Skyrim houses Hearthfire guide: build all three homesteads
The Skyrim houses Hearthfire adds are different from the ones in the cities: you buy an empty plot for 5,000 gold and build the home yourself. There are three plots, one each in Falkreath Hold, Hjaalmarch and the Pale, and they are the only Skyrim houses to build from scratch.
This guide covers where each plot is, what you have to do before the jarl will sell it, the order the house is built in, the materials you need and which rooms each wing can hold. All three plots are pinned on the map below.
The three Hearthfire homestead plots
| Homestead | Hold | Buy from | Requirement | Unique feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lakeview Manor | Falkreath Hold | Steward Nenya in the Jarl's Longhouse, Falkreath | Kill the Bandit Leader for Jarl Siddgeir (no quest needed if Dengeir rules) | Apiary for honey and bees |
| Windstad Manor | Hjaalmarch | Steward Aslfur in Highmoon Hall, Morthal | Complete Laid to Rest | Fish hatchery |
| Heljarchen Hall | The Pale | Jarl Skald in the White Hall, Dawnstar | Complete Waking Nightmare and Kill the Giant (needs level 22) | Grain mill that turns wheat into flour |
Where the three plots are
Lakeview Manor sits in the pine forest south of Lake Ilinalta, between Falkreath and Riverwood, which makes it the most convenient plot for a new character. Windstad Manor is in the marshes of Hjaalmarch, north of Morthal and close to the coast, with the wreck of the Icerunner nearby. Heljarchen Hall is on the high ground of the Pale south of Dawnstar, looking down over Whiterun's tundra. A giant camp is next door, which is why the jarl wants it cleared first.
How to buy a plot
Once Hearthfire is installed, a courier delivers a letter from one of the jarls offering land. You do not have to wait for it; go to the steward or jarl in the table above, ask about buying property, and pay 5,000 gold. Each hold first asks for a favour: killing a bandit leader for Falkreath, settling the ghost problem in Morthal (Laid to Rest), or dealing with Dawnstar's nightmares (Waking Nightmare) and then a giant. Buying the plot makes you Thane of that hold once you have also helped enough of its citizens, and the housecarl (Rayya, Valdimar or Gregor) then moves in.
The build order
On arriving you find a drafting table, a carpenter's workbench, an anvil and a chest of starter materials, plus a log pile, a stone quarry and a clay deposit on the plot itself.
- Small House. Pick the layout at the drafting table, then add each wall, roof and door at the workbench. This one-room cottage is livable on its own.
- Main Hall. A two-storey hall built onto the small house. When it is finished the small house becomes an entryway. An optional cellar goes underneath.
- Wings. Three wings attach to the main hall, and each offers a choice of three rooms:
- East wing: Armory, Kitchen or Library.
- North wing: Alchemy Laboratory, Storage Room or Trophy Room.
- West wing: Bedrooms, Enchanter's Tower or Greenhouse.
- Exterior. A garden, an animal pen, a stable and the plot's unique feature (apiary, fish hatchery or grain mill), plus a shrine and a smelter option.
Furniture is added from the same workbench inside each finished room. Alternatively, a follower appointed as steward can be paid to furnish rooms and buy materials for you.
Materials you will need
Raw materials come from four places. Sawn logs are bought from any lumber mill, such as the one in Riverwood, or delivered by your steward. Quarried stone and clay are mined with a pickaxe from the deposits on the plot. Iron ingots and corundum ingots are smelted from ore or bought from blacksmiths. At the carpenter's workbench iron is turned into nails, hinges, locks and iron fittings, which most walls and furnishings ask for.
Smaller amounts of straw, glass and goat horns are needed for beds, windows and lamps; general stores such as Belethor's in Whiterun sell them. A fully built and furnished homestead uses well over a hundred iron ingots, so start smelting early.
Which Hearthfire house to build first
Lakeview Manor is the usual choice: its requirement is a quick bandit hunt, it is close to Riverwood's mill for sawn logs, and the apiary gives a steady supply of honeycomb. Windstad's hatchery is useful for alchemists who need fish, and Heljarchen's grain mill only matters if you want to bake. Since a spouse and up to two adopted children can live in any of the three, and you can own all three at once, the order only affects which hold you help first. If you want the game's fastest home instead, the Skyrim houses page lists every ready-built option.
On the map: 3 locations
Skyrim houses Hearthfire guide: build all three homesteads: FAQ
How many houses can you build in Skyrim with Hearthfire?
Three: Lakeview Manor in Falkreath Hold, Windstad Manor in Hjaalmarch and Heljarchen Hall in the Pale. You can own and build all three.
How much does a Hearthfire house cost?
Each plot costs 5,000 gold. Building and furnishing costs extra for sawn logs, iron ingots and other materials.
Where do I buy sawn logs?
From any lumber mill, for example the mill in Riverwood or Half-Moon Mill on Lake Ilinalta. A steward can also buy them for you.
Can I build all three wings?
Yes. Each of the East, North and West wings holds one room chosen from three options, so a finished house has one room per wing plus the main hall.
What is the best Hearthfire house?
Lakeview Manor for most players because of its central location and easy requirement. Windstad Manor has the fish hatchery and Heljarchen Hall has the grain mill.
Can I adopt children in a Hearthfire house?
Yes. Build a children's bedroom in the Bedrooms wing and up to two adopted children can live there along with your spouse.