| What is the square ft. cost of the homes you build? | | | | new home. In most areas, the permit costs of |
| I'm sure that every veteran builder has heard this | | | | tapping into the sanitary sewer and water line make |
| question many times. In truth, only a range can be | | | | up the biggest part of the total permit costs. This |
| given. There are just too many variables to give a | | | | cost is the same, regardless of square footage of |
| price based on just square footage. These variables | | | | home. This is also the same from a labor and material |
| range from design, materials used, and size. | | | | cost stand point when the contractor connects the |
| How is the square footage calculated? Do you count | | | | piping involved from the main lines to the new home. |
| the garage, a basement, what about rooms that are | | | | The examples go on and on, making it impossible to |
| cathedrals or raised? I've seen these questions | | | | state a builders square footage costs on all the |
| answered differently by many builders or their | | | | homes they build. Obviously, once a plan is bid, the |
| marketing departments. | | | | square footage price can be calculated. |
| The design alone is a huge factor with a ranch home | | | | If a low square footage cost of your new home is |
| being the most expensive to multi-story homes | | | | your goal, it is suggested that you build a large two |
| which offer the lowest by dividing the foundation and | | | | story home with standard materials. The reason is a |
| roof cost by the number of stories. With the building | | | | large home is likely to have a lower square footage |
| materials that are available to most builders, a square | | | | cost, is that there are so many costs that are or to |
| floor plan or box shaped home offers the highest | | | | close to the same on a small home as a larger home |
| ratio of floor space to the area of the exterior walls. | | | | using the same building materials. The examples of |
| This certainly may not be the most pleasing design, | | | | this goes on and on. Here's some things to think |
| but it is the most efficient as to cost to construct on | | | | about. If the lot and the materials are the same, the |
| a square footage cost basis. | | | | exterior concrete costs will be the same. The |
| The materials used can cause a huge difference on | | | | driveway, lead walk, and public walks. The front door, |
| the same floor plan. A brick or stone veneer usually | | | | the house to garage door, and garage door will cost |
| has a very attractive appearance, giving the home a | | | | the same. The garage door opener will cost the |
| rich, substantial look, but adding a tremendous | | | | same. Going to the inside is much more of the same. |
| amount of cost in comparison to the same sized | | | | If there is the same amount of bathrooms, the cost |
| home with vinyl siding. One example of many. | | | | of these will be the same. I'm sure now you can see |
| The kitchen is the most expensive room in a home. | | | | the trend and these costs will be divided by a smaller |
| The cost difference of cabinets can vary from | | | | number of square feet on a smaller home than on a |
| affordable to very high end with prices many times | | | | larger home. This effects the square footage costs |
| higher. Today, many customers are choosing granite | | | | when the building materials are the same. |
| countertops, very nice but hugely more expensive. | | | | These are some thinking points for you to use if |
| The same is true for appliances. | | | | planning to minimize the cost per square ft. of your |
| Permits are another issue when planning on building a | | | | new home. |