in The Pale. Let’s have a look at how you can unlock the plots of land.

Heljarchen Hall (The Pale Hold)

The price of Heljarchen Hall is roughly 5000 Gold coins, and to discover the residence, one must follow the route heading south from Dawnstar, past Fort Dunstad, and onward in a southerly direction. The property is located by the Giants Gap, situated alongside Whiterun Hold.

To unlock the location, one must converse with the current Jarl at Dawnstar’s White Hall and earn the title of Thane in The Pale. If the Jarl available is Skald, then one must prepare to finish the Waking Nightmare mission, followed by an assignment to eliminate a nearby Giant. An alternative option is to receive immediate access from Jarl Brina based on the player’s main story progress and choices.

Lakeview Manor (Falkreath Hold)

The manor is priced at approximately 5000 Gold. To locate it, one must head east from Falkreath, take a north turn at the crossroads, and make a left after passing Pinewatch. To purchase the plot, the player must first become the Thane of Falkreath. Once accomplished, a courier will deliver a letter offering the plot for purchase. If not, the letter will arrive once the player reaches level 9 or higher.

To acquire a plot of land, the player must first visit Jarl Siddgeir in Jarl’s Longhouse and complete the quest he offers. Once finished, the player can then purchase the plot from the Steward.

Windstad Manor (Hjaalmarch Hold)

The manor costs around 5000 Gold coins and is situated on the shore, opposite the Karth estuary from Solitude. To access the area, players must visit Highmoon Hall in Morthal, speak with Jarl Idgrod Ravencrane to trigger the Laid to Rest mission, and then inquire about a house from the steward. Instead of a house, a plot of land will be offered.

Distinctive Features to Consider:

1. Heljarchen Hall:
   • Includes a grain mill for converting crops into materials like flour.
   • Flour can be used for cooking or potions, making it valuable for players not skilled in alchemy.
   • Certain cooked items like Lavender Dumplings and Juniper Berry Crostata offer significant buffs.
2. Lakeview Manor:
   • Features an apiary for harvesting honeycomb and honey.
   • Beneficial for players interested in beekeeping and seeking ingredients for Stamina potions.
3. Windstad Manor:
   • Located near the coast with a fish hatchery.
   • Allows players to breed and harvest fish for alchemy or cooking.
   • Suitable for creating potions or cooking dishes with a variety of fish.

Collect Materials For Construction

To construct a house in Skyrim, players need to have the required materials, which include logs, sawn logs, nails, hinges, locks, iron ingots, Corundum ingots, steel ingots, quarried stone, clay, and more. These materials can be purchased from various vendors, including blacksmiths, general goods merchants, and mills.

Additionally, the player must have a Drafting table for the house they wish to construct. It can be obtained by purchasing it from vendors or by completing quests for Jarls or their stewards. Moreover, Carpenter’ Workbench is also necessary for primary construction.

Hire A Steward

To begin constructing your home, appointing a steward is vital. The steward will supervise the building of your abode and supply you with the essential materials. You can hire a steward by completing certain quests or by purchasing a house in one of the major cities.

Drafting Table And Carpenter’s Workbench

The Drafting Table is a crucial tool used during the construction of a house in Skyrim. It is a furniture item that is essential for designing the layout of a small house and selecting what features to include in it. And then the next tool is Carpenter’s Workbench, at which you actually start to build a small house, and it has the following components.

Foundation	Quarried Stone (10), Sawn Log (1)
Wall Framing	Nails (10), Sawn Log (6)
Walls	Nails (8), Clay (4), Sawn Log (2)
Floor	Quarried Stone (4)
Roof Framing	Sawn Log (6)
Roof	Nails (10),  Sawn Log (1)
Doors	Nails (2), Lock, (1) Iron Fitting (1), hinges (2), Sawn Log (1)

Expand House

Expanding your home in Skyrim begins with a small house that can feel confining after a while. No need to worry, as a solution exists to expand your living space. Once you’ve completed the initial construction of your small house, you can proceed to build a grander “Main Hall” that comes with three additional wings.

From there, you can turn your basic dwelling into a sprawling manor with personalized rooms to suit your preferences. You must keep in mind that you’re only allowed to build a maximum of three wings – the East, West, and North – and you can’t add more than one expansion to a single wing.

Choose East, West, And North Wings Carefully

When expanding your house in Skyrim, you can choose three wings: East, West, and North. It is important to choose each wing carefully because, as said in the last heading, you can only have one addition per wing.

