Total cost to build vs cost per square foot

Total Cost to Build a House vs Cost Per Square Foot

The average cost to build a new home in the USA varies depending on many factors, such as the size, home plan design, building materials, and location of the house. The approximate average cost of building a new 2100 square foot home in the United States is about $334,000 or $159 per square foot. The range can really vary from state to state and by local zip codes. See the charts below in this article for more information.

First, think of it as asking “what does a car cost by the pound?” Hmmm, got your attention?

What does Cost Per Square Foot (SqFt) mean? The cost per square foot of living area is calculated by dividing the total cost of the home by the livable (heated) square feet, EXCLUDING the covered porches and garages. Cost per Sqft may be misleading, as different builders may have different ways of measuring and estimating the costs of these non-living areas. Land costs, sitework development, utilities, and other preconstruction costs must be considered for a “TOTAL COST TO BUILD” but are usually NOT in a cost per square foot method.

Cost per square feet vs startbuild total construction budget

Be aware of construction cost per square foot. This metric is often used to compare several types of homes, locations, and builders, as well as to estimate the construction budget and financing needed for a new house construction. Total Cost To Build is a more involved calculation, as it includes many more factors, such as the house plans, foundation type, garage area, covered porches, construction materials, and location of the house. The personal level of plan customization, quality of finish materials good, better, best, and custom features of the house will change the construction costs.

So what is the Total Cost to Build a new house? There are ways of estimating the total costs for new construction that will break out the line costs of each part of the new home and include non-living areas, garages, porches, sitework, utilities and more. Therefore, it is important to be aware of and develop a total construction budget that includes all the construction line items in your construction budget.

The Cost to Build a House cost calculator can provide you with a solid starting point estimate, It will break out the line items and TOTAL construction cost budget that you can adjust to be more accurate.

Want to get started creating your personalized cost to build report? Link your plan and order today – go to CostToBuildAHouse.com (then click on the “contact us” if you have more questions)

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Median Home Prices New Home Construction Cost Range New Home Construction Cost Per Sqft   Note: “Foundation up” estimated costs only Note: “Foundation up” estimated costs only Land / Site work / Utilities / and other soft costs will ADD Costs to Construction
State Median Price State Low Range High Range State Average Cost Price per SqFt Alabama $267,100 Alabama $291,397 $380,000 Alabama $291,397 $139 Alaska $350,000 Alaska $346,112 $400,000 Alaska $346,112 $165 Arizona $435,300 Arizona $317,153 $625,000 Arizona $317,153 $151 Arkansas $246,000 Arkansas $288,175 $300,000 Arkansas $288,175 $137 California $793,600 California $345,112 $600,000 California $345,112 $164 Colorado $586,100 Colorado $330,238 $500,000 Colorado $330,238 $157 Connecticut $424,900 Connecticut $341,112 $800,000 Connecticut $341,112 $162 Delaware $375,000 Delaware $329,212 $400,000 Delaware $329,212 $157 Florida $405,000 Florida $297,228 $350,000 Florida $297,228 $142 Georgia $389,500 Georgia $305,143 $400,000 Georgia $305,143 $145 Hawaii $714,100 Hawaii $431,364 $600,000 Hawaii $431,364 $205 Idaho $539,000 Idaho $326,675 $400,000 Idaho $326,675 $156 Illinois $266,800 Illinois $339,082 $750,000 Illinois $339,082 $161 Indiana $242,500 Indiana $329,607 $400,000 Indiana $329,607 $157 Iowa $289,900 Iowa $324,620 $400,000 Iowa $324,620 $155 Kansas $263,700 Kansas $312,435 $400,000 Kansas $312,435 $149 Kentucky $246,700 Kentucky $308,661 $400,000 Kentucky $308,661 $147 Louisiana $243,300 Louisiana $296,107 $400,000 Louisiana $296,107 $141 Maine $370,000 Maine $337,427 $400,000 Maine $337,427 $161 Maryland $395,000 Maryland $339,442 $380,000 Maryland $339,442 $162 Massachusetts $595,700 Massachusetts $343,112 $600,000 Massachusetts $343,112 $163 Michigan $238,800 Michigan $325,347 $265,000 Michigan $325,347 $155 Minnesota $330,500 Minnesota $338,085 $400,000 Minnesota $338,085 $161 Mississippi $232,800 Mississippi $287,670 $300,000 Mississippi $287,670 $137 Missouri $243,500 Missouri $333,038 $485,000 Missouri $333,038 $159 Montana $609,900 Montana $333,286 $400,000 Montana $333,286 $159 Nebraska $280,400 Nebraska $332,676 $400,000 Nebraska $332,676 $158 Nevada $479,299 Nevada $326,753 $450,000 Nevada $326,753 $156 New Hampshire $451,400 New Hampshire $340,112 $400,000 New Hampshire $340,112 $162 New Jersey $485,900 New Jersey $342,112 $400,000 New Jersey $342,112 $163 New Mexico $358,600 New Mexico $314,409 $400,000 New Mexico $314,409 $150 New York $649,000 New York $344,112 $950,000 New York $344,112 $164 North Carolina $362,200 North Carolina $297,062 $450,000 North Carolina $297,062 $141 North Dakota $334,075 North Dakota $340,112 $400,000 North Dakota $340,112 $162 Ohio $228,000 Ohio $333,017 $345,000 Ohio $333,017 $159 Oklahoma $233,900 Oklahoma $300,673 $400,000 Oklahoma $300,673 $143 Oregon $490,200 Oregon $336,362 $400,000 Oregon $336,362 $160 Pennsylvania $268,100 Pennsylvania $335,178 $450,000 Pennsylvania $335,178 $160 Rhode Island $455,500 Rhode Island $340,112 $400,000 Rhode Island $340,112 $162 South Carolina $360,800 South Carolina $301,079 $400,000 South Carolina $301,079 $143 South Dakota $300,200 South Dakota $301,739 $400,000 South Dakota $301,739 $144 Tennessee $418,900 Tennessee $302,204 $380,000 Tennessee $302,204 $144 Texas $336,400 Texas $309,334 $660,000 Texas $309,334 $147 Utah $548,900 Utah $333,489 $400,000 Utah $333,489 $159 Vermont $395,800 Vermont $322,652 $400,000 Vermont $322,652 $154 Virginia $415,600 Virginia $310,815 $560,000 Virginia $310,815 $148 Washington $605,400 Washington $340,102 $450,000 Washington $340,102 $162 West Virginia $284,000 West Virginia $304,383 $400,000 West Virginia $304,383 $145 Wisconsin $329,000 Wisconsin $334,316 $400,000 Wisconsin $334,316 $159 Wyoming $317,000 Wyoming $329,590 $400,000 Wyoming $329,590 $157