Houses have held a special place in the American dream’s vision for as long as the dream’s flame has been alive. From popular home improvement shows to the silly childhood games of MASH, having your very own house is an aspiration that has preoccupied all our minds.
Maybe you’ve been bouncing from rental to rental, or you’ve been in one place for a while but it just doesn’t feel like it’s totally yours. You’re not just looking for a house, you want a home.
The best way to get that homey feeling of precisely what you’re looking for is to build it yourself. Isn’t that the dream, to build your very own house, but where do you even begin with a huge project like that?
This article is going to be your guiding light to enlighten you on some important info you’ll need in this journey of deciding whether building a house is the right step for you and or where you should plant your roots based on construction costs.
We’ll be tackling the big question, how much does residential construction cost per square foot?
A lot of factors go into building a house, as I’m sure you already understood from seeing reality shows of house building or maybe even witnessing someone go through the building process themselves.
A big piece that isn’t as well known that we’ll be covering is that construction costs are quite different per square foot depending on which state and zip code you live in.
Sure we’d guess that living in Los Angeles, CA vs Green Bay, WI would be extremely different, but would you guess that even two cities within the same state, such as Wisconsin, would be at a costly difference?
These are incredibly valuable facts to know going into the large and exciting adventure of potentially building your very own home, and you’re making a terrific first step of research in finding out how much your construction will cost per square foot. By the end of this article, you’ll have a firm grip on the facts you need.
Important Info To Know
Before we get to digging on just how much the average costs are to build in specific states, there are some important details to keep in mind.
One of those vital factors is that the prices that will be listed in this article are average costs, unfortunately, this doesn’t include costs for deluxe architectural designs.
So if you have some extravagant plans and dramatic tall ceiling for your future home, it’s a beautiful thing to dream big just be sure you are confident in your budget and be prepared to make tough decisions and possible sacrifices for the sake of staying on budget and not in unnecessary debt.
Stick around toward the end of this article to learn more about how you can save during this first stage of the building process, and still get the home of your dreams later on.
According to Home Advisor, there are other additional costs on top of the construction costs to be aware of. During this time as well materials have been bumped up in price, raising from as high as 10% more than average.
Listed below are some of the typical construction materials used and their estimated ranges of cost. Costs will vary depending on the quality and quantity of the specific material, but this is to give you a general overview of what you can possibly expect.
- Lumber: $25,000-$65,000 total
- Roofing: $1,000-$3,000 total
- Flooring: $1-$5 per SF
- Concrete: $1,000-$10,000 total
- Insulation: $0,01-$1 per SF
- Drywall: $10 per sheet
- Siding: $2-$15 per SF
Now that we’ve covered some of those, here are some of the other additional costs to keep in mind:
A professional contractor (10%-20% of your complete housing cost)
Even if you are planning on doing a lot of the work yourself, there are so many intricate details, regulations, and moving parts going on that it can become overwhelming very quickly. Hiring a contractor can make this process run smoothly and efficiently.
Plus, when it is time to bring on other workers for the labor, an electrician, or a plumber you already have someone who knows the best connections in the area.
Labor costs (These prices are estimated averages, they will vary depending on the size of your house, and where it is located.)
- Manager of Construction: $3,150-$50,000
- Framer fees: $7-$16 per square foot
- Electrician fees: $50-$100 per hour
- Plumber costs: $45-$200 per hour
- Roofing fees: $5,000-$10,000
Permits for Building ($1,200-$2,000)
This is an estimated price range of average permit costs, you’ll want to look into how much building permits are in your specific area. These are sometimes listed on city’s websites, or at least have information available as to where you can obtain one.
Design Fees
Everyone on board for designing usually consists of an architect (average fees per hour are $125-$250) and an interior designer (average fees per hour are $50-$200), of course, if you’re planning on doing your own decorating and you have a basic floor plan already these may not be entirely necessary investments.
Landscaping ($70-$150 per hour)
A valuable investment to be made is in your landscaping, everyone wants a beautiful yard they’re proud to call their own!
Purchasing land ($50,000-$100,000)
Unless you’re purchasing a piece of land out in the boondocks or perhaps you’ve scored big at an auction, purchasing land can get pretty pricey. Location is one of the most treasured features of any place you live, so it may be wise to invest a bit more into this element of the process.
Furniture and Appliances
Of course, it’s hard to determine exactly how much this section would cost. You could already have furniture and appliances to move in, it’s good to remind yourself that furniture and appliances can always be updated in the future and are interchangeable whereas construction is more of a hassle to change.
