This post will begin a series focused mainly on new home design/construction, however, most of the points will relate to additions and renovations as well.
Obviously, the first thing to consider is budget. How much house can you afford? Honestly, there is no way for me to know how much house you can afford. I've had clients that have come to me with grand ideas and dreams of a huge, multi-level, high-end home then after speaking with contractors and the quotes start rolling in...they are faced with a very harsh reality. The fact that they just had this really great custom home designed specifically for them and their family just to come to the conclusion that it's a bit out of their range. In most cases, simply downsizing a little or opting for more cost efficient finishes (ie, cabinets, countertops, flooring, etc.) is usually the easiest way to get your dream home for a cost that you're comfortable with. There have been a few clients where we've had to completely scrap the design and start over, this has only happened in a few extreme cases.
There's no true way to estimate how much a home is going to cost to build, but there are a few assumptions that we can use as a "go-by" and will be somewhat close. I always say, err to the high side...it's much better to overestimate the cost and find out you were a little high on the presumed cost than to go forward thinking you will be able to get the home built for a certain cost and find out you're way off and it's going to much higher than you anticipated. Construction costs vary by area, materials being used and by contractor. For a standard block home, mostly rectangular, basic finishes (pre-fab cabinets, formica countertops, carpet or laminate flooring, etc.) you should estimate somewhere between $90-150 per square foot (total). A more complex home, with varying wall heights, odd shape, higher-end finishes (custom cabinets, granite or marble countertops, crown molding, ceramic tile or wood flooring, etc.) should be figured much higher, around $180-300 per square foot (total). A very simple cost saving tip, insist that the dimensions of the exterior of the house measure to full block dimensions. The savings from this is two-fold...it saves on labor from having to cut all of those blocks to fit, it also saves on waste. If there are no cut blocks, then there is no waste, you're only paying for block that is actually used and not a dumpster half full of trash. Another quick tip, in the same vein as the block, keep ceiling heights in common wood stud lengths (8', 10'. 12'. etc). Again, this eliminates a lot of waste which will save money on the project.
Working with a knowledgeable designer will help keep your costs as low as possible, while maximizing how much home you get for your money.
Obviously, the first thing to consider is budget. How much house can you afford? Honestly, there is no way for me to know how much house you can afford. I've had clients that have come to me with grand ideas and dreams of a huge, multi-level, high-end home then after speaking with contractors and the quotes start rolling in...they are faced with a very harsh reality. The fact that they just had this really great custom home designed specifically for them and their family just to come to the conclusion that it's a bit out of their range. In most cases, simply downsizing a little or opting for more cost efficient finishes (ie, cabinets, countertops, flooring, etc.) is usually the easiest way to get your dream home for a cost that you're comfortable with. There have been a few clients where we've had to completely scrap the design and start over, this has only happened in a few extreme cases.
There's no true way to estimate how much a home is going to cost to build, but there are a few assumptions that we can use as a "go-by" and will be somewhat close. I always say, err to the high side...it's much better to overestimate the cost and find out you were a little high on the presumed cost than to go forward thinking you will be able to get the home built for a certain cost and find out you're way off and it's going to much higher than you anticipated. Construction costs vary by area, materials being used and by contractor. For a standard block home, mostly rectangular, basic finishes (pre-fab cabinets, formica countertops, carpet or laminate flooring, etc.) you should estimate somewhere between $90-150 per square foot (total). A more complex home, with varying wall heights, odd shape, higher-end finishes (custom cabinets, granite or marble countertops, crown molding, ceramic tile or wood flooring, etc.) should be figured much higher, around $180-300 per square foot (total). A very simple cost saving tip, insist that the dimensions of the exterior of the house measure to full block dimensions. The savings from this is two-fold...it saves on labor from having to cut all of those blocks to fit, it also saves on waste. If there are no cut blocks, then there is no waste, you're only paying for block that is actually used and not a dumpster half full of trash. Another quick tip, in the same vein as the block, keep ceiling heights in common wood stud lengths (8', 10'. 12'. etc). Again, this eliminates a lot of waste which will save money on the project.
Working with a knowledgeable designer will help keep your costs as low as possible, while maximizing how much home you get for your money.