Home Building Tips from the Pros
A home construction is probably one of the biggest investments an individual or a family can have. But before delving into the actual home construction, a wise investor or homeowner would need to sit it out first, probably with the assistance of a professional builder, and set an accurate estimate on the total cost and other possible contingencies in building a home.
Rough estimates can be obtained from online cost estimators, but nothing beats the advices of a professional builder in maximizing your budget and avoiding cost pitfalls usually associated with home building. Look for home builders near your area, particularly those with experience in building homes that are comparable with the dream house you have in your mind. Get ballpark figures and possible listings of materials and their associated costs.
Home builders usually give building cost based on square footage. Getting an estimate of the cost per square foot in similar homes near your target location can give you a ballpark figure. You can get this by first getting the dimensions and price of the home you’re basing on, plus the cost of the land. Subtracting the land cost from the home price, then dividing this value with the square footage can give the price per square foot. Try this on several homes in the vicinity until you get a rough average.
The design and complexity of the house can also factor in the total cost for home building. The number of windows, the materials used in the bathroom and kitchen, patios and roof designs should be considered in getting the correct costing for the home. A two-story home can actually cost less than a single story home with the same square footage. Single floor houses would be spread out across the lot and would entail more roofing, foundation, plumbing and ventilation costs.
Other factors to consider would be the size and shape of the home, site preparation (clearing for trees, large rocks, etc), overruns and contingencies, and the prevailing market conditions.
