How do I reduce the total cost of a home

Can you be a little more specific in what cost you are trying to reduce please? Is it a home you're building, is it a home you live in already, is it a rental property? Any detail you can provide will ensure that you get answers from the most qualified people here. For example, if you're trying to save money on the interest you pay, I may be able to give you very good advice. But if you're building a home and want to save money on building costs, I'm not going to have the best answer for you.

Give us a little more to work with, and the members with the best answers for you will gladly help.