Replies

1. 
   objector1 | May 08, 2008 07:21am | #1

   About somewhere between low and high. It really depends on where you are building. Of course your average cost is going to be higher in higher cost areas and lower in lower cost areas.

   You might want to go to the "pro" desk at HD and ask for the average price in your area and then go to Lowes and get their average price and average them together.

1. 
   Turbocut | May 08, 2008 07:23am | #2

   Does $150.00 per sq. ft. not including the lot sound high?

1. 
   davidmeiland | May 08, 2008 07:33am | #3

   Sounds very low to me.

1. 
   timothyo | May 08, 2008 08:10am | #4

   Ditto. I am a builder and get good pricing on everything. My basic cost for a really good quality house is about $120-130/sf. My cost, no profit, no land. And I am pretty thrifty.A friend builds townhouses here and the quality is significantly lower. He tells me he builds for about $110/sf. No profit or land included.The question is where you are and what land costs there. I know of someone through a friend who is building in Texas. The land is almost free and all his laborers are from Mexico. He builds a pretty nice product for about $85/sf not including profit or land.

1. 
   Jim_Allen | May 10, 2008 10:44pm | #9

   "his laborers are from Mexico. He builds a pretty nice product for about $85/sf "Pretty nice is a wide open discussion LOL! I'm in Austin and I'm confident that I can build "pretty" nice at $90. $45 to $50 for the rough shell and about that for the interior. Bob's next test date: 12/10/07

2. 
   Oak River Mike | May 11, 2008 05:52pm | #10

   Here in Florida we used to tell folks $150 per sq ft as a rough estimate for custom work and they all thought that was kind of high.  High because tract builders around here build for $95 but you get NO choices to change ANYTHING! 

   One guy I know says he can build custom for $75 psf but I seriously doubt it as I built my own place in 2000-2 and it still ran $63 psf

2. 
   junkhound | May 08, 2008 03:56pm | #5

   Article in the paper here (King Co, WA) about that the other day. (David, probably even worse on the island?)

   Basic "chepa' house here, what to me is a future slum, costs $500K+ in this area. Anything with marble or granite in it is in the $1 Mil range.  

   Of that, according to the newspaper article, at least $200K is permit, school impact fees, mandated costs,  etc. that goes to 'our' local governments. We have an "urban growth boundary" setup here courtesy of 'our' local officals. 

   About $100K for a 4000 sq ft lot after developer markups, expenses (again, much of that to the local gov, etc)

   Nearly 100% are 2 story, no basement, about 1600 to 1800 sq feet, gas furnace, no or minimal AC, asphalt roof, no fireplace, no patio (unless you call a 3 ft by 5 ft concrete pad a patio as the realators do),  etc. . Saw a real estate add the other day using the term 'spacious yard' for there being more than 5 feet between that pad and the back fence!

   So, about $120 sq ft raw construction cost for the very basics in this area.  More than double or triple that for high end construction. A lot over 4000 sq ft also brings a premium.

   Am considering building an ADU in back of kids house if/when retired.  Permits and 'impact fees' alone will cost more than the entire construction, building it DIY (no labor costs), including appliances!!!!  No wonder housing prices are high here.

   Sorry about the rant <no G>

1. 
   Turbocut | May 09, 2008 12:33am | #6

   Thanks 4 the info it is very helpful

3. 
   jonblakemore | May 09, 2008 01:45am | #7

   What do you include in the SF? Are garages, decks, or porches factored in some way or is it just heated SF?

    

   Jon Blakemore

   RappahannockINC.com Fredericksburg, VA

4. 
   FCOH | May 09, 2008 02:17am | #8

   Not sure where you are at but here in NE OH $150 sq.ft , on a scale of 1-10 w/5 being avearge, you will get a 5-6.  Land not included. Contractor running the job for you.

   Disclaimer: I remodel and add on, i dont build new but all of the big add ons range from $125 to over $200.

   My parents are addicts to HGTV and couldn't believe me when I told them bare bones minimum for gutting and rebuilding their house would be $100s.f.  and thats with dad doing alot of grunt work.  Sure enough I get a call the other day saying " hey you're right on all these shows it seems that $100 is about what the all end up being"

   And did you ever notice how often they leave the labor prices out to make it seem alot cheaper than  it really would be?