Generally, homeowners looking to build their own home use square foot pricing to determine the overall costs so it is important to understand what it is and how it works. This method is a way to roughly compare the costs of construction for two similar houses, houses with different features and in different parts of the country. But this is not really a reliable method to evaluate building costs of a particular home design, but can provide you with a rough idea.

Construction Costs In House Design

In most cases, the effects of the complexity of a home on the cost of construction is misunderstood, and is often one of the main reasons for a nasty surprise for home plan buyers. Simply put, it is easier to build a simple house than a complex house, but what exactly defines a complex building plan?

For the most part, it’s the amount of roof and foundation to the area of the house and the function of the house. So a French country design will be different than a colonial style design in that it is fewer complexes, and every intersecting roof, angle, bay window, level or porch change adds complexity to a house design.

Size Of The House Design

The fact is that bigger houses cost more, but more important than the size of the house is the cost per square foot or where that size goes, and this will vary greatly across rooms. An area such as a kitchen will obviously require more square footage and cost more owing to the fact that it will be appointed with several things such as flooring, cabinets, appliances, countertops, expensive finishes, et cetera.

If you reduce the space from low cost per square foot areas such as bedrooms in an effort to bring the size of the house down, you will find that doing this has not affected the overall costs of the home that much.

Fixtures And Finishes

Flooring, cabinets, and countertops make up for roughly 30 percent to 40 percent of the cost of the house. It is very easy to lose control of the total cost of these items owing to the fact that there are so many in this category. So the best thing to do is especially if your budget is tight is to put the nice stuff into the master bath and kitchen and the cheap stuff in other areas of the home. It is a good idea to make a list of items at the beginning of the project and stick to it to prevent going overboard on shopping day.

Budget

It is important to keep a track of your budget because small things can add up fast and before you know it. To avoid a budget creep, it is best to be patient and plan accordingly. Start with a clear plan with regards to the quality you expect and the level of finish and always maintain a realistic budget about your project, and communicate this with the professionals involved in your project such as an architect and interior designer.