All over the country, building costs are rising. Shortage of wood and other construction materials after Hurricane Katrina have affected building costs nationwide, and Jacksonville real estate is no exception. Estimating costs correctly becomes even more important when overall costs are high, because limiting waste will limit cost.
Square Footage
In general, the larger the square footage, the higher the costs. Note, though, that larger buildings cost more, but they cost less per square foot than smaller buildings. When determining square footage, include everything inside the main walls, porches, and walled additions.
Class
Each part of the house is assigned a “class”, from low to high. The class designation depends on the building materials for each area. Foundation, exterior walls, windows, doors, roofing, interior walls, flooring, bathrooms, kitchen, and plumbing are all estimated separately. Attics, balconies, basements, and garages are also estimated individually. Homes that are built on a housing tract are estimated differently than homes built on a private lot.
Heating
Central duct heating, central air conditioning, gravity heating, and unit heating are all estimated separately. Each fireplace adds to the cost of construction.
Shape
The more complicated the house’s shape, the more expensive the cost. A standard rectangular or square house with four corners will cost less than a house with the same square footage that is U shaped and has eight corners.
Local Costs
Finally, the cost of construction is adjusted based on local building costs. Another aspect that is important to remember is that while the average cost of construction varies per year, it is typical for costs to go up between 2 and 6 % per year. If you estimate building costs this year but do not plan to build for five years, the cost must be adjusted to accommodate likely increases. Otherwise, estimates will fall short when construction begins.
There are a number of excellent construction cost estimators available on line for use when planning construction on Jacksonville property. Just search Google for building cost estimator to locate dozens of excellent construction calculators to help estimate building expenses.
Posted by Carey Frankel on
This article is great as it displays in detail each factor that goes into building a new home. Very informative!
Posted by Melissa on Tuesday, April 29th, 2008 at 6:08pmLeave A Comment