Send me an e-mail and let's talk, I'm happy to give you the plans but I would love to talk to you about a few thing you could change to help find cost savings in your geographic area. Like : 2x4 walls vs 2x6 Smaller trusses for lighter snow load Heating and cooling options Smaller foot print, 30'x30'? Roof material, asphalt or metal? Windows, wood or plastic?
@@EssentialMountainHomesteading , I am super interested in seeing the plans as well on the 2960 sqft house. Please email me @ betterlifedreamer@gmail.com. Thanks and enjoy your videos!
SkinnySkinch I bought land in Franklin NC. Well and septic getting installed. I like the modern look of container homes however would like to hire a builder to use wood and make it twice as big using wood. 1200 sq ft.
This is perhaps the single most informative video you have produced to date. You might consider doing more of these “types” of videos because it really addresses some of the question of property development.
More videos like this please! Maybe do a 3bed/2 bath home. Compare low cost vs. high cost options as well. Also, the cost of building a simple duplex or triplex for income property / retirement income. All the best to you and your family!
Im looking to go into architecture design, this was a great video showing how to integrate construction elements into budget, cost and help clients save money
I built custom homes for 32 years, and I was asked that question many, many times: What does it cost you (me) to build on a cost per square foot basis? My answer: What does a bag of groceries cost for your household?? You see, some people are buying hamburger meat for dinner, and others are purchasing filet Mignon for dinner. You see, it all depends on what is in the basket at the grocery store and also what is in the basket of building a house. You can pay $12.95 for a simple light fixture for the guest bedroom, and other people might spend $125.00 for the same room. Multiply that throughout the entire house.........You can take the identical house plan with one couple and they will spend $12,000 in the Kitchen, and someone else may spend $45,000 for the same Kitchen in that identical plan. The answer lies in getting all of the specifications nailed down (no pun intended), then do the extensive cost analysis for exactly what that person wants in their house........cost per square foot is a useless criteria to consider. As mentioned briefly in this video, everyone's expectation is different, so the only way for them to consider $/sqft is to build it, take final costs, and make the simple calculation.
The first thing my dad taught us growing up on construction sites and being in the office. Only he used the analogy, How much does a 4 door family car cost?
My background is as a cabinetmaker. At the time I worked for a family business. I'll always remember when a general contractor asked me what the linear cost of kitchen cabinets where. At that point of my life , I saw myself more as an artist, and I found that question to be insulting! and impossible to answer. At this point if I'm asked the same question, I can answer , but I will ask the customer 6 or 7 questions about the project first. I found this video to be really good .
While I agree with most of what you say, square footage is only one part of the picture (but the biggest part). The appraisal will take into account finishes like tile, solid surface counters, cabinet material, etc. After just having a house appraised prior to construction, I can tell you that 60%-70% is square footage and the rest finishes. Then, after the house is done, they want to do another appraisal to see "what the house looks like" as that is part of the equation. Curb appeal does raise the value of a home. But, it may cost more to have curb appeal than it is worth. For most people, the look of the home makes a big difference.
Great video. Most people don't realize how much extra costs the complex roof design and multi-cut floorplans add to the house. I have built simple single-story 2,000 - 2,500 sq. ft. rectangular homes with T-111 siding and basic roof design that cost 40 dollars per square with labor (not including cost of lot and permits). And I have built complex floorplan and roof design 2,000 - 2,500 sq. ft. homes that cost over $100 per square with labor. And years later they are worth the same amount when sold, and the simple design homes are drastically easier & cheaper to maintain.
In VA/MD the bank, appraiser and tax man would consider this to be a 1760 sq ft home for $180K. Only the conditioned space above grade is included in the total sq ft calculation. This applies to new and resale homes. Probably why most new home buyers DIY the basement.
Wow! This is great instruction on the cost of building a home as well as a remodeling a home. Wish I had this video to show my wife when we extensively remodeled our home.
Hey @Essential Mountain Homesteading, purchasing land and will be looking in the future to build a home on that land... I was wondering how I would go about getting a floor plan or blueprint for a home similar to the one in this video with the basement. This is all new to me and my wife and I are all about sq ft rather than all the bells and whistles
lol - @8:18 (pause)"....sorry...i'm struggling to draw and do math and talk all at the same time" - Love the direct look into the camera and honesty. Good Video too!
