$ per Sq foot

[utahcutter]

My husband and I are looking into building our first home. I was looking for and estimate of average cost per square foot. I know this varies depending on finish materials, but just looking for a generalization. The last number I have in any of my books is $50/sq. foot but that number is ten years old, and times do change.
Thanks

[Rich]

Typically you are looking at around $75-90 / sf for an average house. I've built cabins for $47 / sf and am currently working on a house that's at $383 / sf. So, as you stated, costs can be wildly different.
Hope that helps.

[utahcutter]

thanks for the reply. That was right around where i was guessing. If all goes as planned I'm sure i'll be back to the sight to ask more questions. This ones going on the favorite list. :D

[Rich]

Thanks for the compliments. I'm hoping traffic will start picking up. Ask all the questions you have. If I can't answer them I know people who can :D

[grumpydasmurf]

Where are you CR? Here in chicago the rule of thumb is at least $100 but typically $150.

[Rich]

Colorado. I would imagine it would be higher in Chicago.

[grumpydasmurf]

Ok I did some more investigating and asked someone who knows more about itt han I do and for a upsale house with the granite counter tops and moen faucets etc... expect 180 a sq ft. $150 a sq ft. would be for a practicle no frills no thrills house.

[utahcutter]

Seeing as I'm in Utah I would expect that the Colorado number will be closer to what we have to look at. Also wondering about engineers stamps. I'm a drafter and will be putting our plans together. Do I have to get these plans approoved by an engineer. Perhaps laws on this vary state to state also. My husband thinks we have to, and I'm of the opinion that it depends on square footage, clear spans, etc. Or maybe a better question is whats a good resource to investigate these topics. Sorry, don't know much about the residential stuff, all my experience is commercial. Hope I'm not asking to many easy questions. 8)

[Rich]

As far as the structural drawings you will need a stamp - that is if you are going to get a permit :D Your best bet is to give an anonymous call into the plan review department for you locality and ask them. Are you going to build the house yourselves? Are you doing any of the work yourself? Power to you if you do.

Another point in regards to location and cost / sf. Alot of this number is what people are willing to pay. In chicago people are willing to pay more because space is at a premium.. whereas colorado/utah doesn't have as much as a problem with space. That's just my opinion of course.

[utahcutter]

Thanks for the reply. I'll check in with the review department when we get closer to actually doing this. As far as building the house, we'll probably only wind up subbing out the concrete work, and hiring a framer, plumber, and an electrician. My husband intends to pull all the wires through the house, but he doesn't trust himself with wiring panel boxes etc. For the most part the rest can be done by us. And we are really looking forward to the sweat equity.

[grumpydasmurf]

The city of Chicago will do your prints for free by state liscensed architects on their pay roll. See... taxes are a good thing! The best part is the prints are done to code and reviewed and approved before you even get them!

If you want to save some time look at some of these sites:
http://www.coolhouseplans.com/index.html
http://www.globalhouseplans.com/index.htm
http://www.dreamhomesource.com/

Browse existing prints and then buy the plan then make your changes.

[Rich]

That's awfully nice of them to provide that service. I think Denver may do something like that too. But a need or something needs to be proven to them - mostly for low income housing.
The only problem with buying plans online is many times they won't provide a cad drawing with it. Some of them do but at an additional cost of course. :D If you do go that route the links page has a few more plan service listings.

[utahcutter]

We actually are going a route real similar to your suggestions. Found a set of plans in one of those home plan books. We want to make quite a few changes though, mostly minor but a couple fairly major ones. I figuered it would be easiest to use their idea, and turn into what we really want. For instance nobody wants a washer dryer in a hallway. They do some odd things sometimes. But I guess it takes all sorts. Just crossing our fingers we can get our hands on the building lot we want. Tying to find somebody to finance a 10%-15% down payment since my husband is trying to start up his own side business right now too. It's proving to be quite a challenge.

[grumpydasmurf]

Building a house and starting a business all at once? Hmmm that might not be the best idea. Both take major investments in time and money.

[Rich]

I used to have an excellent quote about building a home...
it stated that exact thing. Building a home is the largest investment of time and money you will...etc..etc can't remember. A business is much the same thing. I've never worked so many hours as I did when I had my own business.

[utahcutter]

I agree 100%. We actually won't be building the house right away, we're going to by the land and probably wait a year to build. Hopefully the business we'll be running fairly decent by then, though I'm sure it will still be new stuff at that time. In fact we'd wait on the whole thing if we didn't like the land so much. In the meantime I'm going to learn all I can and get a solid set of plans together so that things can go smoother when we do go through with it.

[Rich]

Good choice.

[grumpydasmurf]

A business is much the same thing. I've never worked so many hours as I did when I had my own business.

Should ahired some help. I think that' sthe #1 reason more busineses don't grow. Then again some fail cause they hire too many people.

[Rich]

I agree.. but in the area I was in there was little workforce to draw from. Plenty of good carpenters and all that but not much for people that know the business enough to estimate, and procure work.