In The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, the Hearthfire DLC allows players to purchase land and design, build and maintain a homestead, also including the option to adopt children.
To obtain building materials in Skyrim, you can either purchase from general goods vendors and blacksmiths, or find these resources while exploring or looting containers. Locks, Hinges, Iron Fittings, and Locks are craftable when the player has Iron and Corundum Ingots in their inventory.
How to Build a House in Skyrim
There are three plots of land available in Skyrim, which you can unlock by obtaining a title deed from the hold’s Jarl or steward. Each plot will cost 5,000 gold, and all houses will feature a unique exterior option.
The purchase option can be unlocked after finishing certain quests in the area.
| Home | Location | Required Tasks | Purchase | Special Exterior Option |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lakeview Manor | Falkreath Hold | Complete the “Kill the Bandit Leader” bounty quest | Talk to Nenya or Tekla | Apiary |
| Heljarchen Hall | The Pale | Complete “Kill the Giant” and “Waking Nightmare” quests | Talk to Jarlk Skald the Elder or Brina Merilis | Grain Mill |
| Windstad Manor | Hjaalmarch | Complete the “Laid to Rest” quest | Talk to Sorli the Builder or Aslfur | Fish Hatchery |
Once you arrive at the plot of land, there will be a chest, an anvil, a Drafting Table, and a Carpenter’s Workbench. The chest contains 30 Clay, 1 Corundum Ingot, 6 Iron Ingot, and 30 Quarried Stone as initial materials for building.
You can plan the structures by interacting with the Drafting Table and build your home with the Carpenter’s Workbench.
How Much Does It Cost to Build a Home in Skyrim?
The total material costs for building the small house and main hall combined are:
- 72 Sawn Logs
- 100 Quarried Stone
- 115 Nails
- 20 Clay
- 2 Iron Fittings
- 2 Lock
- 4 Hinge
After these two areas are built, the player can choose to include rooms in the north, east, and west wing of their home.
Part 1: Small House
The first structure of your home will be a small house. You will need to build the following sections to complete it:
| Section | Materials Required |
|---|---|
| House, Foundation | 10 Quarried Stone 1 Sawn Log |
| House, Wall Framing | 10 Nails 6 Sawn Logs |
| House, Walls | 4 Clay 8 Nails 2 Sawn Log |
| House, Floor | 4 Quarried Stone |
| House, Roof Framing | 6 Sawn Log |
| House, Roof | 10 Nails 1 Sawn Log * Requires House, Roof Framing to unlock |
| House, Door | 2 Hinge 1 Iron Fitting 1 Lock 2 Nails 1 Sawn Log |
Part 2: Main Hall
Once you’ve completed the Small House structure, you can now unlock the main hall. This will turn the original structure into an entry area.
| Section | Materials Required |
|---|---|
| Main Hall, Door | 2 Hinge 1 Iron Fitting 1 Lock 2 Nails 1 Sawn Log |
| Main Hall, Foundation | 30 Quarried Stone 4 Sawn Log |
| Main Hall, Floor | 6 Quarried Stone |
| Main Hall, Wall Framing | 20 Nails 16 Sawn Log |
| Main Hall, First Level Wall | 4 Sawn Log 8 Clay 16 Nails * Requires Main Hall, Wall Framing to unlock |
| Main Hall, Second Floor Supports | 10 Nails 6 Sawn Log * Requires Main Hall, Wall Framing to unlock |
| Main Hall, Second Level Walls | 8 Clay 12 Nails 4 Sawn Logs * Requires Main Hall, Second Floor Supports to unlock |
| Main Hall, Roof Framing | 10 Sawn Logs * Requires Main Hall Second Floor Supports to unlock |
| Main Hall, Roof | 25 Nails 2 Sawn Log |
| Cellar | 50 Quarried Stone 8 Sawn Log |
The player can optionally build a cellar with 50 Quarried Stone and 8 Sawn Log once the Main Hall is complete. The cellar is the only structure that the steward won’t furnish.
