Building a house verses buying one?

Question

How much does it cost to build a new 4 bedroom house? Has anyone here just built one?

:)

Answer 1

I really depends on the upgrades and materials used. You should be able to build a home anywhere from $85-$125 per square foot.

Now is probably the best time to build since construction costs are down, land prices are down, and labor is down.

Answer 2

Where and with what materials? You can start in the mid to high 10ks and go up as high as you like.  It’s all about where you’re building, who's doing the work, and with what products.

In terms of cost, it’s easier to control your costs if you buy an existing home. When people get into building, they have to contend with changes in the price of materials and the big problem is that they don’t pick out every component before they start.

So you might budget $5K for kitchen cabinets and then realize the ones you really want are $10K. Or you order a bathtub that costs $2K, only you measured the dimensions for it wrong and so when you go to install it, it doesn’t fit. Do you pay your your contractor to move the walls, and potentially wires and plumbing or do you scrap it and buy a new tub?  

If money isn’t a problem and you love making decisions (you’ll be in charge of everything from fixtures to the exact location of light switches & electrical outlets), build away.