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Anyone here build houses for a living?


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This is a VERY generalized question! What would be the AVERAGE cost for materials only, to build a Ranch style house, from the foundation to the last light fixture, nothing fancy, around 2000 sq/ft and in a rural area?

Edited by 8buck
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well, I work for my dad, we have helped frame up a couple houses, but we mostly build barns and small buildings and put metal roof and siding on em, just basic construction stuff like that. but Im just a labor boy, I dont know much about the cost and other stuff like that, i'd have to ask my boss :rolleyes: .

 

this is just a wild guess and probly way off :confused: , but maybe between 40 to $60,000 for the material, roofing, siding, etc. and everything else you can think of

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I would dare guess at maybe figure about 50 bucks or more

per square foot. Just material and no labor.

Keep in mind, at least in my area, the price of building material has

gone up substancially since Hurricane Katrina.

I mean, just the price of freakin' plywood has almost doubled. :cry:

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i have had my own sheathing business, i have done framing for years here,, and here on long island,, you can get a lot for about 350,000 and buiild a  decent sized  3,000 sq foot ranch  or a  nice colonial  about 150,000

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what!?!?! :rotflmao:

 

I did construction on LI for many years, and there is no way your getting a 3-3500 sft house built for $150K, your talking that in just materials maybe. My last job in LI(4 years ago) was a $50K bathroom REMODEL, and it wasn't even ALL that :yank:

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yes materials only

 

150,00-200,00 should take care of ya in materals

 

my main occupaction was sheating,,, but its eams when you go into business with a buddy,, you end up not being buddies anymore :confused::evil:

 

i still do jobs occisonally, but only when the pay is good,,, i wont work for less than 7 bucks a board now

Edited by helldriver
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I have general contracted 3 houses for myself. A couple of things I have found:

 

1. In Texas, you can sub it out and not do any labor yourself and build a heck of a nice house for $60-65/ft.

2. Sometimes it is not worth doing the labor yourself. The contractor gets a nice discount on materials that he buys in bulk. Example: the house I live in now I built a year ago. I was going to insulate it myself because it is an easy job. I got a quote for a complete job (materials and labor) for the heck of it, and it was $60 more than me buying the materials!

3. Don't "save" money on the A/C unit and insulation. I have a 18 SER A/C unit, heavy insulation, and thermal foil roof decking. My house is 2988 sq ft, and my highest electric bill has been $221 in the heat of the summer. Last month it was $119.

4. Consider recirculating hot water. All hot water pipes in the house are in series with a return pipe. A small motor pumps the hot water very slowly though the main series pipe, so you have instant hot water. Very small increase in the utility bill, but worth it. I have my pump on a timer to shut off at night.

 

Just some features that many people don;t think about that are nice. And you can't have too many electrical outlets!!! ;)

 

Brian

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Here in AZ you are lookin' at $75 a Sq Foot for bare bones. And I'm talkin' BARE.

 

If you have never built before, let me give you a piece of advice....

 

However long you THINK it's gonna take, you are wrong. It will take a third longer if you are lucky.

 

Some trades are too important to do yourself if you have no experience.(Plumbing, flatwork, framing,electrical..ect)

 

Whatever you plan on spending, add a third to it.

 

However tall you plan on making your ceilings, make them higher.

 

Every sq foot in your house does not cost the same. Kitchen and bathroom footage is the most expensive(100-150 a sq), garage and patio footage is dirt cheap(20-50 a sq), so build a big garage!

 

People that agree to help you, before the project starts, always seem to come up with reasons to not help when it comes down to it.

 

Rough-in EVERYTHING. Security, central vac, recirc. and soft water loop, surround sound, flood lighting, smart house, cat 5 (at minimum), sat, pot filler, extra 220's in garage(welder, air comp, ect.) washer dryer hookups in master closet(big in Az right now) switchable eave outlets(christmas lights plug-ins) bench height outlets in garage, hose bibs EVERYWHERE.

Hell, I plumbed in hookups for a coffee bar in my master bedroom!

It's cheap to rough in stuff on the front end, and it will give you alot of cool projects to do over time.

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i have had my own sheathing business, i have done framing for years here,, and here on long island,, you can get a lot for about 350,000 and buiild a  decent sized  3,000 sq foot ranch  or a  nice colonial  about 150,000

517364[/snapback]

 

 

all you do is sheath?? roofs or walls???????? wow...i stick frame custom homes ...and your looking right under 100k for materials bro....round 1800-2100 sq.ft.. later

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