Part 3: Wings
Once you have built the Main Hall, you will also be able to build up to three wings connecting to the main structure. Each wing offers three alternatives, making it a total of nine possible secondary wings to the player’s home.
| Area | Single Room | Tower | Room with Outdoor Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Wing | Trophy Room | Alchemy Laboratory | Storage Room |
| West Wing | Greenhouse | Enchanter’s Tower | Bedrooms |
| East Wing | Kitchen | Library | Armory |
The player will require the following materials depending on the type of room they choose to build:
| Room Type | Sections Required | Total Materials Required |
|---|---|---|
| Single Room | 5 | 3 Clay 4 Hinges 2 Iron Fittings 2 Locks 20 Nails 14 Quarried Stone 18 Sawn Log |
| Tower | 7 | 9 Clay 6 Hinges 3 Iron Fittings 3 Locks 34 Nails 16 Quarried Stone 24 Sawn Logs |
| Room with Outdoor Area | 5 | 3 Clay 6 Hinges 3 Iron Fittings 3 Locks 14 Nails 18 Quarried Stone 14 Sawn Logs |
Can I Decorate My House’s Exterior in Skyrim?
Once the player has finished building the Small House structure, the exterior additions will become available. To build these outdoor structures, you need to go outside the property and interact with the Carpenter’s Workbench there.
Each homestead will have an exclusive structure for the exterior.
| Structure | Materials Needed |
|---|---|
| Animal Pen | 1 Sawn Log |
| Apiary in Lakeview Manor | 1 Nail 2 Sawn Log 2 Straw |
| Armorer Workbench | 1 Iron Ingot 2 Quarried Stone 1 Sawn Log |
| Fish Hatchery in Windstad Manor | 4 Nails 3 Quarried Stone 3 Sawn Log |
| Garden | 1 Sawn Log |
| Grindstone | 1 Iron Fitting 1 Quarried Stone 1 Sawn Log |
| Mill in Heljarchen Hall | 2 Iron Fittings 2 Quarried Stone 2 Sawn Log |
| Smelter | 6 Clay 2 Iron Fittings 5 Iron Ingots 4 Quarried Stone |
| Stable | 5 Nails 3 Sawn Log |
Where Can I Find Building Materials in Skyrim?
The Hearthfire DLC introduces 10 building materials needed to build the house’s structure and furniture. Some of these resources can be found while exploring or looting containers, while others are available for purchase with general good vendors and blacksmiths.
| Material | Cost |
|---|---|
| Iron Ingot* | 7 Gold |
| Clay | 1 Gold |
| Quarried Stone | 2 Gold |
| Glass | 5 Gold |
| Goat Horns | 5 Gold |
| Sawn Log* | 10 Gold |
| Straw | 1 Gold |
| Hinge | 4 Gold |
| Iron Fittings | 4 Gold |
| Lock | 10 Gold |
| Nails | 1 Gold |
Sawn Logs
You can go to Half Moon Mill, Solitude Sawmill, or Anga’s Mill to buy sawn logs. These will get delivered to your homestead’s building site, and if the player has several homesteads, the sawn logs are shared and accessible from any of these sites.
You can only purchase sawn logs at a fixed rate of 200 gold per 20 sawn logs. However, once you befriend a mill owner, you can also cut logs in their mill for free.
Quarried Stone
You will find Quarried Stone deposits near all of the plots of land. Each deposit can yield 4,000 units.
Clay
You will find Clay deposits near all of the plots of land. Each deposit can yield 4,000 units.
Iron Ore
You will need Iron Ingots to primarily craft Nails and Iron Fittings. The location with the most amount of iron ore veins is Halted Stream Camp, located northwest of Whiterun, with 16 veins available. You can also find 10 veins if go southeast of Dawnstar to Fort Fellhammer.
Corundum Ore
You will need Corundun Ingots to craft Locks. During and after completing the “Boethiah’s Calling” quest you can find 18 corundum ore veins located in the Knifepoint Ride bandit camp mine if you go northwest of Cracked Tusk Keep.
