How to Build a House in OSRS A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners

Building a player-owned house (POH) in Old School RuneScape (OSRS) is an exciting way to flex your Construction skill, create a personalized hub, and unlock powerful features like teleportation portals and altars. Whether you’re a new player or a seasoned adventurer looking to optimize your POH, this guide will walk you through the process from start to finish. We’ll cover everything you need to know to build a functional and impressive house, including requirements, costs, and tips for maximizing efficiency.

A POH isn’t just a cosmetic flex—it’s a practical investment that enhances your gameplay. From teleportation networks to skilling boosts, here’s why building a house is worth your time:

• Teleportation Hub: Portal rooms and nexus portals let you zip across Gielinor instantly.
• Skilling Benefits: Rooms like the Workshop and Study offer unique training perks.
• Storage Solutions: The Costume Room saves bank space for outfits and holiday items.
• Flex Your Wealth: A maxed-out POH showcases your Construction prowess.

Is Construction Worth Training?

Construction is often seen as an expensive skill, but it’s one of the most rewarding. A well-built POH can save you time and money in the long run, especially if you rely on teleports or need a place to restore stats. Plus, it’s a buyable skill, meaning you can grind it quickly with enough gold.

Getting Started with Your POH

Before you can start building, you need to meet some basic requirements and make an initial investment. Here’s how to kick things off.

Purchasing Your First House

To begin, visit an Estate Agent in one of these locations: Varrock, Falador, Seers’ Village, East Ardougne, or Hosidius. A starter house costs 1,000 coins and is located in Rimmington by default. If you’ve completed the Daddy’s Home miniquest, you can claim a free house, saving you the initial fee.

Construction Skill Requirements

You’ll need at least level 1 Construction to build a basic house, but higher levels unlock better rooms and features. For example:

• Level 25: Kitchen for cooking and water sources.
• Level 50: Portal Chamber for teleports.
• Level 70: Superior Garden for Spirit Tree or Fairy Ring.

Tools and Materials Needed

Building requires a few essentials:

• Hammer: Buy one from any general store.
• Saw: Available at the sawmill or general stores.
• Planks and Nails: Stock up on regular planks (100 coins each) and bronze nails for early levels.
• Coins: You’ll need gold for supplies and room additions.

Pro Tip: Use a House Teleport spell (level 40 Magic) or a house tablet to access your POH quickly.

Planning Your House Layout

A well-organized POH saves time and resources. Before hammering away, plan your layout based on your goals—whether it’s utility, aesthetics, or max efficiency.

Choosing a House Location

Your house’s location affects accessibility and vibe. You can move it later by talking to the Estate Agent, but each relocation costs more based on your Construction level. Here’s a quick comparison:

Location	Construction Level	Cost	Pros
Rimmington	1	5,000	Close to Clay Mine for early training
Yanille	50	25,000	Near bank and Magic Guild
Prifddinas	70	50,000	Endgame hub with nearby altars

Room Placement Tips

Your POH starts with a Parlour and a Garden. As you add rooms, keep these tips in mind:

• Prioritize Utility: Build a Kitchen early for food prep and a Workshop for crafting.
• Save Space: Place high-traffic rooms like Portal Chambers near the entrance.
• Future-Proof: Leave room for endgame additions like the Portal Nexus or Ornate Jewellery Box.

Using the House Planner

For precise planning, try the House Planner on OldSchool.tools. It lets you map out your layout, track room costs, and visualize rotations before spending coins. This is especially handy for complex setups with multiple portals or gardens.

Building and Upgrading Rooms

Once you’ve got the basics, it’s time to construct rooms and furniture. Each room has a level requirement, cost, and purpose, so let’s break it down.

How to Build Rooms

Enter Building Mode via your house portal or settings. Right-click hotspots to add rooms or furniture. New rooms cost between 1,000 and 100,000 coins, depending on the type:

• Parlour (1,000 coins): Basic seating and social space.
• Portal Chamber (100,000 coins): Teleportation hub (level 50).
• Superior Garden (75,000 coins): Spirit Tree or Fairy Ring (level 70).

Key Rooms to Prioritize

Not all rooms are equal. Focus on these for maximum utility:

• Kitchen: Build a stove for cooking (level 5).
• Workshop: Craft flatpacks and repair Barrows gear (level 15).
• Portal Chamber: Set up teleports to key cities (level 50).
• Chapel: Restore Prayer points with an altar (level 45).

Upgrading Furniture

Each room has hotspots where you can build furniture. Higher Construction levels unlock better versions. For example, in the Kitchen:

• Wooden Larder (level 9): Basic food storage.
• Oak Larder (level 33): More food options.
• Teak Larder (level 43): Best storage with tea-making.

Tip: Always check the OSRS Wiki for exact material requirements before building.

Maximizing Your POH’s Potential

A basic house is nice, but a maxed-out POH is a game-changer. Here’s how to take it to the next level.

Training Construction Efficiently

Construction is costly, so optimize your training:

• Early Levels (1-33): Build and remove Crude Wooden Chairs in the Parlour using planks and nails.
• Mid Levels (33-52): Switch to Oak Larders in the Kitchen for better XP per plank.
• High Levels (52-99): Use Mahogany Furniture like Benches or Tables for the fastest XP.

Pro Tip: Buy planks from the Sawmill in bulk and use a Butler (hired at level 40 Construction) to fetch materials, speeding up training.

Endgame Features to Aim For

At higher levels, unlock these game-changing additions:

• Portal Nexus (level 72): Store up to 18 teleports in one room.
• Ornate Jewellery Box (level 91): Unlimited teleports to key locations.
• Spirit Tree & Fairy Ring (level 95): Combine both in a Superior Garden for ultimate travel.

Customizing House Style

Want your POH to look unique? Visit the Estate Agent to redecorate with styles like Basic Wood, Fremennik, or Zenevivia Dark Stone. Each style changes walls, floors, and lighting, costing 5,000 to 500,000 coins. Styles don’t affect functionality but add flair to your setup.

Saving Costs and Avoiding Mistakes

Building a POH can drain your bank if you’re not careful. Avoid these pitfalls:

• Overbuilding: Don’t add rooms you won’t use—stick to your goals.
• Ignoring Boosts: Use a Crystal Saw (+3 levels) or stews (+5 max) to build higher-level furniture early.
• Poor Planning: Removing rooms costs nothing, but rebuilding wastes time and coins.

Building a player-owned house in OSRS is a rewarding journey that blends creativity, strategy, and practicality. Whether you’re setting up a simple teleport hub or aiming for a maxed-out mansion, this guide gives you the tools to succeed. Start small, plan smart, and soon you’ll have a POH that’s the envy of Gielinor. Happy building!