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Understanding the Costs of Building a Custom Home
February 17, 2022

Planning and building your dream home is an exciting process that is filled with endless possibilities. Before even consulting with a contractor, you may have already decided on the major details. Decisions as big as the architectural style, size, or layout might be solidified and you may have even selected finishing touches such as your favorite chandelier or paint color.


So the big question: What is my dream home going to cost me?


Every custom home’s design and building process is unique, just like the families they are built for. For that reason there is no one-size-fits-all price. That being said, there are common factors that can influence a project’s cost.


In order to help you gain a better understanding of a baseline cost for your home, this article will help explain square foot pricing along with major factors that affect a project’s cost, including:

  • Architectural style
  • Site conditions
  • Details
  • Finishes


PRICE PER SQUARE FOOT

 

When we talk about pricing for new home construction, you’ll often hear numbers in terms of price per square foot. There are many working parts in calculating the price per square foot of a project. The size of the house is one factor, but the cost includes interior and exterior architectural finishes as well.


Square foot pricing will also incorporate costs for:

  • Materials
  • Appliances
  • Subcontractors
  • Landscaping


Our homes average 2,800 square feet or more, and our price per square foot is generally $800 or higher, depending on the factors described above.

 

ARCHITECTURAL STYLE

One major factor that will influence a project’s price is the architectural style. You may decide that you want your home to be ultra-modern with a flat roof, or perhaps ranch-style with a three-car garage, or maybe even a transitional-style house with decorative beams and a swimming pool.


Certain style homes are more structurally complex and have far more interior and exterior details, which is why some are more expensive to build than others. For instance, an ultra-modern home style is generally more costly because of its extremely detailed and precise finishes such as recessed baseboards, crisp, smooth finishes, floating stairs, standing seam metal roof, and large custom aluminum windows.


On the opposite end of the style spectrum are craftsman or traditional-style homes with lots of intricate door and window casings, detailed crown moulding, coffered ceilings, and wainscot paneling. All of these unique features add to the project’s cost.


Other architectural styles, like transitional homes, may have fewer intricate details, like less expensive wood/aluminum clad windows, a composite shingle roof, and no crown moulding or wainscoting. More complex plans require more labor and custom materials, which also involves more time and more money.


SITE CONDITIONS

 

Site condition refers to the physical, geotechnical, and archeological conditions of the land where construction will occur and could potentially add additional costs to home building. Subsurface water and soil composition are two major examples of the complications that could occur in regard to site conditions.


One of the first steps to designing/building your home is to hire a geotechnical engineer (also referred to as a “soils engineer”). Oftentimes, your architect will suggest hiring a soils engineer  who is familiar with your area’s site conditions.


This person will take soil samples by boring holes down to depths of 30–40 feet to analyze and determine the groundwater level and soil composition. These findings will help the structural engineer and architect properly design your house to withstand seismic activity, wind, and other natural events.


Soil composition matters

The ground and soil composition helps the building crew make decisions regarding foundation construction. For instance, if a home is built upon expansive soils (clay-based soil), the foundation could experience lifting, cracking, and other structural issues because the soil expands and contracts easily.


One solution for dealing with poor soil composition is excavating and removing existing soil and replacing with engineered fill. Drilled piers are also a common method used to combat the shifting properties of expansive soils. Piers are used as additional foundation support and typically are 16–32 inches in diameter and 20–32+ feet deep. The holes are drilled, reinforced with grade beams (and void forms), and filled with concrete. Depending on the diameter, depth, and number of piers needed, this method could add anywhere from $15,000 to $60,000+.

Drilled Pier

Subsurface water can add to your costs

If subsurface water is found on your site, it can be one of the largest added costs. Excessive subsurface water can cause significant problems to the foundation, so it is important to remove the water through methods such as traditional dewatering or the addition of secant walls.