When that shirt change happened I had to double back I thought I accidentally clicked on a different video LOL. But I must say this is incredibly valuable information! Thank you greatly!
I am looking. Planning on a 30X40 house with a front covered deck on the roof side Looks like a custom house with out lot of extra cost. I do not see the need anymore to do a first floor living room if you do a full basement entertainment room.
Thanks for sharing. We have wanted to find a simple home and be conservative on costs going into retirement. You are the first I have ever found that talks about this strategy.
Thanks for the information. You touched on financial points no one generally targets. Folks focuss more on esthetics & buy into the marketing aspect than actual substance or the meat & taters. Thats the difference between the man with the boots on the ground & the one with the manicured nails. Folks need to be informed & stay grounded in order to make sound decisions. Don't get me wrong, who wouldn't love a gourmet meal prepared by a renowned chef but there aint nothing wrong about some down home country cooking made with love. I appreciate ya Big Boy. You keep strokin Hoss.
So what. 99% of people could get by with driving a small compact car instead of agiant SUV. It comes down to personal choice and your financial capabilities.
Usually a building is worth more than open land, you should extend your real estate investment as much as possible, its the best investment you can make. Its best to live in a more expensive home BC you sell it in the end, my area goes up 5-10% in value per year, never goes down.
@@FletcherHillier not at all true in California. My lot is 25x100, my house is a 2 story 2000sf. Paid 400k in 1999 now it's 1.5M. The "improvement" on the land isn't even 300k in today's prices.
One factor left out of using that "wasted" attic space is where does the insulation go then? That house can't meet minimum R value (49) for attics in zone 6 or even warmer zones since there is not enough room between the top corner of the attic area and outside of roof. They saved cost in square footage by using the attic space but are now going to pay every winter for extra heating costs. This could have been addressed by adding appropriate thickness of exterior foam board to the roof deck or not having such high ceiling in the attic space to give more room for the insulation.
Does a finished basement count as added Square footage? Especially if there is no egress? In my state you have to have two egresses from a bedroom in order to count it as a bedroom.
My wife and I just finished paying off our acre of land in Hawaii...we have a home(payed for) in what some would call a ghetto in Pittsburgh....when it comes time to move in a few years we, do not want to be tied with a mortgage because jobs are scarce over there...so we have considered everything from high cube shipping containers, to yurts, to us just building a platform and putting a screen house on top...what we settled on was an Argus kit home...because of permits and lending institutions when it comes time to sell...when we were on island last year, we stopped by and they said a shell package (no drywall or floors or cabinets)that was wired, rough plumbed, had the water catchment and septic installed....$80per square foot...The materials looked of good quality as well...for a 1000 square foot simple, model...I feel we can make it happen...ps....thanks for your helpful video😃🌈🤙
@@kuhelss not yet. It’s good. We. Sold the land and bought a house that we have rented out. ( long term rental) We found it to be easier to get a property manager rather than build. There’s a small Ohana in back yard that we stay in we we visit. Still have not met tenants because of Co Vid but they are great tenants as they pay rent and keep the place nice
I am so happy to have stumbled upon your channel! My husband and I are tired of all the bells and whistles that are on homes these days making them incredibly unaffordable. Would you mind sending me the plans of the first “shoe box” house? Much appreciated and thank you for your willingness to educate every day folks looking for affordable options. Take care.
Ok but this is with property, labour and everything. Could you also do something with just the absolute basics? Lot is free etc.. just the material cost for things like concrete basement of above house, and the framing material cost for it etc.. just done till its roofed and outside walls done, berfore doing any interior...
Nice video don't forget Hurricane/Earthquake zone building codes drive the costs way up too with all the precise nail head penetration depths and distance apart patterns on plywood, metal ties and straps everywhere.
Awesome video. I have never understood the idea of going into debt (via mortgage) for things like fake dormers. Imagine how many subprime mortgages were created for "fake dormer" type houses that lead to the 2008 recession...all due to vanity. And now our national debt is up hundreds of billions, if not trillions, of dollars thanks to bank bailouts. It's not difficult at all to live a comfortable life in America if vanity and extravagancies are set aside.
