How to Build a Home in Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

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Penned by Ariana Honavar-Hiro

Ariana loves playing immersive video games like Cyberpunk 2077, the Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, and any Assassin's Creed game. She hopes to share her love for games through her writing!

Reviewed by Ashley Johnson

The Hearthfire DLC is an add-on to Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim that allows you to purchase land in three holds: Falkreath, Dawnstar, and Morthal. You are able to build three distinct homes with various additions and make your homestead a sanctuary after a long adventure. In our guide on how to build a home in Skyrim, we cover the expansions you can add onto your home, the locations where you can purchase property, and various other building tips.

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Hearthfire DLC Features

With the Hearthfire DLC, there are several different types of additions you can add to the home. You can choose to make the home larger by adding up to three new wings attached to the Main Hall. With each addition, you can build anything from a large storage room for keeping your belongings safe to an Enchanter’s Tower where you can work on enchanting your favorite weapons. Every piece of land purchased also allows you to build things like stables, an armorer workbench, an animal pen, a garden, a grindstone, and a smelter on your property. 

The Hearthfire DLC also allows you to undertake some new activities, like baking, fishing, farming, and beekeeping. You can also adopt children and bring them to your new home. Each of the three homes comes with its own unique feature that none of the other homes offer, as well.

Homes Available for Purchase

When it comes to building a home in Skyrim, it’s all about location, location, location. Before you can start constructing your home, you’ll need to find a property that fits your needs. There are three properties available for purchase with the Hearthfire DLC, each with its own appeal and unique features.

Lakeview Manor

➡️ Location: Lakeview Manor is located in Falkreath Hold, north of Pinewatch between Riverwood and Falkreath. The home is located near Lake Ilinalta, offering a nice view of the lake. You can even see the Nordic ruin, Bleak Falls Barrow, in the distance. 

➡️ Acquisition: To purchase the Lakeview Manor property, you must speak to the Jarl of Falkreath in the Jarl’s Longhouse. The Jarl of Falkreath will be either Dengeir of Stuhn (if the Stormcloaks have control of the hold) or Siddgeir (if the Imperials have control). Depending on your progress on the Civil War questline, whoever the Jarl is may ask you to complete the quest “Kill the Bandit Leader” before purchasing the land. You can speak to the jarl’s steward (Nenya or Tekla) to purchase the land for 5,000 gold once it becomes available. Once the land is purchased, it will be marked on your map with a quest marker and you can visit your new property. 

➡️ Features: Lakeview Manor’s unique feature is that you are able to construct your own apiary. Using the apiary, you can harvest honey and extract bees if you need them for creating potions. Honey can also be used for baking once it has been collected. The apiary will respawn honey and bees, so you can use it regularly for ingredients. 

Windstad Manor

➡️ Location: Windstad Manor is located in Hjaalmarch, north of Ustengrav near Morthal. Windstad Manor sits on the coast near the Wreck of the Icerunner, with a breathtaking view of the Blue Palace and Solitude. 

➡️ Acquisition: To purchase the land to build Windstand, you will have to visit the Jarl of Morthal in High Moon Hall. If Igrod Ravencrone is the Jarl of Morthal, you will have to complete the quest “Laid to Rest” before being allowed to purchase the land. If the jarl is Sorli the Builder, she will allow you to purchase the land right away because you helped her become Jarl of Morthal. The Windstad Manor property costs 5,000 gold. You will receive a quest telling you to visit the land, and a map marker will be placed that will help you locate Windstad Manor. 

➡️ Features: Windstad’s unique feature is a Fish Hatchery that allows you to breed different types of fish.  You can later harvest the fish for cooking ingredients or potions once the offspring have spawned. The Fish Hatchery is located in the water on the coast behind Windstad Manor to the North. Once you construct the hatchery, you can begin putting fish into the hatchery that you have picked up. The fish will spawn seven days later in the netted-off area.

Heljarchen Hall

➡️ Location: Heljarchen Hall is located south of Dawnstar Hold in the Pale region of Skyrim. The property sits on a hill north of Whiterun, and has stunning views of Dragonsreach and the Throat of the World. Heljarchen Hall is located on the Southern border of the Tower of Mzark, which is one of the neighboring ancient Dwemer ruins. 

