How Much Does it Cost to Build a House?

2020 October 15

How much does it cost to build a house? This question can be very complex to answer. The first step is to identify what type of home you want to build, and what type of budget you can afford. But before we dive into that, let us describe the types of builders you have to choose from.

1. Production Builder – This builder has a selection of stock floor plans that you can choose from, however, little-to-no modifications can be made to the floor plan. They also have set selections you can choose from for the finishes of your home. You will often hear the phrase from these builders that, “Our home price starts at XYZ and can vary depending on your selections”.
2. Semi-Custom Builder – A semi-custom builder has set plans, but will allow you to make modifications to the plan, and will let you pick from selections that may not be in their showroom.
3. Custom Builder – A full custom builder will design your home from scratch with an architect, or you can bring a set of plans to them and they will build it. Most custom builders will allow you to select anything in your home—just remember that everything comes with a cost!

 

Each of these builders provides different values. Ultimately, it comes down to what you are looking to build. For example, if you want the most square footage in your home for a really inexpensive price, lean toward a production builder. If you want some of the extra comforts in your home but can live with a standard floor plan, a semi-custom builder may be right for you. If you want to build a home that perfectly fits your family’s needs and wants, a custom builder might be right for you. There really is no right or wrong answer—choose a builder that meets your needs (and your wants, too).

 

FYI: Eagle Creek Homes is a cross between a semi-custom builder and a custom builder. We tailor homes to your budget and allow you to make choices depending on the level of involvement you want in the designing and building of your home.

 

Whenever we meet with a potential build client, we want to find out what their budget for building a home is. This is not designed to figure out how much to charge them but to make sure we can best fit their needs in a new home, and also to see if we are the right fit for their home building needs.

Our best advice is to be upfront and honest with your budget. We want to build you your dream home, and we will do everything we can to provide the best home for you. The other reason we want to know the budget of the home is so we can help guide you to the right features in the home, so you get the most for your money.

Keep these things in mind when thinking about building a custom home:

1. Land and how much this will cost. Is the land included in the price of the home? Are there any concerns on the piece of property you are purchasing that would increase the cost of the home, i.e. will there be extra excavation or tree clearing needed?
2. How much square footage do we need? The more square footage the more the home will cost. In this square footage, what rooms do we need? How many bedrooms? How many bathrooms? Do you need an office? These will be typical questions a builder will ask you when they meet you.
3. Does the home price include landscaping and sprinkling?
4. Does the home include appliances?
5. What type of countertops do you want?
6. What type of flooring do you want and where?

 

Knowing the answers to these questions when you meet with your builder will save you time and money when the time comes to build your home. These six items can drastically change the cost of your home.

 

So, how do you go about budgeting for a new home?

First, you want to figure out what type of builder works for you.

Second, read reviews of the company, consider recommendations, ask around on the builder, and interview a few different builders to see which one is right for you.

Third, ask the builder to give you price ranges of homes they have built (either by square footage or overall cost). This is an important step to take because you want to make sure that the style of homes they build are in an affordable range. Be sure to find out what was included in the homes if you are looking at the overall price so you can compare it to what you want to build.

Lastly, ask for a detailed quote on the exact home you want with the exact finishes you want. Try to be as detailed as possible, so that you don’t incur unexpected expenses (they add up quickly) and you can get what you want the first time around.

 

Eagle Creek Homes prices all of our homes upfront so you have no hidden charges when you go to build your home. If you are honest, upfront, and ask for the things you want in your home, all of those things will be included in your home price.

Our goal at the end of the day is to be within 1% of your estimated price when your home is complete.

So, price your home upfront with a builder you trust and get exactly what you want, so you can sit back, relax, and enjoy the building process.