Dewatering can cost upwards of $50,000 while secant walls can cost close to $200,000 or more depending on the size of the basement. Additional costs for waterproofing a basement or crawlspace can also increase the square foot price.


 

FINISHES, FIXTURES, AND APPLIANCES

 

Additional elements that play into a project’s cost are the finishes, fixtures, and appliances chosen for the home.


Finishing touches give your home personality

Options for finishes are vast, and the price varies depending on the quantity and quality of the materials. Finishes can include:

  • Flooring
  • Countertops
  • Kitchen cabinets
  • Paint
  • Fixtures (faucets, cabinet handles, etc.)


For example, flooring materials such as linoleum and laminate are on the lower end of the price range and can cost around $1 to $4 per square foot, whereas hardwood, tile or concrete flooring can cost $15 to $25+ per square foot (or even more), depending on the stain or finish.


The same goes for other finishes in a house such as paint, stone, plumbing fixtures, and cabinet styles. Whether you favor granite over quartz countertops, or Farrow and Ball paint over Benjamin Moore, the finishing touches and their costs will vary depending on a family’s preferences and lifestyle.



Appliances do the heavy lifting

As for appliances, they have evolved to include luxurious technologies that have the ability to provide dinner recipes, do dishes and laundry in minutes, and operate via Bluetooth.


Depending on if you are looking for something with all the bells and whistles or something that will just get the job done, the appliances can easily increase the final price of a project. A few brands that we frequently install that are on the higher end of the price range are Sub-Zero, Wolf, Miele, and Electrolux. Choosing high-end brands can add anywhere from $20,000 to $50,000+ to a project’s cost. 

CONCLUSION

It is safe to say that there is no universal, “cookie cutter” answer for how much a project will cost, but your dream home should be designed and built in a way that embodies you and your family. Understanding our average price per square foot and average house size can help form a baseline estimate for your project’s cost. Hopefully we answered some questions about pricing and additional considerations when estimating the cost of your new home.


Contact us today to schedule a consultation and discuss your design and construction options for your dream home today. 

Building a House vs. Buying an Existing One

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Deciding whether to build a new house or buy an existing one is a significant and often complex choice that involves various factors. Both options have their advantages and disadvantages, and the decision ultimately depends on your preferences, needs, and circumstances. In this article, we'll explore the key considerations when weighing the pros and cons of building a new home versus buying an existing one.

Finding the Right Custom Home Builder: A Comprehensive Guide

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From Blueprint to Move-In: Navigating the Home Building Process

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Keeping Your Jobsite Dry: Techniques for Effective Dewatering

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Dewatering during rainy months is a crucial aspect of construction site management. When starting a job in the winter/rainy months, rain storms can wreak havoc on a jobsite, causing serious delays and potentially significant change orders. In this article, we will share a few tips on how to effectively dewater a construction site.

Accessory Dwelling Units: Making the Most of Your Space

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Looking for a little more room? California has recently loosened some building regulations that can make housing add-ons more feasible. An accessory dwelling unit (ADU) is a small residential dwelling that can function independently from the main residence and can be attached or detached from the main home while sharing the same property. In recent years, ADUs have become more and more common, and the Assembly Bill 68 (AB68), and recently Senate Bill 9(SB9), has been a major influencing factor. AB68 and SB9 have encouraged homeowners to build ADUs by “wiping clean” many of the previous restrictive rules and regulations in place that hindered many homeowners from building one.

Tips for Constructing Fire Resistant Homes

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5 Custom Home Trends You'll Want To Consider

June 20, 2022
Custom homes are quickly becoming one of the most popular ways to ensure you get the property of your dreams. From the ability to add details of luxury wherever you want them to the chance to create a home that you'll feel good coming back to at the end of the day: these are the top home trends you want to consider when building your own, and why custom homes are a fantastic idea. Why Get a Custom Home? Creating your home is something that few people get to experience, but it's an incredible process from start to end. Not only do you get to build a property to your liking, deciding everything from the layout to how you want each space to look, but it's also a great way to make sure that luxury and beauty and woven throughout your home and that you're excited to get back to your property at the end of the day. Custom homes can be more expensive, but when you're creating a property where you want to live and spend time with the people you love, the cost means nothing. These are the five top home trends you'll want to consider when building your custom home.

