How much to build a particular plan?

Home building is not an exact science. Every builder and craftsman brings to the trade their own preferred way of building and estimating their work. A common question from potential new home owners is: "how much does a home cost per square foot?".

This is a reasonable question, considering that many realtors sell homes by volume, and lending institutions appraise homes in part by applying a value per square foot. The reality is all 1500 square foot homes cannot be built for the same price. Home Builders that repeatedly build the same home at the same quality level will tell you that cost per square foot will vary on each home- depending on site condition, weather and lumber prices.

New homes are not unlike automobiles in the sense that when you purchase a new car the price is not determined by the size of the car as much as the options, complexity to build and deliver.

Certainly cost per square foot is a good way to get started when creating budget however really getting down to specifics is the only to accurately estimate the cost of a new home.

A good general rule is that the smaller the home the more it will actually cost per square foot because every home has common core elements like: kitchens, heating systems, bathrooms; the cost of these big ticket items will be spread over less square feet bumping the cost per square foot. The upside to this equation is the less feet you build the less feet you buy.

Complexity of design, site conditions, and material specifications have a tremendous impact on what a home will cost Consumers need to understand what they are buying, and builders need to understand what the consumer expects prior to quoting ball park square footage prices.