OSRS Pay to Play Construction Guide Fastest Methods and Cost Saving Tips

OSRS Pay to Play Construction Guide Fastest Methods and Cost Saving Tips

Construction in Old School RuneScape (OSRS) is a members-only skill that lets you build and customize your own player-owned house (POH). It’s one of the most expensive skills to train, but the rewards—like teleports, stat restoration pools, and altars—make it a game-changer. This guide dives into the fastest methods, cost-saving strategies, and practical tips for training Construction efficiently in OSRS’s pay-to-play (P2P) mode. Whether you’re aiming for a maxed house or level 99, we’ve got you covered with actionable advice.

Construction isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s a utility powerhouse. A high-level POH becomes a hub for teleports, prayer training, and stat restoration, saving you time and gold across other skills and activities. Here’s why it’s worth the investment:

  • Teleport Hub: Build portals to key locations like Varrock or Camelot.
  • Stat Restoration: Ornate rejuvenation pools restore hitpoints, prayer, and special attack energy instantly.
  • Prayer Training: Gilded altars boost prayer XP, making it a go-to for efficient training.
  • Flexibility: Features like occult altars let you switch spellbooks on the fly.

Is Construction Worth the Cost?

Construction can cost upwards of 150M GP for level 99, but the convenience pays off. For example, a maxed house at level 84 (with boosts) unlocks nearly all POH features, saving millions compared to going all the way to 99. If you’re on a budget, prioritizing key upgrades like the ornate pool or portals can still transform your gameplay.

Getting Started with Construction

OSRS CONSTRUCTION Guide in 10 Minutes OR LESS YouTube

Before you hammer your first plank, you need a house. Here’s how to kick things off and set up for efficient training.

Purchasing Your First House

Visit an estate agent in Varrock, Falador, East Ardougne, Seers’ Village, Hosidius, or Prifddinas to buy a house for 1,000 coins. Alternatively, complete the Daddy’s Home miniquest to get a free house, 944 Construction XP, and a crate of supplies (including five house teleport tablets). Your starter house begins in Rimmington with a parlour and garden.

Essential Tools and Setup

You’ll need a saw and hammer to build furniture. Keep these in your inventory at all times. For faster training:

  • Weight-Reducing Gear: Graceful or other lightweight armor reduces run energy drain when fetching planks.
  • Teleport to House: Level 40 Magic unlocks this spell, or use house teleport tablets for quick access.
  • Noted Planks: At low levels, unnote planks at Phials in Rimmington for 5 coins each.

Building Mode Basics

Enter building mode via the house portal or settings menu to see ghostly hotspots where furniture can be built. You’ll repeatedly build and remove items to gain XP, with planks being the primary material. There are four plank types: regular, oak, teak, and mahogany, each offering more XP but at a higher cost.

Fastest Construction Training Methods

Traditional training—building and removing furniture in your POH—is the fastest way to level Construction. Below are the best methods for different level ranges, optimized for speed.

Levels 1–15: Crude Chairs and Wooden Bookcases

Start in the parlour with regular planks and steel nails (bronze nails break too often).

  • Crude Wooden Chairs (Level 1): Requires 2 planks and 2 nails, granting 58 XP each. Build and remove five to reach level 4.
  • Wooden Bookcases (Level 4): Requires 4 planks and 4 nails, granting 115 XP each. Build 19 to hit level 15.

Tip: Use Phials in Rimmington to unnote planks. Bring noted planks and coins to minimize banking trips.

Levels 15–33: Oak Furniture

Switch to oak planks for better XP rates. Build in the kitchen or dining room.

  • Wooden Larders (Level 9): Requires 8 planks and 8 nails, granting 228 XP each. Use until level 22.
  • Oak Dining Tables (Level 22): Requires 4 oak planks, granting 240 XP each. Build until level 33.

Tip: Oak planks are cost-effective, but stock up on thousands to avoid interruptions.

Levels 33–52: Oak Larders and Mounted Mythical Capes

At level 33, oak larders become the go-to for fast XP. Later, mounted mythical capes offer efficiency if you’ve completed Dragon Slayer II.