There are many things to be knowledgeable and mindful of when going through a building project, which is another vital reason why having a contractor by your side can be a headache saver.
Another great tip is to have some cushion space in your budget just in case a problem is run into during construction; you never know what could happen, and it’s better to be safe than sorry!
Another extremely crucial element to be aware of in the building process is understanding the zoning laws within the area you are building.
This is another handy reason for having a professional contractor, as they can help guide you through all the proper protocols and standards, ensuring that your home will be built in a smart and safe way.
If you do want to do your own research with your local zoning laws, according to Legal Match, you can simply go to your local government offices and get into contact with someone from either the city attorney’s office or the department of housing.
It may seem overwhelming at first, but don’t be afraid to ask questions so you feel confident in knowing about these zoning laws.
Residential Construction Cost Per Square Foot
With the expertise of the Home Advisor, we’re going to get a better understanding of what percentage the average construction costs take up within the price ranges for residential construction costs per square foot by state/zip code.
Typically labor is between 30%-60% of the total, materials range from 30%-50%, and permits and design is typically 10%-25% of the total.
Now we can see the transparency of pricing for each state. For this section, we’ll be utilizing the calculation technology of Home-Cost’s nifty online tool Construction Cost per Square Foot Applet.
Home-Cost has been a trusted establishment to homeowners and builders across the entire United States and Canada since 2006; delivering dependable estimates for hardworking people.
Their construction estimating technology has been patented since 2008 and bringing peace of mind for a confident first step on a home building journey for thousands upon thousands of homes ever since.
By using this tool we’ll see what the average cost of residential construction is per square foot for each state and we can also see what the average square footage is of the new home within these states just to get some broad perspective.
Without further ado, let’s put our hard hats on and break some ground!
Alabama
Average cost per SF: $133.81
Average new home SF: 2,500
$133.81 x 2,500 = $334,525
Alaska
Average cost per SF: $210.54
Average new home SF: 2,400
$210.54 x 2,400 = $505,296
Arizona
Average cost per SF: $147.79
Average new home SF: 2.400
$147.79 x 2,400 = $354,696
Arkansas
Average cost per SF: $125.90
Average new home SF: 2,500
$125.90 x 2,500 = $314,750
California
Average cost per SF: $202.72
Average new home SF: 2,400
$202.72 x 2,400 = $486,528
Colorado
Average cost per SF: $149.65
Average new home SF: 2,400
$149.65 x 2,400 = $359,160
Connecticut
Average cost per SF: $172.72
Average new home SF: 2,750
$172.72 x 2,750 = $474,980
Delaware
Average cost per SF: $163.53
Average new home SF: 2,500
$163.53 x 2,500 = $408,825
Flordia
Average cost per SF: $131.82
Average new home SF: 2,500
$131.82 x 2,500 = $329,550
Georgia
Average cost per SF: $136.93
Average new home SF: 2,500
$136.93 x 2,500 = $342,325
Hawaii
Average cost per SF: $206.42
Average new home SF: 2,400
$206.42 x 2,400 = $495,408
Idaho
Average cost per SF: $157.76
Average new home SF: 2,400
$157.76 x 2,400 = $378,624
Illinois
Average cost per SF: $132.72
Average new home SF: 2,250
$132.72 x 2,250 = $298,620
Indiana
Average cost per SF: $109.65
Average new home SF: 2,250
$109.65 x 2,250 = $246,712.50
Iowa
Average cost per SF: $107.02
Average new home SF: 2,250
$107.02 x 2,250 = $240,795
Kansas
Average cost per SF: $103.56
Average new home SF: 2,250
$103.56 x 2,250 = $233,010
Kentucky
Average cost per SF: $140.29
Average new home SF: 2,250
$140.29 x 2,250 = $315,652.50
Louisiana
Average cost per SF: $134.96
Average new home SF: 2,500
$134.96 x 2,500 = $337,400
Maine
Average cost per SF: $141.07
Average new home SF: 2,750
$141.07 x 2,750 = $387,942.50
Maryland
Average cost per SF: $147.08
Average new home SF: 2,500
$147.08 x 2,500 = $367,700
Massachusetts
Average cost per SF: $175.41
Average new home SF: 2,750
