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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:
o 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.
o 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.
o 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.
o 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.
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.
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.
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.
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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