➡️ Acquisition: Heljarchen Hall can be purchased by visiting the White Hall in Dawnstar and speaking to the jarl. If Skald is Jarl, he may offer the land for sale. Bulfrek will offer it in case Skald is not selling it to you. You will have to complete the quests “Waking Nightmare,” which has no level requirement to start, and “Kill the Giant,” which requires you to be Level 22. The property should become available once these two quests are completed. If the Imperial Legion has control of Dawnstar, Brina Merilis will allow you to purchase the property right away because she wants to show her appreciation for helping install her as the Jarl. Heljarchen Hall costs 5,000 gold to purchase, identical to the other plots of land in the Hearthfire DLC. 

➡️ Features: Heljarchen Hall’s unique feature is a grain mill (or “Mill,” as it appears on the crafting table). Heljarchen Hall is the only home in all of Skyrim that has a grain mill that you can construct on your property. Using the grain mill, you can turn wheat into bags of flour, which can be used as an ingredient for baking.

Starting Small & Expanding Your Home

Every time you purchase land, you will have to begin your construction project by building a small home. You can equip this home with beds, a firepit for cooking, and some storage containers. You can do all of this using the crafting table inside the home.

If you choose to turn the home into an entranceway and build the Main Hall, you can use the Drafting Table outside the home to plan out your next addition. Once the Main Hall is built, you can also choose to construct a cellar.

The cellar comes in handy if you need more storage. You can even build an Aquarium by constructing different fish tanks and displaying fish that you have caught. To build furniture for your home, you can use the crafting benches in each of the rooms that allow you to construct everything from a dining table with chairs to lighting for your home.  

All the ingredients you need to constuct additional wings or funrniture can be located around the property, mined, or purchased.

East Wing 

Armory

The Armory offers you a place to store your armor and weapons on weapon racks, mannequins, and in display cases. You can build tanning racks, a workbench, and a grindstone to help improve your weapons.

Kitchen

Build a cozy fireplace with a cooking pot along with an oven for baking. Ovens can only be added to the homes that you construct, making it one of the rarest additions to your home. In addition, you can also build some small tables and chairs and various containers to store your food. You can also add hanging racks for hanging different meats and ingredients.

Library

Build your own Library tower where you can enjoy a book on the balcony. Store your books on various bookshelves, as you the option to construct bookshelves of different sizes to fit the design you prefer. You can also build extra storage with this addition.  

West Wing 

Bedrooms

Build a comfortable room for you and your family to rest in. You can build a number of wardrobes, cupboards, and dressers to store your items too. The Bedroom wing also has a porch outside the home where you can build benches on the deck area. 

Greenhouse

You can grow your own ingredients and food in your greenhouse to use for cooking and creating potions. You are able to equip the greenhouse with three large planters, a few small pots, and some extra storage space. 

Enchanter’s Tower

Build your own arcane enchanter equipped with weapon racks, extra storage, and a tower with a beautiful view. There is also the option to construct different lighting fixtures.

North Wing

Trophy Room

You can build large trophy displays, small trophy displays, and extra storage for items that you have collected on your adventures through Skyrim.  The trophy room is great for those looking to show off various enemies they have defeated.

Storage

Craft barrels, chests, and other storage containers to hold all the items you want to store for safekeeping. You can also construct some large shelves to store some of your items. The storage room can also include display cases for some items that you would like to show off. 

Alchemy Laboratory

Construct an Alchemy lab where you can create powerful potions. When you craft this lab, your house will be equipped with various ingredients and items to help you create different potions.You can also enjoy a balcony that provides scenic views from the top of the tower.  

How to Build a Home in Skyrim: Helpful Building Tips

• Upon purchasing any of the plots of land, you will have a quest with a map marker that will guide you to visit your new property. Here you will find an Anvil, Drafting Table, a chest with some building ingredients, and a workbench to help you with the construction process. 
• You can find a clay deposit, a log pile, a wood chopping block, and a stone quarry on each of the parcels of land. Additional ingredients can either be mined, purchased, or found around Skyrim by exploring. 
• You can use the Drafting Table to begin planning your construction and can revisit it once you are ready to add the Main Hall and additional wings. 
• You can refer to the book on the workbench called The Beginner’s Guide to Homesteading, which is informative and useful for first-time home builders and if you want to review what you can do.  
• The workbench can be used to construct the home and outdoor additions like an animal pen and stables. 
• Inside the home, you find workbenches in each of the rooms which can be used to construct furniture, lighting, and decorations. 
• Consider hiring a steward to help you manage your homestead.  Stewards can help you hire a bard, arrange to decorate different rooms, and even purchase animals for you 

Join the High Ground

We hope you enjoyed our guide on how to build a home in Skyrim and found it useful. Let us know your favorite homes in the comments, and keep an eye out for future guides on Skyrim and other games!

Happy gaming!

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