Cost to Build a House in Tucson Arizona

Cost to Build a House in Tucson Arizona

“Carl,
I have purchased a set of house plans and was wondering if you could give me an estimated cost to build for them. I am building in Tucson, AZ area code 85743.

The other issue is that this will be built on 10 acres of land that is located in flood plain. If you can help please let me know what additional information you would need.
Thanks,
Steve"

Hi, Steve,
Sorry this took so long, but I’m real busy right now.
This house is beautiful!

Plan 4041, John T Pela & Associates, Inc.
Architect, A.I.A.

This is an estimate for a single family residence built under competitive conditions in or near Tucson, Arizona in August 2008.

Using the Craftsman Book Company’s “Residential Building Cost Calculator” calculator, found on my “Getting Started” page, I came up with a cost of $325,498, or $80.55 per sq ft.

This estimate includes a slab foundation on grade, as required for normal soil conditions; 2X4 walls, stucco exterior, flat roof, average quality doors, windows, trim; all electric wiring and fixtures, rough and finish plumbing, built-in appliances, & design fees.
No contractor overhead or profit, no permits, equipment rental, insurance, or final cleanup are included in my estimated cost.

Note: Since this house is being built in a flood plain, as per letter, flood insurance will be required by the lender.
Also, the local building codes may (should) require a raised slab to a height determined by code. This will increase the cost of the foundation.

This estimate used the following criteria in the “Residential Building Cost Calculator” calculator, found on my “Getting Started” page.

Total Living Area 4041
Number Of Corners 10
Foundation quality class 6
Exterior walls quality class (wood or light metal) 6
Exterior finish quality class 4
Windows & doors quality class 4
Roofing, soffit, fascia quality class 5
Interior finish quality class 4
Flooring quality class 4
Bathroom quality class 4
Kitchen quality class 4
Plumbing quality class 4

Note: Slab construction, a flat roof, and “average quality finish", PLUS a large heated area, helped keep the building cost per sq ft relatively low. (Remember; in most cases, cost per sq ft drops as size increases)

Highly decorative, starkly original or exceptionally well-appointed residences will cost more.

This estimate for this house is an approximate one. Until you actually start getting bids for subcontractor labor & building materials and entering them into your own spreadsheet (see my spreadsheet page for FREE spreadsheets), it will remain approximate.

Add the cost of the land, government-mandated site development fees and the cost of bringing utility lines to the site, plus permits, utility hook-ups, the contractor's contingency, overhead and profit, and marketing and sales costs to arrive at an approximate retail (market) value.

Good Luck,

Carl