We maximize space in garages by doing high lift or roof pitch garage door installations. Also, in new homes, buyers should look to add garage overhead shelving before move in. Its a must.
From someone who worked for a GC, this guy is definitely worth his salt. Especially what he said about sweat equity. We had a guy hire us to build a huge immaculate house and he saved 40k on the kitchen alone from ordering an RTA kitchen and putting it together himself. He also got his own counter tops and installed those. If we had done it the cost would've been approaching 100k for the kitchen alone. He also had experience with excavation and concrete work, and he dug his own foundation himself, which saved around 35 grand. Roofed it himself with the help of his brother. They put all the flooring in including the tiling in the bathroom. He textured and painted the entirety of the inside. No attached garage. He ordered a metal building kit for a 40x60 shop and did that himself for around 20k. After we left he built his own covered front walkway with elk antlers and all sorts of cool designs. The house was 3200 square feet and it only cost him like $70 per square foot. The house had beautifully designed pillars, wainscoting, 4 walk in closets on 3 bedrooms, vaulted ceilings, windows everywhere. The works. The house is absolute gorgeous. We had built similar houses for around 800 grand.
I live in Alaska. 2x6 is the way to go. Your R value will be much higher if you use 2x6 and insulate accordingly rather than 2x4 and stuff insulation as tight as a snare drum.
While I appreciate your ideas regarding sq. footage and how to bring that price down,there are two sides to every coin. First off,let me say this,markets do put a lot of emphasis on size,another factor we cannot dodge is that eye appeal is buy appeal. A house with no windows on the sides is called TV architecture. Reason being,like a television,only the front counts. To access the flip side of this debate,read the excellent essay by Connor Homes titled Creating Value in the New Old House. Thank you for sharing your expertise and perspective.
Smaller house = less money I am going to price an SIP house...framing insulation and sheathing in a day or 2. That is a huge savings. Time is money. Garages built pole barn style are less than 1/2 the cost of a stick built. Side them to match house. Have you priced SIP foundation walls ? Not having a basement I believe is a mistake...you will need to sacrifice square footage of your main floor for mechanicals which woukd have been in the utility area. I am throwing all this out here because I have built a few custom homes, pole barns and have been doing this for over 40 years. $125-$150 is realistic if you are doing lots of the labor as the owner. This is the way I am going to do my house in Northern Idaho this year.
@@FletcherHillier What dormers *DO* , is add dimension, interest & will add to the overall curb appeal as they even literally "heighten" the home. Just like clothing, furniture, etc...the added lines can fool the eye in making the home look larger and taller than it is. I've never known them to be nesting places for squirrels, rats, etc, but I guess if they're not properly attached to a home, sure...but no different than a "real" dormer. With a "real" dormer, it's wasted space inside a home.
I'm planning on a 2760 sqft house, 2500 sqft garage for 250k and I own the property, having an architect over this week. So how ever you want to split the sqft cost between garage and house. By my math its 160k for house at 58 a sqft and 90k for garage and 90k for garage at 45 dollars per sqft. I will do 90% of the work myself. So far I'm told it's impossible, but that's my plan and I'm sticking to it. But I designed it off alot of the principles in your first house you were talking about. 2 story, square box, no unnecessary architectural details.
Great tips, but the noise in the background was hard to overcome. It may have been useful to stop the video until the contractors left. Thanks for your insight.
What gets me is as a builder cost per square foot includes the entire build where as a realtor only sells the livable interior footage. This makes builders look bad.
This could be a popular series: you breaking down, generating an estimate for a fictional house design. Do an episode once every 2 months. Maybe feature a historic home at today’s estimated construction price.
Great video! Does the price per SQFT include the finished interior and finishes on those projects? If so what kind of finishes are we talking about? Middle of the road like Granite counters, laminate flooring or the high end stuff like heated toilets that can clean your Corn Husker for ya? Keep up the good work 🇺🇸
you did not show the exact cost per SQF. you included the value of the land in the SQF, expense , the value of the land is not the business of the builder, the owner of the lot probably paid for that lot $ 1.00 only. Just tell us how much will be per sqf. when you build that house , forget the value of the land.
