How Much does it Cost to Build a House

"How much does it cost to build a house?" is the question we and home designers around the country are asked most frequently. Our answer is always the same, "It depends". There are so many factors that impact the cost of building a home; it's hard to pinpoint it with any accuracy before you get through the actual quote process with your builder. Actually, there are even a few factors that can't be determined until the actual building takes place.

To be honest, it is possible to estimate  :"the cost of building a house". The US Census Bureau provides an average cost per square foot of new construction both nationally and by geographic region. These are not precise figures and can vary by $20 or more per square foot. Therefore you must include room for variances in your budget. Factors impacting cost include where you live, the time of year you're building, the quality of materials you choose, and your lot, just to name a few.

Geographic differences can be significant. Homes in the Northeast tend to cost more than homes in the South. Why? The cost of materials is higher, the building season is usually shorter. The average contract price per square foot as published by the US Census Bureau shows a difference of more than $30 per square foot between the Northeast and South. Now consider whether you're building close to a metropolitan area or in a rural, less populated area of your state. We've seen prices vary by as much as $20 per square foot between towns only an hour apart. These factor wll determine the "average cost to build a house"

Your builder can influence the "cost of building a house". Let's face it, a "building contractor" provides a service. The type of service you want will impact the overall "cost of building a house". If you want a builder who is meticulous about every detail of your home, it will cost more than if you want a builder who will focus on getting your home up quickly. Some builders increase their prices during high demand periods. If building in your geographic area is seasonal, you may want to consider starting your home in the "off-season" to take advantage of a builder's down time, and hopefully, lower prices.

Lots can also bring on many hidden surprises. You don't know for certain what's underneath your feet until you actually start digging. If you are putting in a full basement, you may not discover ledge until you're several feet down. Now you have to add the cost of blasting. A well can also bring on unpredictable costs. Contractors cannot guarantee they will hit water at a certain depth. Even if the lot right next to yours hit water at 100 feet, that doesn't mean you will. You may suddenly find yourself spending a lot more (or if you're lucky, a lot less!) than originally planned.

Now, we'll get into those costs YOU can control. What type of heating and cooling system will your home have? Many eco-friendly systems are more expensive up front, although long term cost savings and environmental impact make them worth considering. Custom cabinets, granite countertops, one of a kind light fixtures and exotic hardwood floors - every choice you make will impact the cost of your home. Smart consumers will splurge on items that can't easily be upgraded after the house is complete - like a geothermal heating system. Then they choose standard faucets, light fixtures and other items which can be easily upgraded at some point in the future.

 
Real Estate Link Exchange Directory
Free link exchange and link building service for real estate themed websites. 

These are just a small sampling of what impacts the "cost of your home". It would be great if you could slap a price tag on each plan and say this is the final cost to build your home, but then you wouldn't be able to customize it, make it your own. So be patient and flexible. Use the average square foot cost for your region as a starting point for your budget, but not as a final cost. Talk to local builders as they will give you a much more accurate picture of costs.

Link building Hot Secrets

Building a Home

When it finally comes time to design, plan and create your dream home, after saving and moving through the real estate market until you're at the point where you can afford to build your own property and settle down with the family, it can be difficult to know where to begin.

With Christchurch's property market just starting to bounce back after the 2010/2011 earthquakes, now is a fantastic time to buy. The eastern suburbs are still experiencing plenty of instability and a lot of homes around 

New Brighton, Avonside and Wainoni are red-zoned, so looking toward Burnside, Riccarton and even Saint Martins or Cashmere with the future in mind is a good idea. All of these areas have access to fantastic schooling with Burnside High and Cashmere High two of the most popular public secondary schools in the city and having historically strong market trends and a strong future ahead of them.

How many bedrooms do you need?

Do you want a patio? How big do you want the living room windows? 

Do you want French sliding doors leading out to the backyard? 
There are so many different things to think of before you even get started with construction!

Make sure you think of a few of these design features before contracting a house builder in Christchurch to start your home.

Energy Efficiency

Double insulated glass windows and high quality insulation in the roof and walls will help cut your power bill down during Christchurch's cold winter months and will help regulate temperatures inside. It's a good idea to invest in an energy star rated hot water tank as well. If you want true energy efficiency, the build phase is the perfect time to install solar panels.

Heating 

A heat pump is almost a necessity in Christchurch with strict controls over home heating and open fires in place. With a properly insulated house and some careful thought on window and door placement in regards to airflow, you can save a lot of money during winter and keep the house cool during summer with just one unit.

Extra Space

More bedrooms mean more functionality as well as the potential for higher property value down the road. Build with the future in mind and consider everything from additions to the family to how much room the kids will need to study and have friends around when they get to high school. You always have to option to add on to your property later, but extensions can be expensive.

Choose the right property, take advantage of the current real estate market and build smart in Christchurch. Despite a less-than-positive initial outlook for the Garden City after the February earthquake, things are looking bright for the future.

How to Build a House

Being broke and cheap is harder than it looks. At least, that's my story anyway. For me, it was necessity which prompted me to learn cost-saving methods and almost-free ideas. And of course, I added to the ones my mother and her mother before her which had stood me well. So when I decided to stop paying rent and build some measure of wealth for my family, I didn't become suddenly uncheap. Oh no, I wanted to figure out how to build a home for less so I started brainstorming and came up with diy home building. Better known as do it yourself home building. I then took these steps:

Step 1: 
Find and buy the cheapest, most unrestricted land in an area that meets your needs! For me this wasn't too difficult. I found an old nearly rundown subdivision without ordinances anymore which although was very poor, it wasn't crime ridden and voila. Large lot 100' x 150' just waiting to be built upon. My cost is $775. Yes, I am that good and you can be too!

Step 2: 
If you have the cash, buy a large portable building. If you are like me, broke and cheap, rent-to-own a decent size one. This is the first building of your new home or perhaps the first section if you choose to build onto it. Since these buildings are only shells, they are fairly cheap. Either way, this is the beginning.

A portable building has so many possibilities to build a home for less, there is no way I could list them all in this short article. I found the smallest one I could live with to begin which costs $100 down and $167 monthly. Naturally, if you rent-to-own, you will be told not to alter the building. But seriously if you truly intend to keep it and you can afford the relatively tiny cost (when compared to renting or getting a mortgage), then I for one wouldn't let that stop me. This is going to be your home you will build for less, right?

Step 3: 
Insulate, put in electrical, and put in plumbing. So many books and articles exist on this subjects. Just pick one or more and follow along. Some of the best in diy home building are in Lowes and Home Depot. Some of the cheapest are online and at the library. Now since this building is so tiny compared to most homes with some scrounged parts, this part cost me less than $300.

Depending on how good you are at scrounging and how much of any type of misplaced "pride" you have when it comes to begging, your totals might be higher. But my total cost so far to begin (without the monthly "mortgage") is only $1342. And this is only the beginning of how to build a home for less. I'll let you know what happens next.