Inside Blackreach you will also find around 14 veins, some of them labeled as geode veins.
Who Sells Materials in Skyrim?
General goods merchants will sell the necessary materials in the Miscellaneous section of their store. Besides, you can purchase ores and ingots from any blacksmith.
Once you’ve hired a steward, the play can ask them to get sawn logs, stone, and clay delivered to their homestead. However, this option is only available once you’ve built the Small House structure.
How Do I Furnish My Home in Skyrim?
Once the player has completed a room, there will be an interior Workbench inside to interact and build the furniture associated with that room. You will also be able to fully purchase a room’s furniture by talking to the steward and paying a flat fee.
Option 1: Steward
If you don’t want to buy the materials and craft the furniture yourself, you can request your steward to deal with the process by paying a flat fee. However, this option won’t show furnishing instantly and will appear over time with each visit from the player.
The steward won’t furnish the cellar and the player must do it themselves.
| Room | Cost |
|---|---|
| Small House | 1,000 Gold |
| Main Hall | 3,500 Gold |
| Alchemy Laboratory | 2,500 Gold |
| Armory | 2,000 Gold |
| Bedrooms | 2,000 Gold |
| Enchanter’s Towe | 2,500 Gold |
| Greenhouse | 1,500 Gold |
| Kitchen | 1,500 Gold |
| Library | 1,500 Gold |
| Storage Room | 1,000 Gold |
| Trophy Room | 1,500 Gold |
Option 2: Crafting
The Dragonborn can access the Carpenter’s Workbench available in each section of their homestead to craft the furniture themselves. Furnishing can require specific ingots, ingredients, or miscellaneous items for crafting.
The furniture available for your homestead in Skyrim will depend on the wings you’ve added.
| Type of Furniture | Variations available |
|---|---|
| Containers | Barrels Chests Chest Cupboard Desk Display Case and Cupboard Display Case and Small Wardrobe Dresser End Table Hanging Rack Safe Small Wardrobe Tall Wardrobe |
| Furniture | Chair Child’s Bed Dining Table and Chairs Display Case Display Case on Low Table Double Bed Large Table with Chest Low Table Night Table Round Table Round Table and Chairs Single Bed Square Table Square Table and Chairs Table with Display Cases Washbasin on Stand |
| Weapon Racks | Armor Mannequin Armor Mannequin with Cupboard Weapon Plaque Weapon Racks |
| Shelves | Bookshelf Corner Shelf Display Case and Shelf Small Shelf Tall Bookshelf Tall Shelf Tall Shelf with Display Case Wall Shelves |
| Large Trophies | Trophy Base Bear Chaurus Cow Deer Dragon Skull Draugr Dwarven Sphere Falmer Frost Troll Frostbite Spider Horker Sabre Cat Snow Bear Troll Wolf |
| Small Trophies | Trophy Base Draugr Dwarven Spider Falmer Goat Hagraven Ice Wolf Mudcrab Skeever Skeleton Slaughterfish Spriggan |
| Wall Decorations | Mounted Bear Head Mounted Elk Antlers Mounted Elk Head Mounted Goat Head Mounted Horker Head Mounted Mudcrab Mounted Sabre Cat Head Mounted Slaughterfish Mounted Snowy Sabre Cat Head Mounted Wolf Head Wall Sconce(s) |
| Work Stations | Alchemy Lab Arcane Enchanter Armorer Workbench Blacksmith’s Forge Blacksmith Anvil Fireplace Grindstone Smelter Tanning Rack |
| Shrines | Shrine Base Shrine of Akatosh Shrine of Arkay Shrine of Dibella Shrine of Julianos Shrine of Kynareth Shrine of Mara Shrine of Stendarr Shrine of Talos Shrine of Zenithar |
| Miscellaneous | Archery Target Bench Chandelier Child’s Practice Dummy Fireplace Hanging Rack Lamp Stand Mead Barrels Table with Benches |
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