Yes and no, market value also changes due to supply and demand as well as other factors. The square footage is just a major part of how that is all measured and compared but it's still only one of multiple factors that determines whether a property appreciates or depreciates as ultimately, what you can sell a property for depends on what someone else is willing to pay for it... Besides, the problem with looking at only cost per square foot is it doesn't take into account everything that can effect the ownership of the house... Architect Sarah Susanka,author of 'The Not So Big House' series, once said something along the lines that pricing a home by square footage is like pricing a car by the pound! It may be how we've been doing it the last 45 or so years but it doesn't mean it's a good way to measure... Things like how energy efficient is the house, how durable and long lasting, how often will it need to be renovated, whether the layout is an efficient use of space, and whether it's even healthy to live in are often never considered with a square footage way of measuring value... But all these things and more can translate to higher long term costs that can end up costing the owner up to multiple times the original cost of the house. Energy efficiency alone is a growing factor since existing houses consume so much energy that they account for over 41% of our total annual carbon output. Compared to just 29% for all vehicles... Thus why we are seeing a growing emphasis on energy efficiency starting to be required in the building codes for all new construction. Buyers also have to watch out for dishonest and misleading use of square footage by realtors... An example... capitalhb.wordpress.com/2013/04/05/price-per-square-foot-is-misleading-for-real-estate-values-in-thomasville-ga/comment-page-1/ So home performance and testing is rapidly becoming the big selling point of houses going forward...
I agree there are other costs of maintaining a home over the long term that should be considered but the majority of people are only thinking about the next five or ten years. Even people who are buying their forever home just don't think that far ahead. Its all about the payment and the current cost. I love high performance buildings but in my area most people don't care to pay for it
That used to be the case but it's changing. Things like the housing bubble crash have started to get at least a portion of the population to start seriously educating themselves about what they're actually paying for and there are more and more resources becoming available to make that knowledge easier to acquire... Check out the following channels, for 2 such examples... th-cam.com/channels/I2VDyfqdsttBE0X3c-ArXg.html th-cam.com/channels/FCTrfb1JUJjs3Im8OZDtBw.html It's also starting to be reflected in the building codes as more and more places are starting to impose higher energy efficiency standards for all new construction. Among other changes happening...
I wish you were building around where I live in Tennessee. I’m a simple man and would love a home like that! I could decorate the inside to my liking myself!
You have the patience of the gods...that banging every time I opened my mouth would have drove me nutts..thanks for pushing through..Very informative Video..Even through the banging🤣
Just had a quick conversation this week with a builder who is building a house a block away from me. Asked him what it cost these days here in Vancouver BC - of course depending on finishes etc starting at $225 per sq ft - which I thought was a little low, I suspect it is more in the $300 sq ft here.
Great information. So how much per sq. ft. without the land cost ? I am looking into building a basic 16 by 28 detached unit on my home lot. I will be going owner builder and hoping to save some costs. Thanks for any information, keep up the videos.
The cheapest house per square foot is a windowless 50x100 steel building slab on grade with a 1/12 roof pitch, 2 doors and only 1 room (super open concept). $25/sqft. Bonus: your property tax will be super cheap.
I'm so tired of getting the awful response to the square footage question and you nailed it! I'm certain we have always worded the question wrong and perhaps we should ask "How can I build a home for under $75/sq. with these needs....." Simple foundation, simple roof line usable space above/below, savings in glass and labor. Thank You, Thank you I'm sure everyone appreciates these straight forward answers. We are currently doing plans for a single story 28' x 40' and we are only 1080 sq. That's a 2 bed/1 large bath to accommodate a small family but now you mention basement and I feel like a work of opportunity just opened up. We have about 5 acres and a basement would be easy for equipment etc. I would love to see more photos of the home you mentioned at 2960 sq. Perhaps a .pdf of a floor plan if that would be acceptable to your client. I live here in California so i'm not sure I would be much of an issue utilizing some of your ideas. Thank you for your great video. Now if I can just dig through your videos and find the insulation technique of that style of roof line. Living in the country I will not want a vented attic for mice and dust to accumulate.
