I’m planning to build an 1800 sq ft home for my in-laws in eastern washington. They want to build it for about $110,000 without doing any sweat work themselves. I’m open to any suggestions or thoughts. What they want is a simple rancher.
Walk-out basement-unfinished
2 bdrms
2 baths
Kitchen, familyroom,dining room
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Replies
Around here (southern MN) you can get a home that size for $150K or so, including lot. I'm not real up on local lot costs, but I'd figure around $40-50K for a standard subdivision lot, so if they already have the lot, they should be in the general ballpark, assuming reasonably similar building costs.
If they don't have the lot, though, good luck!
I appreciate the feedback. My price does not include land which they have, but its raw land so it needs a 400 ft driveway, well, and utilities which is included in the price. How about giving me an idea of what to charge a sq.ft for a simple rancher with mid-grade materials and appliances etc...
You'll never find the answer you're looking for. Search the archives for "square foot pricing" or other similar wordings and you'll see what I mean.
There's just too many variables involved in building a house to give an off the cuff sq foot number that is anything more than a WAG. If you've done a few similar houses in your area you can probably come up with a SWAG, but no matter..... they're all still WAGs.
There get to be too many variables to do more than just a quick SWAG, unless you have a lot of details regarding specific plans, local building costs, etc.Keep in mind that you run up the cost with a custom home design. A home that the contractor has done before will generally be cheaper.If you're thinking about contracting yourself then that adds even more variables.
http://building-cost.net/
So they want the raw land improved.
A well put in.
A septic put in.
A basement.
A 400 foot driveway.
Appliances included. (If they want the appliances, they certainly want fine finish done inside and out.)
And any and all change orders they think of along the way. And there will be plenty. "Well, since yer already doing this, it would be simple to do that too." "It can't cost THAT much more for this simple little thing"...
They don't want to lift a finger.
All for roughly 61 dollars a sq ft ???
Why do your inlaws hate you so much ?
Are we there yet ?
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Eager-
As has already been said, you'll never get a solid answer here since there are too many variables. Given that, your figure looks way low.
- A 400 ft long 10' wide driveway alone will cost around $8-12,000 alone if done in asphalt- more in concrete.
- A well can easily run $5-10,000, depending on the run to the house, the quality of the soil, and the depth to groundwater.
- If the house needs a well, it probably needs a septic system too. There's another $10-20,000. Even if it doesn't need a septic, 400' of water and sewer line will be that much anyway.
That's $23-42,000 of your $105,000 budget just to prep the lot for the house. That leaves $63-82,000 for construction, which works out to $35-45/SF. Tract builders putting up hundreds of houses a year can't build them that cheap, so I doubt you'll be able to.
I wish your in-laws good luck, but I think they'd better consider doubling their budget.
BTW- why do they need to build 1,800 SF over a full basement to get a 2-bedroom house? They could do that with less than 1,000 SF, and "maybe" hit their budget.
Bob
Edited 7/14/2005 6:49 am ET by BobKovacs
The newspaper on this side of the mountains (Kirkland to be specific) had a feature article this weekend about the snior bungalow "low cost" concept. 1500 sq ft, no basement, 1 car garage, minimal everything. Guess how much they cost? 480K!!! Even allowing 300K for a postage stamp size 'lot' in Kirkland, still out of the ball park.
With all due respect, if they want something that bad, they should get off their behind and contribute a lot of sweat if at all physically able. An option is to buy a used mobile home or manufactured home.
Edit PS: Re-read original post closer: If it were my in-laws and they were physically disabled, and they have the land, I'd just plain out build it for them free of charge and lease it to them for $1 a year.
Edited 7/14/2005 7:05 am ET by JUNKHOUND
Art,There is nothing in the thread about them being physically disabled. Just that they do not want to do any "sweat work" themselves.If they were disabled, I would totally agree with you. Although I would also take into account the fact that Eager has to support his own family in the meantime, as well...What this looks like to me is a youngster who is convinced that he can be a contractor, but does not have the experience... that he is not even aware he doesn't have. He has no real world knowledge of the costs involved. The hours. The materials. Scheduling. Etc.He is "eager" to prove himself. He wants to be "santa clause" to the inlaws, and he wants someone here to show him some numbers that prove that he can. He has no idea what is ahead of any contractor in this particular situation. Especially not of the things that WILL happen because he is santa clause, and they are relatives... that are going to drive costs through the ceiling, and him through the floor. In his shoes I would run very fast...---And I'll say again... That is what this looks like to me.From my computer chair.Behind the keyboard.With not a shred of real world knowledge about Eager or his inlaws...
Are we there yet ?
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Your question is too broad and there are too many locally effected variables. If it were that easy, anybody could be a successful builder...
Well, here's something for you. 1600 sq ft foundation, ranch, 2BR, 2 bath, framed, shingled, Typar, dried-in not including cost of doors or windows...$38,600. No sheetrock, no electrical, no plumbing, just a shingled, dried in shell. About a year and a half ago. Let's see, that's ~ $25/sq ft. Might be useful as a rule of thumb for the shell cost.
Edited 7/14/2005 10:20 am ET by johnnyd
they have enough money for:
well
septic
driveway
foundation
framing
roof shingles
siding
inexpensive windows
That's about it.
you've got a weathertight, empty, rectangular box with no mechanicals or finishes
by the way, i don't suppose the utilities need to be trenched along this 400' driveway ?
carpenter in transition
Eager,
Here's what I know to be true. I can drive one hour west from my house and get a framer for $2.25 a sqft or one hour east and get one for $6.50 a sqft for the same quality and quantity of work.
A septic system in the west might be $10K while it might be $30K in the east. Geographics play far to great a roll in the price.
Your best bet would be to ask around where they want to build. Get some solid plans and do a little research.
Having said all that, $61 a sqft is a pretty tough target no matter how low labor rates are. If all they have is $110K then I would look around 1200 sqft or to trade the lot for one that won't need so much site work.