$175.41 x 2,750 = $482,377.50
Michigan
Average cost per SF: $108.39
Average new home SF: 2,250
$108.39 x 2,250 = $243,877.50
Minnesota
Average cost per SF: $118.49
Average new home SF: 2,250
$118.49 x 2,250 = $266,602.50
Mississippi
Average cost per SF: $127.66
Average new home SF: 2,500
$127.66 x 2,500 = $319,150
Missouri
Average cost per SF: $113.38
Average new home SF: 2,250
$113.38 x 2,250 = $255,105
Montana
Average cost per SF: $149.48
Average new home SF: 2,400
$149.48 x 2,400 = $358,752
Nebraska
Average cost per SF: $105.45
Average new home SF: 2,250
$105.45 x 2,250 = $237,262.50
Nevada
Average cost per SF: $167.07
Average new home SF: 2,400
$167.07 x 2,400 = $400,968
New Hampshire
Average cost per SF: $149.95
Average new home SF: 2,750
$149.95 x 2,750 = $412,362.50
New Jersey
Average cost per SF: $188.45
Average new home SF: 2,750
$188.45 x 2,750 = $518,237.50
New Mexico
Average cost per SF: $145.47
Average new home SF: 2,400
$145.47 x 2,400 = $349,128
New York
Average cost per SF: $180.09
Average new home SF: 2,750
$180.09 x 2,750 =$495,247.50
North Carolina
Average cost per SF: $150.75
Average new home SF: 2,500
$150.75 x 2,500 = $376,875
North Dakota
Average cost per SF: $106.25
Average new home SF: 2,250
$106.25 x 2,250 = $239,062.50
Ohio
Average cost per SF: $111.24
Average new home SF: 2,250
$111.24 x 2,250 = $250,290
Oklahoma
Average cost per SF: $130.25
Average new home SF: 2,500
$130.25 x 2,500 = $325,625
Oregon
Average cost per SF: $170.29
Average new home SF: 2,400
$170.29 x 2,400 = $408,696
Pennslyvania
Average cost per SF: $151.10
Average new home SF: 2,750
$151.10 x 2,750 = $415,525
Rhode Island
Average cost per SF: $169.09
Average new home SF: 2,750
$169.09 x 2,750 = $464,997.50
South Carolina
Average cost per SF: $150.92
Average new home SF: 2,500
$150.92 x 2,500 = $377,300
South Dakota
Average cost per SF: $102.21
Average new home SF: 2,250
$102.21 x 2,250 = $229,972.50
Tennessee
Average cost per SF: $130.97
Average new home SF: 2,500
$130.97 x 2,500 = $327,425
Texas
Average cost per SF: $132.05
Average new home SF: 2,500
$132.05 x 2,500 = $330,125
Utah
Average cost per SF: $144.28
Average new home SF: 2,400
$144.28 x 2,400 = $346,272
Vermont
Average cost per SF: $153.92
Average new home SF: 2,750
$153.92 x 2,750 = $423,280
Virginia
Average cost per SF: $155.05
Average new home SF: 2,500
$155.05 x 2,500 = $387,625
Washington
Average cost per SF: $171.55
Average new home SF: 2,400
$171.55 x 2,400 = $411,720
West Virginia
Average cost per SF: $150.56
Average new home SF: 2,500
$150.56 x 2,500 = $376,400
Wisconsin
Average cost per SF: $119.57
Average new home SF: 2,250
$119.57 x 2,250 = $269,032.50
Wyoming
Average cost per SF: $145.21
Average new home SF: 2,400
$145.21 x 2,400 = $348,504
Were you surprised by your state’s average cost? If you already have in mind how many square feet your home will be, you can skip over and use this handy tool that can give you a more accurate average cost; using the square footage you type in and your state or zip code.
Remember when using this tool that the price that is shown to you is an estimate, not an exact price, and this does not include the additional costs that were discussed earlier in this article.
Questions To Ask Your Contractor & Yourself
Now that you’ve got the answer to your burning question you may be ready to shut off your laptop, jump out of your chair, and get straight to work; and who could blame you, excitement courses through the veins when something as adrenaline pumping as building your own home is reeling through your mind! There are blueprints to be made, plans to finalize, and news to tell!
But, we’ll bet you’ll be glad that you stuck around to further assess all the nooks and crannies of preparedness that come with prepping for a large construction project like this. When tackling a dream this big, you can’t be too prepared!
Let’s cover some relevant questions you may want to ask yourself and or your family before you start writing up those building plans. You may also want to consider running some of these questions, or relevant bits of them, past your contractor.
As they have probably been on more job sites than they can count and have seen a variety of different homeowners and their situations, you may find some very valuable advice and answers from them.