Not all square feet are of equal value. A grade level square foot is much more valuable than a basement square foot or even a second level square foot that requires dealing with stairs.
Thank you so much! We are considering building as an option in the next year or so and I appreciate this insight! I always thought it was crazy expensive to build! This gives me some hope! I sure wish I could find someone like you to work with here in MN, they all only seem interested in the big expensive homes :(
This is essentially how our home was designed/built. Second story is built with attic trusses and smaller than the main level, all on a basement. No dormers, doors and windows on each end of the home which is basically a rectangle.
$61 a square, including land?! America is so cheap. Here in Canada you'll be lucky to build for $150 (that's about $115 USD) a square (depending where you are) with out land.
Was chewing on what you said yesterday, $61/sqft seems pretty cheap. Could you clarify what that exactly means. Framing? Exterior finish? roof material. Insulation? Legal limit electrics. Septic? Basement poured or block? Thanks
Thanks so much for the video and explanation. We are trying to do the exact same thing here in the Midwest. We've finally found a builder who builds to the Passivhaus standard that actually understands building science. We want to keep everything simple and functional. Did the first house have any upgrades in insulation/air sealing? Also, if you don't mind disclosing, how much land did they buy and what was the price? Thanks.
You talked about thawing the attic trusses saving money. I know it gave them more square feet and all that. But are trusses all that much cheaper then stick framing with rafters?
Not at all. Attic trusses are at least $250 each. You can buy plenty of TJI joist and hand frame them AND have a better flatter ceiling and roof. It's all about the time savings.
How does one go about finding a reputable builder? Second question would it be better to work with an architect or to pick out a plan out of a magazine.
Is it better to do a full basement as your ground level or is half size basement ok? I've done a simple design of just under 800sqft house and just a half basement for water heater and storage. Built on flat ground no hill side.
pinky2389 I would do a full basement as it is an easy way to pick up space in your home and add a lot of value. I would love to see your plans, send me an Email.
$4-5K for the slab $5 for the attic trusses $10K for the rest of the lumber. $10K for siding and windows if you buy right. Add labor yourself. Easy. That's just a dried in shell. $10K for a well, maybe $10K for a septic $$$ plumbing $$$ heating $$$ electrical
I love that home. Do you have the plans available? The first home. It is perfect.
Send me an e-mail and let's talk,
I'm happy to give you the plans but I would love to talk to you about a few thing you could change to help find cost savings in your geographic area.
Like :
2x4 walls vs 2x6
Smaller trusses for lighter snow load
Heating and cooling options
Smaller foot print, 30'x30'?
Roof material, asphalt or metal?
Windows, wood or plastic?
@@EssentialMountainHomesteadingI would love to get the plans as well building in winston salem, nc amexhousesolutions@gmail.com
@@lc3properties480 Wow interesting I am looking at building something outside of Raleigh, NC. Shoot me an email at scottwesleycoleman@gmail.com
@@EssentialMountainHomesteading , I am super interested in seeing the plans as well on the 2960 sqft house. Please email me @ betterlifedreamer@gmail.com. Thanks and enjoy your videos!
SkinnySkinch I bought land in Franklin NC. Well and septic getting installed. I like the modern look of container homes however would like to hire a builder to use wood and make it twice as big using wood. 1200 sq ft.
This is perhaps the single most informative video you have produced to date. You might consider doing more of these “types” of videos because it really addresses some of the question of property development.
Always remember this MATH EQUATION:
2 different contractors building the EXACT SAME HOME = 2 Different PRICES !
Love it “i have a cute house “ 😂. Straight to the basics, i need a safe long lasting house to build/grow my family. Wish you be down in Florida
More videos like this please! Maybe do a 3bed/2 bath home. Compare low cost vs. high cost options as well.
Also, the cost of building a simple duplex or triplex for income property / retirement income.
All the best to you and your family!
