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Old 04-30-2014, 02:11 PM
 
628 posts, read 2,040,912 times
Reputation: 524

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I am building a home in Indiana and have had a bit of sticker shock as it is approximately $35,000 over our max budget (and more like $50,000 over our desired budget)

Here are some things we are doing to decrease cost:
* Reduce our Cabinet Allowance $5000
* Change Driveway to Asphalt from Concrete $2700
* Take off coffered ceiling in dining room $750
* Deduct 3rd car garage $7500
*Vinyl at gablese/back porch/garage $2500
*Reduce Fireplace Allowance $2000
*Reduce Font Door Allowance $1000

So this saves us around $21000

I am running out of ideas on what to change.
I don't want to give up everything as this is our 'forever dream home'--

I am wondering about starting over from scratch. The house is a 3300 sq ft 1 story home. We could cut out the formal dining room and office (dining room is 12x12'8 and office is 12x10'9 and includes a closet 4'8x7
but I don't know how much that would save us--and we would have to move around the plan a ton.

The other option would be starting over and going with a totally different plan. Do you think that a two story with the same features is cheaper?

Our roof line is rather complex and a two story could be more square and simple--but I don't know if that equals cheaper.

Any thoughts on cutting square footage and how much that affects a home price? vs a 2-story or something more square cutting costs?
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Old 04-30-2014, 02:23 PM
 
Location: Johns Creek, GA
17,447 posts, read 65,798,103 times
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Your cutbacks are mere pennies.
Square footage is where the dollars are!

For a "forever" home- 3300sq/ft is ridiculous for two people. Keep that in mind.
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Old 04-30-2014, 02:25 PM
 
43,011 posts, read 107,839,661 times
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Don't give up closet space. My sister did that to cut square footage from an existing plan. She continues to regret it.

Definitely look at other house plans. It will be cheaper to go with an existing plan than to change too much on this plan. Smaller square footage is definitely the way to cut costs.

The question about two stories being cheaper indicates this house is one story. Two stories are definitely cheaper because they have smaller foundations.
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Old 04-30-2014, 02:25 PM
 
1,344 posts, read 3,395,210 times
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Square and simple should help. Here's an example.
Let's take 2 house of approx. 2500 sq/ft. Here's their exterior dimensions and they're about the same size.
80x32=2560 sq/ft
50x50=2500 sq/ft

Now, you have to put in foundation, basement walls, exterior walls, insulation etc.
The 80x32 has 224 linear feet of exterior
The 50x50 only has 200. Well, cutting those extra 24' times the price per foot from footer to roof will save you some.

If it's forever, you probably won't want 2-story. Stairs suck when you get old.
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Old 04-30-2014, 02:28 PM
 
43,011 posts, read 107,839,661 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by K'ledgeBldr View Post
Square footage is where the dollars are!
If the OP doesn't believe you, a big clue is the largest deduction was merely removing one stall from a garage and that square footage is cheaper than the finished interior square footage of a house.
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Old 04-30-2014, 03:03 PM
 
628 posts, read 2,040,912 times
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What about two stories where the master bed/bath is on the main--we could always get us the little lift chair when we are old

We are only cutting about 276 sq ft getting rid of two rooms!
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Old 04-30-2014, 03:26 PM
 
23,563 posts, read 70,166,587 times
Reputation: 49102
You are spending enough money that you don't need free advice...
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Old 04-30-2014, 09:52 PM
 
Location: New York
122 posts, read 233,862 times
Reputation: 107
a floorplan would be ideal to see if what you're cutting away from the existing plan is benefitial and actually worth cutting.
You might be keeping excess without realizing
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Old 05-01-2014, 05:00 AM
 
3,763 posts, read 12,520,606 times
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Usually when buying from a builder in a developmet, 2 story are cheaper than 1 story, because the footprint of the house (foundation walls, slab, digging out basement) is smaller. Especially if plumbing is in common areas (upstairs bathroom directly above kitchen, so plumbing just goes straight up) - that will save on expense from long, separate, plumbing runs.

If you've not already come to an agreement with a builder (selected a floor plan and paid a deposit) then WAIT. Once you agree with on a floorplan and options, and sign, any changes you make (even if its to subtract items) cost you change fees - as the blue prints have to be altered, and potentially engineering items have to be redone.

For that reason, I would think through all your floor plan options (and all your add-on options) before I sign any agreements, no matter how much a sales agent might be pressuring you.
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Old 05-01-2014, 07:55 AM
 
Location: Berkeley Neighborhood, Denver, CO USA
17,692 posts, read 29,691,842 times
Reputation: 33265
Hire an architect.
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