The cost of a home is primarily driven by three things: size, design, and finishes.
Size refers to the overall square footage of the home. Design includes how complex the house is, such as the foundation type, ceiling heights, roof pitches, rooflines, number of windows, and how “cut up” the floor plan is. A simple rectangular home builds very differently than a home with multiple rooflines, vaulted ceilings, or a raised foundation.
Finishes include the selections and features inside and outside the home, such as flooring, countertops, lighting, plumbing fixtures, cabinets, fireplaces, appliance packages, outdoor kitchens, and other upgrades.
It is also important to understand that price per square foot can be misleading without context. Garages, porches, unfinished bonus rooms, and other unheated spaces still cost money to build, but they are not counted the same way as heated square footage. Smaller homes can also have a higher price-per-foot number because fixed-cost areas like kitchens and bathrooms do not shrink in cost just because the house is smaller.
Rather than starting with only a price-per-foot target, the better approach is to talk through the size, layout, and features you want so we can build a realistic number around your actual home.