Each wing offers different unique rooms and features, so it’s essential to plan accordingly to create the perfect layout for your manor. Whether you’re looking to create a grand library or a cozy bedroom, choosing the right wing for each addition is crucial. So, choose wisely and create a home that suits your character’s needs and preferences.

East Wing

• The East Wing of the player-built house in Skyrim includes an armory, kitchen, and library.
• The Kitchen in the East Wing includes a cooking pot, oven, and spit for roasting meat.
• The flour from the grain mill provided in Heljarchen Hall makes the East Wing an ideal addition for cooking enthusiasts in Skyrim.
• The Armory in the East Wing provides storage space for weapons like weapon plaques and mannequins for displaying and storing armor.
• The Library in the East Wing provides bookshelves for storing books and also provides desks for reading and writing.

West Wing

• The West Wing of the player-built house in Skyrim includes a greenhouse, enchanting tower, and bedrooms.
• The greenhouse provides an ideal environment for growing plants and crops for use in alchemy and cooking. For players who decide to construct an alchemy tower, this is an excellent choice.
• Constructing the enchanting tower in Skyrim grants players access to enchanting stations and multiple soul gems.
• The bedrooms offer a place for the player and their family to rest or recover, with multiple beds available for guests or children.

North Wing

• The north wing in Skyrim includes an alchemy lab, storage room, and trophy room.
• The trophy room functions as a display area, where players can showcase their taxidermied versions of animals, monsters, and even draugr.
• The storage room is equipped with numerous chests, barrels, and display cases, among other things, making it ideal for players who enjoy collecting everything they can and stockpiling crafting materials.
• The alchemy lab comes stocked with rare ingredients that can greatly assist players in leveling up their alchemy skills.

Furnishing Your Living Space

Furnishing your house in Skyrim is an important part of making it feel like a home. There are several ways to decorate, depending on your taste and preferences.  Your Steward will handle the process of furnishing and decorating your home once you have paid the required amount.

To make the interior of the house look perfect, you should add the following items:

• The kitchen consists of a fire pit, a table and chairs, and some supplies for cooking.
• The living room will provide well-mounted shelves.
• A long wooden table and some chairs around it will serve the purpose of the Dining room.
• Alchemy Lab and bedroom are also necessary for the perfect interior of a house.
• One option is to display items you’ve collected during your adventures, such as weapons, armor, and unique artifacts.

With careful consideration and creativity, you can transform your house into a comfortable and stylish abode that reflects your personality and tastes.

Furnishing Outside Home

In Skyrim, players have the ability to furnish the exterior of their homes as well as the interior. There are a variety of options available for those who want to decorate the outside of their homes, including different types of plants, stable, and animal pens.

The garden is considered one of the most preferred outdoor embellishments in Skyrim. Gardens can be created by placing planters in a designated area and filling them with various plants, such as flowers, vegetables, and herbs. 

You can also add a Stable outside your home. Head to the drafting table and select the option to build an exterior addition. Afterward, select the stable option and position it at your desired location on the property. Once the stable is complete, you can purchase a horse to keep there. Horses can be bought from any of the major cities in Skyrim and will provide a means of transportation between locations.

In addition to building a stable outside your house, you can also construct an animal pen. Keeping livestock such as cows, chickens, and goats is possible with the animal pen. Once you’ve built the animal pen, you can purchase livestock from a nearby farmer and place them inside.

Creating A Family In Skyrim

If Hearthfire is installed in Skyrim, players have the option to adopt a maximum of two children and welcome them into their home. This can be done by speaking with an adoption agent in one of the major cities and completing a quest to prove that you are a capable parent.

Once you have adopted a child, you can provide them with their own room in your home, along with a variety of toys and other items to make them feel at home. Additionally, you can also hire a bard to play music in your home, adding to the overall atmosphere and making your house feel even more lively.

In conclusion, building a house in Skyrim can be a rewarding and satisfying experience. It allows the player to customize and personalize their own living space and offers additional benefits such as storage, crafting stations, and even animal pens and stables.

To build a house, the player must first acquire a plot of land and then gather the necessary materials to construct the house itself. And the various decorations and furnishings to make it truly feel like home. The construction process is divided into several stages, each requiring different materials and completing specific objectives, which makes the process engaging and enjoyable.

In addition to the basic features of a house, such as bedrooms, a kitchen, and storage space, the player can also build specialized areas like an alchemy lab, an enchanting tower, and a trophy room, further enhancing their gameplay experience. If you are still confused about how to decorate inside your house, you can refer to Reddit community.

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