Cost of New Construction

[aolson]

I am looking at building a new home and am considering doing the contracting myself. Is there a good website or can someone tell me how to determine what certain things will cost throughout the construction process? My wife and I are trying determine what we can afford.

Maybe something like this for example: Electrical: 5% Kitchen Cabinets 5% Misc: 8% Foundation: 10% etc etc etc

Thanks for the help.

[Muff]

go to this site:

Lots of good info there. Also keep in mind that prices vary between states, also labor union and non union. Where are you located?

I built a 3200 sq ft home and finished it a year ago here in Tampa Fl and with upgrades it ended up costing me around $85.00 per sq ft. Muff

[aolson]

[Michelle Settle]

If you're paying $85/sf in North Dakota, you're paying WAYYYY too much (unless you're putting it on several acres of land..)

[aolson]

[frippletoot]

This forum on building your own home is one of the better ones I've seen.

People here have posted links to related forums too. The only drawback is the really annoying ads.

[SteveF]

Several books, like the National Construction Estimator, can be found at places like Home Depot and Lowes.

Steve.

[Henry B]

Please tell me where you can get construction done in ND for less than $85/sf. I've had contractors ask for $175/sf with a straight face!

[Henry B]

Please tell me where you can get construction done in ND for less than $85/sf. I've had contractors ask for $175/sf with a straight face!

[StLouisMike]

Our house, 2,800 sq ft + 1,800 sq ft finished basement (5 bedrooms, 3.5 baths, etc.) was 28 months and $215/ft (not counting the basement footage) in the St Louis area. We were our own GC.

[Michelle Settle]

Home don't cost that much in Phoenix or Denver, much less ND.

Average cost of a 2000sf home on Colorado Springs is $179K, just under $90/sf.

[Michelle Settle]

$175 * 2000(sf) = $350,000. In Denver that size home would be about $280-300K.

In NORTH DAKOTA? In Denver that size home would be about $280-300K.

Straight face, or were they dead? Or did you tip tour hand?

Michelle

[Michelle Settle]

I'd say St. Louis is a tad more expensive than North Dakota.

How about comparing apples to apples?

[marson]

running through this thread is the idea that somehow because the op is in north dakota, building should be cheaper. i ran into a similar attitude in northern mn where people from the twin cities would expect us to be cheaper because we were "up north". the opposite is true.

1. there is less building activity, so there are fewer subs and thus less competition between subs.

1. subs aren't as specialized so work takes longer. where i live, you cannot find a sub who specializes in framing, for example, let alone one who specializes in concrete reinforcement.

2. there are no illegals working in the trades.

1. frost depth is 60" (current job i am working on, the excavation and icf foundation is 70 grand on a 2200 sq. ft house).

2. windows and insulation required for our cold winters are more expensive.

1. materials are more expensive because transportation costs are higher. (what do you think, we can step out the back door and cut down a tree and build a house with it?)

2. the building season is shortened by severe winters.

right now in my area (duluth, mn), a "production home" by one of the few builders who produce such a thing runs 150 a sq. ft. a custom home hits 200 without batting an eye. turnkey log cabins are up to $425/square foot. so don't come up here thinking you'll get some local yokel to build you a house cheaper than in st. louis or denver. ain't gonna happen.