Local builder cost for a home? (Portland, West Linn: insurance, mobile home, buy)

[George Orwell]

DR Horton, a big national builder, is selling brand new homes in West Linn for about $160 a square foot. The homes are of average quality.

I'm wondering if anybody know the prices for local builders. Local builders should be cheaper but I'm wondering just how cheap. Anybody worked with a reputable local builder in the Portland Area? Can you share with us which builder and what is the cost per sq foot they charge?

Thank You.

George

[John Shaft]

Why would a local builder be cheaper? If you are building 50,000 houses a year you can buy components a lot cheaper than if you are building 100.

[philwithbeard]

OT to this thread.....

When I lived in Maryland about 25 years ago, one bought the Land, and then also bought the house and other buildings on that land. Two separate items on the deed. Taxed also as land, with improvement by appurtenances (fancy word for any added buildings of any type that are part of the land purchase.)

My point: The value of a house in West Linn has a component that includes the value of the land, plus the water, sewer, and utilities brought up to the house. Way deep into the 'burbs. If you bought a home within Portland city limits and remodelled it to modern convenience, insulation, and utility standards and codes, you could pay a lot more than $160 per square foot, even with a good deal from a contractor when all is said and done.

Go way out into the country and build your own designed home with you as your own general contractor, yada-yada-yada maybe you could do better on the cost per square foot. The cost of the land by itself would be less than a development with concert side streets, and driveways already to go. But gosh being your own GC would be a long hard row to hoe.

Do compare with other large scale builders, and see about other costs per square foot.

Phil

[ksucher]

DR Horton is known for putting up cookie cutter homes that under price anything in the area. The homes are basic walls and roof at a cheap price.

If you talk to home insurance agents about what factor they use for replacement cost it is about $100/sqft.
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[Nell Plotts]

The cost of a home has several components.

Don't go way out in the 'burbs if it makes your commute costly in terms of time and resources. You will be paying that cost for years.

Unimproved land is less expensive for a reason, you may need to drill a well (or several wells until you find potable water) and you will need to install a septic system with all its attendant issues. You may also need to build and maintain a road to your home site. So much for site issues.

There are manufacturers that will construct homes framed in light gauge steel. I am not talking about 'mobile homes', but homes built to comply with stick-built building codes.

In todays market I think you can find an existing sound home as cheap or cheaper than something new.