Saturday, February 23, 2008

House Plan of the Week & Cost to Build

A Cape Cod is a style of house originating in New England in the 17th century. It is traditionally characterized by a low, broad frame building, generally a story and a half high, with a steep, perfectly pitched roof with end gables and a large central chimney.
The Cape Cod style (and in turn its Colonial Revival descendant of the 1930s–50s) originated with the colonists who came from England to New England. They used the English house with a hall and parlor as a model, adapting this design with local materials to best protect against New England's notoriously stormy weather.

Over the next several generations emerged a one- to one-and-a-half-story house with wooden shutters and clapboard or shingle exterior.
The Reverend Timothy Dwight IV (1752–1817), president of Yale University from 1795–1817, coined the term "Cape Cod House" after a visit to the Cape in 1800.


Houseplans.com PLAN 20-996


Details: bedrooms: 4, baths: 2.5
garage stalls: 2, levels: 2
square feet: Total: 2732
main floor: 1428, upper floor: 1304





To estimate cost, I'll use my resource #5 , “Building Costs by City & State”, on "Getting Started" on www.byoh.com., using “average" quality, full unfinished basement.



Using this "shape" on the "cost to build" calculator for the Concord NH area, I came up with $196,618 for an owner/builder. That’s an approximate cost of $71.96 per sq. ft. (Note: Corrected 02-24-08)

I determined this amount by deducting the General Contractor’s Markup, equipment rental, and allowed only $2,000 for insurance.

Breakdown of Building Costs For This House. PDF
(You will need Adobe Reader to read this cost breakdown.)

Here is a FREE Adobe Reader download if you need it.)

You should keep in mind that the cost to build for this example, or any house plan, can vary considerably depending quality of materials selected, and on actual bids for labor and material.

The estimate for this house is an approximate one based on “average” quality materials.

Until you actually start getting bids and entering them into your own spreadsheet (see my spreadsheet page for FREE spreadsheets), it will remain approximate.

Remember: By being the General Contractor (GC), determining building costs & hiring professionals (subcontractors) to do the actual work (That’s what a GC does), YOU can be your own General Contractor for ANY type of construction: New homebuilding to build your “Dream House”), room additions, remodeling older homes; Build log homes, kit homes, even renovate foreclosures. Since you are the “Boss”, YOU can chose your own house plans or home plans, YOU can design your kitchen, YOU can decide to build “Green”, build with Solar, Wind, geothermal heat pumps, or anything else YOU desire, and YOU can do it for a lot LESS. Think about it!

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