Cost-per-Square-Foot

How much does it cost to build a custom home in Winter Park, Orlando and Central Florida?

This is a question I often hear, sometimes even before discussing the home design. As much as I'd like to avoid giving a ballpark guess, most customers are sincerely interested in understanding what their new home will cost. It’s important to have a reasonable understanding before moving forward with such big decisions.

Links to additional related articles can be found near the bottom of this page.

In the last 5 years we've built homes that ranged in cost from about $300 per-square-foot to over $500 per-square-foot. That's a pretty big range. So what's included in that figure? Well that can also vary widely but there are many components of each home that do have some similarities.

A good portion of construction costs are almost like commodities. For instance, concrete, lumber, drywall and roofing costs are all controlled by the market. We shop around but these costs are a function of supply and demand so they are similar in all price ranges of new homes.

The large variable in construction costs between homes comes from the amenities and options. We've recently installed appliance packages that range in cost from $10,000 to over $75,000. These are obviously in very different homes but the cost of the specific appliances are also driven by the market. If you want a Sub-Zero refrigerator, you are going to have to pay the Sub-Zero price. Not everyone wants Sub-Zero appliances so there are many less-expensive options that are also very nice. This also applies to decisions about windows, flooring, plumbing fixtures, paint quality and on and on...

The design, amenities and options of a $250 per-square-foot home are driven by the budget. Frankly it requires compromise because you aren't going to be able to afford many fancy things. A budget of $300 to $350 per-square-foot is a sweet spot, where most of our homes tend to fall. A $400 per-square-foot home is usually really nice, but even those customers need to watch the budget. We’ve been blessed with some customers that are able to afford some really, really nice stuff, but we’ve also worked hard to satisfy our customers that have more limited budgets.

We have a conceptual budget process that allows us to present a budget based on the customer’s wish list. We use component costs from previously built homes and have extensive records to share. We’ve been fine-tuning our budgeting and estimating capabilities for over 30 years and can offer realistic expectations to help you plan your new home project. Please poke around on our website and you will find more information about project planning and budgeting.

Some additional articles that compliment this topic:

Construction Costs

Contracts and Risks

Bidding Strategies

Design or Budget First

Guestimate or a Service Agreement

Short Term Decisions Trump Good Sense Little is more meaningful and personal than a home, and the experience of designing and building your own home should be rewarding and enjoyable. Choosing a builder is difficult. The process of designing and building a home involves numerous decisions about components, systems and services selected from criteria that includes price, quality, appearance and performance. How can you possibly understand everything unless the builder is willing to share all of the information? Allow us to introduce you to The GCH Way of building your next home. Please let us know if you have any questions. Keith Groninger