Where does the home construction cost data used in these estimates come from?

The construction cost data used in Houseplans Cost-to-Build reports is compiled from real world market information supplied by industry professionals with resulting data currently produced for over 430 geographic and economic markets throughout the USA and Canada. Construction cost estimating industry leader Xactware compiles and provides this data using a team of construction analysts with over 175 years of combined experience in the construction industry. Additional information regarding the calculated construction costs is listed below:

Calculated costs include factors for all materials, labor, and equipment needed to construct the home according to national building codes plus any known adjustments required for seismic, wind, frost and snow-load conditions. Cost for permit fees, general contractor overhead and profit, and any applicable sales tax for your area are also factored into the total.

Costs are reflective of building the home on a relatively flat or gently sloping lot. Additional costs will need to be added to account for lots which slope greater than 15 degrees.

Certain assumptions are made of the quality and quantity of specific building materials found to be common for the type, style and size of the plan chosen. Custom additions or changes may not be reflected in this value if they fall outside of the standard practices for this type of construction.

Costs are based upon finishes and features outlined in the plan you have chosen, and the actual building of the home may increase or decrease these costs. We recommend a contingency amount of 10-15% be added to address these possibilities.

Our numbers are not based on national averages, and our estimates are not “canned.” Each estimate is made to order for the house plan, construction quality and postal code you choose.

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What items are included in a Cost-to-Build estimate?

The construction materials, labor and overhead data in our estimates are very comprehensive and include the items below. It’s important to understand the quality of construction you choose can make the resultant estimate vary significantly. Be sure to check out the assumptions we make for the level of quality you choose when preparing your estimate.

Foundations: Concrete that is used for the footings, foundation walls, basement floor slab (if required), garage floor slab, as well as any concrete columns that may be required for post/pier foundations types.

Heating/AC: Includes furnace, central air conditioning unit, and all metal ductwork needed to provide hot and cold air for the entire home. The number of furnaces and air conditioning units is determined by the total square footage of the home.

Rough Framing: Wood framing used to build the structure of the home. This includes all walls, floor joists, and roof trusses. It also includes any plywood sheeting used on the top of roof trusses and floor joists, as well as outside of the exterior walls. Also includes any insulation in the walls and ceiling.

Floor Covering: Includes any material used to cover any floor in the home. It also includes any needed sub-flooring material and carpet pads. A standard ratio of 80% carpet and 20% Vinyl Tile, unless the plan indicates some other material, such as stone or hardwood flooring should be used.

Exterior Finish: The finish material that is added to the outside of the exterior walls of the home. This can include any combination of brick, stone, stucco or siding.

Appliances: The electrical appliances typically supplied by the builder when a home is built. This usually includes a range, dishwasher and garbage disposal. If additional appliances such as refrigerators, freezers, microwaves, and trash compactors are chosen in the system, these will be included as well. (They are not usually selected.)

Windows: Windows for the home, including any specialty, accent or transom windows, as well as mirrors that are normally installed in the bathrooms. The material for the window frame varies depending on the size and quality of the home, from aluminum to high-grade wood horizontal sliding windows. Currently, the system does not use high energy, or insulation windows in the calculations.

Interior Finish: Anything that covers the wooden structure of the walls and ceilings, and brings the interior of the home to a finished state. This includes all sheetrock, drywall finishes and paint. Kitchen and bathroom cabinets are also included in this section. 100% paint finish is selected for all walls and ceilings.

Roofing: The material that is installed on top of the plywood sheeting above the roof trusses. This is usually some form of shingles, but could be metal panels, copper and gravel style roofs.

Electrical: All electrical options for the home. This includes rough wiring that is installed prior to any finish, all outlet and lighting fixtures and the main connections from the available power source to the home.

Plumbing: All plumbing options for the home. This includes all rough plumbing installed prior to any finish, plumbing fixtures for the bathroom, kitchen, and utility rooms, a water heater typical for the home, and the main connection of the water and sewer lines.

Special Features: These options are selected by default depending on the size and quality of the home. They include the following: Water Softener, Central Vacuum System, Fire and/or Burglar Alarms Systems, Intercom Systems, Programmable Lighting, Home Management Systems, Fire Sprinkler Systems and Solar Panels, swimming pools, hot tubs, fountains, and home theater systems that would be included in this category.

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What items are not included in a Cost-to-Build estimate?

Houseplans Cost-to-Build estimates do not include:
o Site preparation of any kind
o Removal of existing structures
o Purchase of the lot
o Preparation of the lot
o Flatwork (like driveways)
o Detached garages or other structures
o Landscaping
o Modifications to the house plan

What is included in “Permits” and “Fees”?

Permits cost is an amount added to Cost-to-Build’s total estimate to cover building permits typically assessed by local governments for residential construction. A flat fee of $500 is added by default. Permit costs can be lower or higher than this depending on your local government’s assessment.

Fees are added to cover the cost of any work associated with local home design compliance and structural engineering. We add 3% to the total estimate for this. These fees can be lower or higher than this depending on the specific issue.

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What does “Overhead and Profit” include?

Overhead expenses are those costs incurred by the builder or general contractor to operate their business, but are not attributable to any one specific job. We add 10% to cover contractor overhead. Overhead costs can vary significantly from contractor to contractor. Some examples of overhead costs are general and administrative expenses, office rent, utilities, office supplies, salaries for office personnel, depreciation on office equipment, licenses, and advertising.

Profit is formally defined as the excess of the selling price of goods over cost. Profit is typically added to the cost of a construction-related job to allow the home builder performing the work to grow their company through reinvestment. We add 10% to cover contractor profit. Profit can vary significantly from contractor to contractor.

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How long does it take to get a Houseplans Cost-to-Build™ report?

Please allow two business days for delivery. Every Houseplans Cost-to-Build™ report is checked for accuracy by a human being using our custom-designed estimation tools. This naturally takes longer than "canned" estimates, but the results are more reliable.

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