Construction Cost

• Building a custom home can cost $100 a square foot or $350,000 for 3,500 square feet for a modest custom home in a low-cost area; with top-of-the-line materials, the average custom home costs $200-$400 or more a square foot, or $700,000-$1.4 million for 3,500 square feet. A distinctive timber-frame home with soaring ceilings and an open floor plan can cost $150-$325 a square foot, or $300,000-$650,000 for a 2,000-square-foot house.
• A modular home (built in a factory then trucked to the building site in sections) starts at $50,000-$60,000 for 800-900 square feet (1-2 bedrooms, 1 bath) not including the cost of the land, foundation or other site work, but can cost $500,000-$1 million for large, customized homes. A rough estimate for a 1,600-square-foot modular home with a modular garage plus permits, utility connections, site prep, foundation, engineering and survey work is $167,500.
• Building a garage typically costs about $35-$45 a square foot, or $8,400-$10,800 for a standard single-car garage and $13,300-$17,100 for a two-car garage. A custom outdoor greenhouse with a solid foundation, heating and electricity starts at $10,000-$20,000 for a small structure, but can cost $25,000-$50,000 or more. Installing a pole barn (which can also be used as a garage, workshop or storage facility, as well as an animal barn) can cost $8,000-$50,000 or more depending on size and amenities.
• Adding a family room can cost $75-$250 a square foot, or $30,000-$100,000 for a 16'x25' room, depending on complexity, materials and local labor rates. A bedroom addition consisting of 500 square feet of new floor space with two bedrooms and a bathroom can cost $50-$250 or more a square foot, or $25,000-$125,000. Adding a second floor to a house typically costs $100-$300 a square foot, but can be $400-$500 per square foot depending on complexity, quality of materials and local labor rates, or $225,000-$450,000 for 2-3 bedrooms and a bath plus a flight of stairs. Adding a sunroom can cost $10,000-$70,000 or more depending on size; whether it's two-season (no temperature controls) or year-round; and features like a cathedral ceiling or remote-control blinds. Adding a dormer (a horizontal extension of an upper room that extends through a sloping roof) can cost $2,500-$5,000 or more for a dormer the width of a single- or double-wide window, or $5,000-$20,000 or more for a room-size dormer. Additional floor space for a bathroom addition costs about $25,000-$50,000 for a basic 6'x8' bathroom, and goes up depending on complexity, quality of fixtures, number of amenities and local labor rates.
• Installing a deck with pressure-treated wood can cost $10-$16 a square foot or $4,000-$6,400 for a flat 20'x20' deck; the same project in redwood or cedar can be $18-$22 a square foot for $7,200-$8,800; and in plastic-wood composite materials it costs about $20 a square foot or $8,000. Rails, steps, benches or overhead arbors all add to the total cost. A 25'x25' multi-level deck with railings and stairs averages $16,000-$25,000 or more, depending on complexity and materials.
• Constructing a non-load-bearing interior wall can cost $400-$1,500 for labor and materials for a wall 8' high and 18'-20' long.

• Get several estimates. Ask for and contact references; verify that the contractor is properly bonded, insured and licensed^[1] ; and check for complaints with the Better Business Bureau^[2] .
• The Federal Trade Commission lists tips^[3] for hiring a home improvement contractor.
• Search for local contractors through the National Association of Home Builders^[4] , the National Association of the Remodeling Industry^[5] , the National Electrical Contractors Association^[6] , the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors Association^[7] or the Timber Frame Business Council^[8] .

1.  www.contractors-license.org/
2.  www.bbb.org/en/us/search
3.  www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0242-hiring-contractor
4.  www.nahb.org/local_association_search_form.aspx
5.  www.nari.org/search/address/
6.  www.necanet.org/find-a-contractor
7.  www.phccweb.org/applications/ContractorReferral/search.cfm?navItemNumber=532
8.  /connect.computility.com/directory/search.php?id=ab5fa89df128343f89e79e690876203a

Check Out All Costs for Home and Garden		How Much Do Replacement Windows Cost?		How Much Does a Storm Shelter Cost?		How Much Does Heating Oil Cost?

Today's Featured Cost Articles

Need an alternative way to stay warm this winter? Try a pellet stove. According to Consumer Reports, November is a good time to buy baby products, like playpens. November is National Diabetes Awareness Month. Change the batteries on the smoke alarm the same time you set the clocks back for Daylight Savings. After eating all that candy, is it time to see your dentist?

About CostHelper

CostHelper is based in Silicon Valley and provides consumers with unbiased price information about thousands of goods and services. Our writers are experienced journalists who adhere to our strict editorial ethics policy.

CostHelper Community

Power Washing Paid: 280.00 Highly recommended.Jerry came and gave a free estimate. They pressure washed my walkway and driveway which is nice size and patio area. Did a fantastic job... [more] -John Anderson Pressure Washing Cost Married license Paid: 42.00 We getting married... [more] -Christina battles Marriage Certificate Cost annual physical Paid: 160.00 annual physical, did routine check, I ask about some cancer screenings, did some blood work, went back a week later. told me I was fine... [more] - Annual Physical Cost Neuter mix breed male puppy Paid: 580.00 Just got this estimate for my scheduled procedure this week. So glad I looked here. It does include an overnight stay but this just sounds exorbitant... [more] -Florida Pup Dog Spay or Neuter Cost Snake problem Paid: 0.00 Good smack with a shovel problems solved... [more] - Snake Removal Cost Extraction & Bone graft Paid: 4200.00 12 teeth (upper) extracted. Felt pain of every tooth being pulled. Worse Dental experience ever. Had Novocain and Laughing gas. Told dentists I was in pain and she just kept shooting more Novocain into my gums. Told a total of 5 hours... [more] -denydisco3 Dental Bone Graft Cost