EXPENSIVE FACTORS THAT GO INTO BUILDING A HOME

EXPENSIVE FACTORS THAT GO INTO BUILDING A HOME

https://homeguides.sfgate.com/expensive-factors-building-home-66817.html

19

HTTPS://ARTESIANTITLE.COM/

Quality construction is never a cheap prospect, but some elements can drive up building costs more quickly than others. Most homeowners have a construction budget, which requires making choices when it comes to pricey items. The key to staying within your budget is to select affordable options without compromising your home’s integrity.

Lot Costs Shopping for the perfect building site can leave you with sticker shock. That fancy lot on the golf course fairway can be 10 times the price of a lot in a less swanky neighborhood. In addition to a big price tag, high-end lots often come with restrictive covenants that specify minimum square footage, roof pitch, special cladding and other design considerations that can add tens of thousands of dollars to a new home.

Excavation and Foundation No matter where you build, your house must have a structurally sound foundation to support it. Foundation costs rise when the excavation crew has to move large rocks or drill down to bedrock, install pylons or construct a raised foundation because the ground is marshy. Anything that requires out-of-the-ordinary foundation construction can be expensive.

High Ceilings Mean High Prices Most people love the spacious feel that comes with 10-foot ceilings. The problem is that high ceilings are for aesthetic purposes only; they don’t give you additional floor space, and they add substantially to the cost of a new house.

Sheet materials come in 4-foot-by-8-foot panels, which fit lengthwise or double as horizontal rows on standard 8-foot walls. But by adding a couple of feet to the walls, not only does labor increase for fitting sheet materials, but vertical wall framing costs increase, fire-blocking becomes necessary in stud spaces and exterior cladding, or covering, needs increase. Lower ceilings keep utility bills, as well as construction costs, down.

Fixtures A standard bathtub runs a few hundred dollars; an oversized soaker or spa tub can double, or triple, the cost.

Steam showers, bidets and walk-in showers are all expensive when compared to their respective base models.

A chandelier can run $500 or more. Multiply that by six or seven rooms, and lighting fixture costs become prohibitive.

Smaller lights illuminate just as well for a fraction of the price.

19

Cabinets and Trim You can dump a fortune into kitchen cabinets if you go the custom cabinetmaker route, but ask yourself if you really need that tropical hardwood or Mediterranean stone countertop. If so, this might be where you choose to splurge, but a good finish carpenter can install crown molding and dress up sturdy base cabinets, making them look more expensive than they really are. Kitchen appliances come in a wide range of quality and cost. You can purchase a single high-end range for more than what you would pay for an entire standard appliance group including range, fridge, microwave and dishwasher. If you’re not a professional chef, this is one area in which you might save.

Cladding If you’re building in a neighborhood with a homeowners association, you might have to install a specific exterior cladding, such as a minimum percentage of masonry on your house. If the choice is all yours, be aware that stone and brick are expensive in comparison to standard clapboard siding. The same holds true for roofing materials. Composition shingles are more affordable than wood shingles, tile or slate.

Windows The general rule is to buy the best windows you can afford. Windows run the gamut from cheap and flimsy to inordinately expensive, but of superb quality. Going with $30,000 of triple-pane, argon gas-filled windows in a $130,000 house is probably too high, but the cheapest brands are rarely energy-efficient and can be a struggle to open and close due to poor manufacturing quality.

A Happy Medium Juggling construction costs is a challenge, but by cutting back in some areas, you might be able to afford one or two features you really want. Keep in mind what makes your house marketable; for example, a house without windows might save some bucks, but it might be hard to sell later. Balance wants and needs, and don’t be afraid to ask other new homeowners for their money-saving tips.