  • Oak Larders (Level 33): Requires 8 oak planks, granting 480 XP each. Build in the kitchen until level 47.
  • Mounted Mythical Capes (Level 47): Requires 3 teak planks and a mythical cape, granting 370 XP each (123 XP per plank). Use from level 50 (quest requirement) to 52 for cost savings.

Tip: Hire a butler at level 40 (requires two bedrooms with beds) to fetch planks from the bank, boosting XP per hour.

Levels 52–99: Mahogany Tables

Mahogany tables are the fastest method to 99, offering up to 850K XP per hour with a demon butler.

  • Mahogany Tables (Level 52): Requires 6 mahogany planks, granting 840 XP each. Build and remove repeatedly.
  • Setup: Position your character northwest of the table hotspot for optimal clicking rhythm. Use the “1” key to remove tables instantly.

Cost Estimate: Reaching 99 from level 52 requires about 15,370 tables, or 92,220 mahogany planks. At 1,500 GP per plank, expect to spend around 140M GP, plus butler fees.

Method Level XP per Action Planks Needed Approx. Cost (GP)
Crude Wooden Chairs 1–4 58 10 2,000
Wooden Bookcases 4–15 115 76 15,000
Oak Larders 33–47 480 3,200 1.6M
Mounted Mythical Capes 47–52 370 1,200 1.2M
Mahogany Tables 52–99 840 92,220 140M

Cost-Saving Alternatives

If mahogany tables are too pricey, these methods balance XP and affordability, ideal for budget-conscious players or Ironmen.

Mahogany Homes Minigame

Introduced as a slower but cheaper alternative, Mahogany Homes tasks you with repairing NPC houses across Gielinor.

  • XP Rates: 100–150K XP per hour, using oak or teak planks.
  • Cost: Around 40–45M GP to 99, roughly a third of traditional methods.
  • Perks: Earn Carpenter points for rewards like the plank sack or supply crates.

Tip: Use teak planks from Managing Miscellania for Ironmen to cut costs further.

Oak Dungeon Doors

A middle ground between speed and cost, oak dungeon doors are popular for players avoiding mahogany’s price tag.

  • Level 74: Requires 10 oak planks, granting 600 XP each.
  • Cost: About 85M GP to 99, with 350–400K XP per hour.

Tip: Boost with a crystal saw (+3) or spicy stew (+5) to access this method early.

Long and Curved Bones

From level 30, trade long or curved bones to Barlak in Dorgesh-Kaan (requires Death to the Dorgeshuun).

  • XP: 1,500–2,000 XP per bone, plus some coins.
  • Drawback: Rare drops (1/400 for long, 1/5,000 for curved), making it supplemental XP at best.

Maximizing Efficiency and Saving Gold

Construction training can drain your bank, but these tips help you stretch your GP and time.

Hiring Servants

Servants fetch planks from the bank, drastically speeding up training. Hire them at the Servants’ Guild in East Ardougne.

  • Butler (Level 40): Carries 20 items, costs 5,000 GP every 8 trips.
  • Demon Butler (Level 50): Carries 26 items, costs 10,000 GP every 8 trips.
  • Servant’s Moneybag (Level 58): Store coins to auto-pay servants, skipping payment dialogue.

Tip: Always request the maximum items per trip to minimize servant costs.

Boosting Construction Levels

Boosts let you access higher-level furniture early, saving millions.

  • Crystal Saw: +3 boost for items requiring a saw (not rooms or plants).
  • Cup of Tea: +3 boost, usable in a POH.
  • Spicy Stew (Orange Spice): Up to +5 boost, but random.

Example: At level 80 with a +5 boost, build a maxed house instead of grinding to 85, saving 20–30M GP.

Money-Saving Hacks

Every bit of GP counts when training Construction. Try these:

  • Buy Planks in Bulk: Grand Exchange prices fluctuate; buy during dips to save millions.
  • Managing Miscellania: For Ironmen, assign workers to teak logs for a steady supply.
  • World 330: Use another player’s POH for stamina pools or jewelry boxes to cut teleport costs early on.

Construction in OSRS is a steep investment, but with the right methods—whether blazing through with mahogany tables or pacing yourself with Mahogany Homes—you can make it manageable. A maxed POH transforms your gameplay, and even mid-level upgrades offer massive convenience. Plan your budget, stock up on planks, and start building your dream house today!