Is Supple Homes a Good Fit For You?

February 17, 2022
Service providers are constantly on the lookout for clients, and that means putting their best faces forward. On the flip side of that coin, consumers are poring over search results to find the best fit. So let’s think about the information you’ll find in your service provider research. You’ll probably find mission statements, service details, and—ultimately—why you should choose them. Yes, this is useful information, but wouldn't it help you make a better decision and quickly narrow your search if they also mentioned who they were NOT a good fit for? Contractors and other service providers have different areas of expertise and different working styles, and Supple Homes is no exception. We understand that we may not be the right fit for everyone, and we want to help you make the best decision for your needs. Below we have specified a few factors that will help you determine if we are a good fit (or not).

Common Questions Asked About Our Journey

February 17, 2022
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Project Management-FAQ

February 17, 2022
Here  at Supple Homes, we know that embarking on the journey of building a custom home in the Bay Area can seem quite foreign. “Why are they pouring concrete now?” “When do finishes need to be picked out and ordered?” “What’s going to happen once framing is complete?” It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the construction lingo, concrete, and rebar, which is why it’s important to us that we keep our clients in the loop and that they are involved throughout the process of their custom home construction. Below, we have identified and answered some of the most common questions we receive about our project management. Can I have Sean as my project manager? Sean Supple, the president of Supple Homes, no longer takes on the role of project manager, but he does spend a large portion of his time overseeing projects and working hand-in-hand with our project managers. His oversight ensures that every custom built home exceeds client expectations. He is responsible for multiple key components of the company, such as sales, estimating, and ensuring that all projects are running smoothly, making it difficult for him to dedicate the necessary amount of time and attention that a single project requires. That being said, Sean is actively involved with each and every project, which may make it seem as though he is your project manager. He visits each jobsite at least once a week, allowing him to stay up-to-date and offer his support and expertise wherever and whenever they may be needed. Who will run my project? Each project is assigned to one of our project managers, and generally, each project manager is responsible for no more than two custom home constructions at a time. All of our project managers have over ten years of experience within the construction industry and go above and beyond to not only put forward exceptional work, but also to form transparent and genuine connections with our clients. Check out our About Us page to learn more about Supple Homes’s exceptional team. Will there be someone from Supple Homes onsite every day? Yes! By delegating no more than two projects to each project manager, we allow each of them to spend time onsite daily, ensuring that every luxury custom home meets our lofty company standards for craftsmanship and excellence. Will we have weekly meetings? Conference calls that involve the project manager, Sean, clients, and the architect and/or designer will be held weekly. These 30- to 60-minute calls keep everyone on the same page and allow all parties the opportunity to provide updates, ask questions, and voice any concerns. We are also more than happy to schedule in-person meetings and project walk-throughs upon client request. Aside from weekly conference calls, our project managers are always available to clients via email, phone, and text. We encourage our clients to communicate with their project manager as often as they feel is necessary, and it is quite common for project managers to be in contact with clients throughout the week. Clients can follow our Instagram and Facebook accounts (and other social media channels) for general progress photos and videos. For detailed project updates, we use a construction management software platform called Buildertrend . Buildertrend provides our clients with their own password-controlled web portal and mobile app. Once logged in, clients can view daily updates regarding their project through pictures, videos, and written daily logs. Additionally, the project schedule is viewable and tasks (such as deadlines to select tile, etc.) with specific deadlines will be shown. Our goal is to provide the most transparent, client-friendly approach possible to custom home building in the Bay Area. Have additional questions or feel ready to take the first step toward your very own Bay Area custom built home? Contact our team to get started!
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