A housewarming gift of the house itself

Why the house itself makes a good housewarming gift

New homeowners receive a lot of candles, plants and bottles of wine. A model of their own house is different: it is about the thing they just worked so hard for, it sits on a shelf for years, and nobody else at the party will have thought of it. It also suits people who are hard to buy for, because it doesn’t depend on their taste in decor; it is their house.

It works for first-time buyers, for families who have just moved across the country, and for friends who finally finished a long renovation. If the house has a porch, a bright front door or an unusual roof, those details carry into bricks well.

Getting photos without spoiling the surprise

• One clear photo of the front is enough to start. 4–12 photos from around the house give a closer likeness, but sides you don’t show are inferred.
• Take it yourself on a visit or from the street, in daylight, with the whole house in the frame. Ask a partner or relative to send one if you can’t get there.
• Use photos you took or have permission to use. Listing photos belong to the photographer or the agent. We design only from the photos you upload, not from Street View or map imagery.
• Check the house type. We currently design simple detached houses with rectangular walls and a gable or flat roof. Apartments, townhouse rows and very complex roofs aren’t supported yet; complex houses may need design review, and if we can’t design it we refund you.

Three ways to give it

1. Built and wrapped. Buy the bricks, build the model yourself and give the finished house. The most impressive version, and the one that takes the most of your time.
2. Bricks and a printed book. Print the instruction book (a PDF), order the bricks and give both in a box. The new owners build their own house, which many people enjoy as much as having it.
3. Digital first, bricks later. If the housewarming is this weekend, print the cover of the instruction book and a page of steps for the card, and order the bricks to arrive at their new address. Pick a Brick and BrickLink sellers ship to whatever address you give them.

The house you grew up in

Some of the most meaningful houses to put in bricks aren’t new at all. When parents sell the family home, downsize or move into care, the house where the children grew up goes with it. A brick model of that house keeps it on a shelf after the keys are handed over, and it makes a gift for the parents as much as for the grown-up children.

• Photograph it before closing. Once the house is sold you can’t go back for photos. Walk around it on a bright day and take the front and each side.
• Old photos can help. The designer follows the photos you upload. A clear, straight-on family photo of the house can work; if the house changed over the years (a new porch, a different color), say which version you want in the notes and upload photos of that one.
• Build it together. Siblings can split the instruction book by section and assemble it at a family gathering, or each build one for their own home from the same files.
• Mind the timing. Selling a family home is emotional. The model works well as a gift after the move, when it’s a keepsake rather than a reminder of the packing.

What it costs and how long it takes

• The design: $19 at any size, 500 to 4,000 pieces. Most designs are ready in about an hour. We deliver within 24 hours after payment (and your photos).
• The bricks: about $60–$110 for 500 pieces, $240–$440 for 2,000 and $480–$880 for 4,000 at LEGO® Pick a Brick prices, before tax and shipping; often less on BrickLink. How that compares with kits and built models
• Delivery of the bricks: LEGO® quotes about 5 days for Pick a Brick Bestseller pieces and 28 business days for Standard pieces in the US (LEGO® Help, as of October 2026). BrickLink depends on each store.
• Building: a small house is a relaxed weekend; the largest sizes run to many sittings. Plan backwards from the housewarming date. Giving it on closing day instead? See a closing gift for home buyers.

What’s in the design

• An illustrated, step-by-step instruction book (PDF), made for your house.
• A complete parts list with every piece, part and color.
• Ready-to-upload shopping files: a LEGO® Pick a Brick upload list, a BrickLink wanted list and a Rebrickable parts list.
• A 3D model of your design.
• Not included: the bricks. You buy them separately, or use pieces you already own.