Sims 4 build tips: 7 tricks for less boring builds

GamesLife SimThe SimsThe Sims 4Sims 4 build tips: 7 tricks for less boring buildsWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

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(Image credit: Maxis / Electronic Arts)

The Sims 4 build tips -

Every Sims player has, in their past, built a plain, box-shaped house with a single gabled roof and a weirdly empty-feeling living room inside and wondered “whydoes this look so wrong?” It’s a canon event. But with some easy Sims 4 build tips, you don’t have to scratch your head forever. I don’t think I’ll ever achieve the intricately staged interiors of speed build videos or aesthetic Insta posts, but my build skills have definitely gotten better after remembering all these tips.

First, here are some build mode hotkeys and cheats you should know:

Swipe to scroll horizontallyBuild mode hotkeys and cheatsraise objectsPress “9” on PCUse keys 9 and 0 to raise/lower objects off the floor.rotate objectsPress , < and . > keys on PCUse the greater/less than keys on PC to rotate objects.shrink objectsPress the “[ {” key on PCUse the open bracket key to shrink objects.make objects biggerpress the “] }” key on PCUse the close bracket key to make objects bigger.turn off snappingHold “Alt” key on PCHold Alt to freely move objects around without snapping to grid placement.object free placementcheat code “bb.moveobjects"Place objects closer together without conflicting, but be sure Sims can still use them!access debug objectscheat code “bb.showhiddenobjects"Show hidden “debug” objects that you can build with.

Swipe to scroll horizontally

Build mode hotkeys and cheatsraise objectsPress “9” on PCUse keys 9 and 0 to raise/lower objects off the floor.rotate objectsPress , < and . > keys on PCUse the greater/less than keys on PC to rotate objects.shrink objectsPress the “[ {” key on PCUse the open bracket key to shrink objects.make objects biggerpress the “] }” key on PCUse the close bracket key to make objects bigger.turn off snappingHold “Alt” key on PCHold Alt to freely move objects around without snapping to grid placement.object free placementcheat code “bb.moveobjects"Place objects closer together without conflicting, but be sure Sims can still use them!access debug objectscheat code “bb.showhiddenobjects"Show hidden “debug” objects that you can build with.

Start with tiny houses

The smaller the home, the easier it is to make it look lived in.(Image credit: Maxis / Electronic Arts)

The Sims 4 build tips - A Sim in a very smal loft apartment with cozy, clutttered decor.

The best way to practice all the following tips is to try them on very small houses. I didn’t believe how much this could improve my building skills until the Tiny Living game pack changed the way I think about Sims builds. Even if you don’t have the Tiny Living pack and its space-saving appliances, try building and decorating houses that are approximately 50 tiles.

The limited space means you have less area to cover and are less likely to wind up with rooms that feel weirdly open. It turns floor plans into a puzzle where you’ve got to fit all the necessities in creative ways. Once you can start thinking about every build that way, it totally changes how you approach building.

Here’s the trick to cluttering

If you want to achieve the delightfully cluttered counters you’ve seen in so many Sims 4 speed builds, it’s all about breaking out of the default surface spaces that objects snap to. There are two main ways to pull it off:

More Sims series(Image credit: Maxis, Electronic Arts)Sims 4 cheats: Life hacksSims 3 cheats: Classic hacksSims 4 mods: Play your waySims 4 CC: Custom contentSims 5: What we knowSims 4 challenges: New rules

More Sims series

(Image credit: Maxis, Electronic Arts)Sims 4 cheats: Life hacksSims 3 cheats: Classic hacksSims 4 mods: Play your waySims 4 CC: Custom contentSims 5: What we knowSims 4 challenges: New rules

(Image credit: Maxis, Electronic Arts)

The Sims 4 - Bella Goth looks smug while money flies from her hands

Sims 4 cheats: Life hacksSims 3 cheats: Classic hacksSims 4 mods: Play your waySims 4 CC: Custom contentSims 5: What we knowSims 4 challenges: New rules

Place an item like a soap dispenser on the surface you want it to be on, like a kitchen counter. Then move the counter a few tiles away. While holding theAlt key, click your clutter object and move it over to the currently empty space where your counter should be. It will stay at the correct height but won’t have any surface to snap to, so you’re free to place it however you like. When you move the counter back to its correct position, your decor is in place.

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Importantly, you only want to do this with purely decorative objects that Sims don’t need to use. If you tuck away your coffee maker without properly snapping it to a kitchen counter, your Sim will complain that they can’t use it.

How to build less ugly roofs

I won’t declare this my best roofline, but it’s worlds better than the boxes I used to build.(Image credit: Maxis / Electronic Arts)

The Sims 4 build tips - A row of colorful townhomes with a hipped roof line.

Roofs are the most difficult part of any build, no question. If you’re struggling with roof design, remember that real roofs don’t have valleys because you wouldn’t want water to collect there. When adding roof pieces facing the same direction, try nesting them together. When they’re perpendicular, go for varied sizes.

Here are some more hotkey tips on fine-tuning your roof:

The real key to better roofs is a better house shape. Add dimension to your exterior with small extensions to your rooms and you’ll naturally find yourself building slightly more interesting roofs to include them. One of my favorite Sims builders has done quite a few build tutorial videos—this particularLilsimsie roof tutorialcovers the basics, and if you want something even easier here’s a very snappy12 ways to roof a square.

Don’t forget to customize counters and cabinets

You won’t get this rounded counter corner or the glass cabinets if you leave auto counters on!(Image credit: Maxis / Electronic Arts)

The Sims 4 build tips - A sim makes bread in a kitchen with a variety of counter and cabinet sizes.

Go overboard with landscaping

This is how big a believer I am in using the Green, Green Grass object.(Image credit: Maxis / Electronic Arts)

The Sims 4 build tips - A bridge over a small creek leading to a small house on a hill behind trees and grassy foliage.

If the outside of your build is feeling bland, add some plants. Now add more plants. Now some terrain paint, rocks, and water features too. Some of the prettiest Sims builds out there look luscious because they go all in on the landscaping.

Here are some common themes that I’ve found really help my exteriors look great:

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Use platforms to add interest

The step-down shower is what I’m designing this entire bathroom around.(Image credit: Maxis / Electronic Arts)

The Sims 4 build tips - A small bathroom design with a step up platform leading to a tub and a shower that steps down

As a more recent feature in The Sims 4, I still find myself under-utilizing platforms. When selecting any room, click the up and down arrows in the popup (not the foundation arrows) to create a platform. You can do some obvious things like create a split-level home where the living room is a few steps beneath the kitchen or a ritzy in-home theater room with descending platforms, but here are some other great details you can achieve with platforms:

When in doubt, add a rug

How do we improve Sims 4 default houses? Add a rug.(Image credit: Maxis / Electronic Arts)

The Sims 4 build tips - In build mode, a rug being placed in a small living room.

For real, just try adding a rug if you get stuck. Have a room that’s too big? Denote different areas with a rug. Boring bathroom? Add at least one rug. Empty hallway? Needs a rug. Wood desk clashing with wood floors? Separate them with a rug. Don’t forget to size them up or down with the[ and ] keysfor even more possibilities.

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Start with tiny houses#

Here’s the trick to cluttering#

The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals#

How to build less ugly roofs#

Don’t forget to customize counters and cabinets#

Go overboard with landscaping#

Use platforms to add interest#

When in doubt, add a rug#