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How accurate are those online building estimators for cost - they keep coming up waay high considering what comparable 2-3 year old custom homes cost in my area. The estimators are supposed to take that into account.
I am talking like 400-450K to build a 3200 SF all brick home with about 2000 on main, 1200 finished basement and 2 car garage [with plans to add more later, maybe] Homes like that can be had in nice subdivisions around here for around 350.
We are having a hard time finding exactly what we want because my mother is in a wheelchair and standard door widths present a challege [we currently have to use a narrower transport chair] as we boomers age, that is going to become a real issue. Our goal is a home with main living on one floor and in-law apartment on other -- seems real practical to me.
Those online estimators swing wildly from one extreme to another, though the smarter ones tend to err on the high side. It's impossible for an online calculator to take into account to nuances of the local market, soil conditions, code requirements, etc.
It would help to know where you're located as well, as costs in rural Arkansas are slightly different from the area outside NYC.
How accurate are those online building estimators for cost - they keep coming up waay high considering what comparable 2-3 year old custom homes cost in my area. The estimators are supposed to take that into account.
I am talking like 400-450K to build a 3200 SF all brick home with about 2000 on main, 1200 finished basement and 2 car garage [with plans to add more later, maybe] Homes like that can be had in nice subdivisions around here for around 350.
We are having a hard time finding exactly what we want because my mother is in a wheelchair and standard door widths present a challege [we currently have to use a narrower transport chair] as we boomers age, that is going to become a real issue. Our goal is a home with main living on one floor and in-law apartment on other -- seems real practical to me.
3200 SF is a lot of home. I agree with another poster that these will be calculated on the high side. But don't discount the fact that, a home that was built new construction 2/3 years ago will be much higher in this current market. Gas, lumber, steel...all sorts of costs associated with building are much higher right now. I also think that these sights give you a premium cost to build, that a builder might charge after upgrading to certain products, not what the home actually cost to build. You can walk into a builder's office, and ask what they would charge to build it, and all they will do is calculate the square footage by their cost per sf to build. If they build for $120 per foot x 3200 = $384,000. Then when you tell them you want it all brick, with a finished basement, that's when you get into $400,000 - $450,000. IMHO, that's an awful lot of profit for a home that in all probability only cost $200,000 or less to build.
IMJO, in today environment it would be much cheaper in most markets to buy an exsiting home. Remodel the existing house to fit your needs.
In addition to the cost of the home, it would take at least 6-months to built, you have landscaping, window covering, sewer and water hook-up, site preparation, permits, building inspections, cost of material increases during construction, weather conditions, interest on construction loan delays, supervision, etc.
Also, talk to local builders, real estate agents for their costs per square foot. That is a much better approach than these on-line estimators that in all probability do not adjust for local conditions.
From waht I have seen lumber and many other thongs have dropped lately becuase the demand is not what it was even in early 2008. Price really skyrocket in the 2005(hurricanes) thru late 2007.
From experience: Whatever is estimated, double it! Now, with that out of the way, you don't want the most expensive house on the block. I made that mistake and took 18 months to sell after lowering the price 190K. Also, making handicap access can be done without being obvious (wider stairs and doors) but if you plan to sell, make it look natural and not obviously handicap access. Who will buy a 1/2 million $ house in your area, probably not the elderly.
Some very good points. ALl they would need to do to make current homes adapable to wheelchairs is put 42 inch hallways and 36 inch interior doors. That part is hard to retrofit - and there are retrofits for current tub units.
Anyone getting older, I would give strong consideration to getting a 5 foot shower - they are trendy and can be used down the road --
I am afraid we are looking at buying then, that is a lot of money to build not too many square feet for a two generation extended family [2000 and 1200] but too much to build it. The standard master on main, 4 up [3 + bonus] does not give us the "separation" we desparately need. And the bedrooms upstairs "tend" to be on the small side - the in law apartment concept is really great and really hard to find. Actually I was told $125 to $150/SF here for construction - and yikes, that $400K is about right.
How about looking for a house in a community were zoning allows you to built a small in-law house on the same lot. Convert an exsisting 2-car detached garage into in-law space.
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