Plus, you’re already paying quite a bit for their time it would be a shame to not utilize them and their expertise for the sake of the budget!
Are you, and or your family, ready for this change?
The building process can take years to complete, and that could be the best-case scenario. Sometimes problems can be found during construction, money becomes tight, or life events come up that cannot be prevented.
Delays may come and go or there are shortages in materials, to make a long story short you and your household may have to be prepared and patient for more than a year before your home is turn-key.
Being able to have a solid and comfortable living arrangement while the construction of your home is going on will be incredibly important for not only your day-to-day life but also a relaxing place to come to when stress runs high from the building process.
It’s inevitable that those days will happen, but remember that they will come and go and in the meantime, you can take a step back and take a breather.
Another perspective of making sure you’re ready for this change is from a financial standpoint. A significant amount of money is required for this major project and although it’s hard to gauge when the right time really is the right time for a big life decision, making sure you have enough money saved for it and extra for personal/family emergencies is the smartest choice you can make.
You never want to put yourself or your family in any potential financial danger; for financial advice, you could talk to your banker, or talk to a family member or friend who has gone through this process before and has some insight for you they wished someone had let them in on when they were in your shoes.
Does your residential prospect have the potential for the present and future?
Perhaps you’ve found a piece of land for a price that’s within your range and you’re starting to drum up some plans, nailing down that square footage, and everything is feeling perfectly snug for you and your family’s current life.
That’s all good and cozy, of course, you want everyone to be happy! But, you’ll thank your past self if you’re mindful of the constructional layout of your home for possible future upgrades and remodeling you may want to have.
We never know what the future is going to bring us, maybe one day you’ll want your kitchen to be bigger after all, or someday you’ll want to splurge and knock out that one weird wall so that you can have your dream walk-in closet, or life throws you an unexpected surprise of another little bundle of joy.
Whatever the remodel or plot twist maybe, you’ll be happier that you planned ahead for the possible than to be told by a future contractor that what you want is impossible or extremely expensive due to the home’s original construction.
Is this an expense that I need to spend now, or can I invest in it Later?
When we’re excited about a project there are dozens of bits and pieces of ideas running around our heads and we want to implement them all and be done with the project in one big go.
That would be ideal in this case, to have your absolute dream home with every detail you wished for all at once. But sometimes, it may be smarter to hold off on a few projects until further down the line.
Let’s say you have a set budget and it looks like that luxury bathroom you wanted in the master bedroom is costing a little more than you intended.
Of course, you deserve that bathroom, but you could potentially save and invest in it further into the future so you can cut back on the bathroom costs and put it towards the more vital parts of your house’s construction.
It’ll sting a little at first to let some of those luxuries go, but remember that they’re only temporary and your whole picture-perfect home will come into focus soon; it’ll all be worth it!
Are you completely invested in the location/property, or are you settling?
Sometimes the housing and property market can be a hit or a miss, so when a possible prospect pops up eager future homeowners and builders alike want to lunge at it.
Although it may feel like an eternity for a new property to turn up and you are itching to build and get your home life rocking and rolling, it’s better to wait for a property that is right for you on all levels rather than settle and regret your premature purchasing decision later.
It’s also good to keep in mind what kind of area you are potentially moving into.
- Is it in an area that could develop, does it have the potential for community growth?
- How is the general friendliness of people around the area?
- If you have kiddos, what is the school district like?
- What will your commute to work be like?
All these questions and more should be thoroughly discussed before pulling the trigger on purchasing a property or piece of land.
Well, you may give yourself a pat on the back, you’ve reached the end of the article!
There have been dozens of numbers glossed over your eyes, tons of construction details, you’ve just absorbed a lot of information! At times this process may feel overwhelming, and that feeling is completely normal.
So, please make sure that you take a step back when you need to and take care of yourself so you don’t build up a subconscious resentment towards your unfinished house.
Remind yourself often that this phase of the project is merely temporary and will one day be a memory you, your family, and friends talk about in celebration because now you have a wonderful, cozy, loving pace to gather together.
Building a house is an incredible privilege many people dream of doing, and you’re doing yourself and your future home a great service by conducting thorough research and striding into this milestone of life with smarts, confidence, and new knowledge.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions, branch out and watch YouTube videos about building your own house and what to expect, and maybe even call up some of your older relatives who have lived through the journey of building their own house.
You never know what kind of advice they may have for you, and you can tell them all about the new world of residential construction prices!