I also have champagne taste’s, but with lemonade money
This is the simplest explanation of cost per sq ft I've ever seen THANK YOU SIR
Im looking to go into architecture design, this was a great video showing how to integrate construction elements into budget, cost and help clients save money
I built custom homes for 32 years, and I was asked that question many, many times: What does it cost you (me) to build on a cost per square foot basis? My answer: What does a bag of groceries cost for your household?? You see, some people are buying hamburger meat for dinner, and others are purchasing filet Mignon for dinner. You see, it all depends on what is in the basket at the grocery store and also what is in the basket of building a house. You can pay $12.95 for a simple light fixture for the guest bedroom, and other people might spend $125.00 for the same room. Multiply that throughout the entire house.........You can take the identical house plan with one couple and they will spend $12,000 in the Kitchen, and someone else may spend $45,000 for the same Kitchen in that identical plan. The answer lies in getting all of the specifications nailed down (no pun intended), then do the extensive cost analysis for exactly what that person wants in their house........cost per square foot is a useless criteria to consider. As mentioned briefly in this video, everyone's expectation is different, so the only way for them to consider $/sqft is to build it, take final costs, and make the simple calculation.
Well said Sir!
The first thing my dad taught us growing up on construction sites and being in the office. Only he used the analogy, How much does a 4 door family car cost?
I would love to see the actual floorplans!
My background is as a cabinetmaker. At the time I worked for a family business. I'll always remember when a general contractor asked me what the linear cost of kitchen cabinets where. At that point of my life , I saw myself more as an artist, and I found that question to be insulting! and impossible to answer. At this point if I'm asked the same question, I can answer , but I will ask the customer 6 or 7 questions about the project first. I found this video to be really good .
Theres always the posibility of coming in later and adding all the other things
Outstanding! 34 minutes packed with so much valuable information. Thank you!!
While I agree with most of what you say, square footage is only one part of the picture (but the biggest part). The appraisal will take into account finishes like tile, solid surface counters, cabinet material, etc. After just having a house appraised prior to construction, I can tell you that 60%-70% is square footage and the rest finishes. Then, after the house is done, they want to do another appraisal to see "what the house looks like" as that is part of the equation. Curb appeal does raise the value of a home. But, it may cost more to have curb appeal than it is worth. For most people, the look of the home makes a big difference.
Great video. Most people don't realize how much extra costs the complex roof design and multi-cut floorplans add to the house. I have built simple single-story 2,000 - 2,500 sq. ft. rectangular homes with T-111 siding and basic roof design that cost 40 dollars per square with labor (not including cost of lot and permits). And I have built complex floorplan and roof design 2,000 - 2,500 sq. ft. homes that cost over $100 per square with labor. And years later they are worth the same amount when sold, and the simple design homes are drastically easier & cheaper to maintain.
I just stumbled onto your channel and what a prize. I've learned so much. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
In VA/MD the bank, appraiser and tax man would consider this to be a 1760 sq ft home for $180K. Only the conditioned space above grade is included in the total sq ft calculation. This applies to new and resale homes. Probably why most new home buyers DIY the basement.
What is the cost per sqf without the cost of the lot included?
Wow! This is great instruction on the cost of building a home as well as a remodeling a home.
Wish I had this video to show my wife when we extensively remodeled our home.
Hey @Essential Mountain Homesteading, purchasing land and will be looking in the future to build a home on that land... I was wondering how I would go about getting a floor plan or blueprint for a home similar to the one in this video with the basement. This is all new to me and my wife and I are all about sq ft rather than all the bells and whistles
lol - @8:18 (pause)"....sorry...i'm struggling to draw and do math and talk all at the same time" - Love the direct look into the camera and honesty. Good Video too!
When that shirt change happened I had to double back I thought I accidentally clicked on a different video LOL. But I must say this is incredibly valuable information! Thank you greatly!
I am looking. Planning on a
30X40 house with a front covered deck on the roof side Looks like a custom house with out lot of extra cost. I do not see the need anymore to do a first floor living room if you do a full basement entertainment room.
Thanks for sharing. We have wanted to find a simple home and be conservative on costs going into retirement. You are the first I have ever found that talks about this strategy.
Send me an email 📧 and I'll send you a set of the simple plans essentialhomesteading@gmail.com
Thanks for the information. You touched on financial points no one generally targets. Folks focuss more on esthetics & buy into the marketing aspect than actual substance or the meat & taters.
Thats the difference between the man with the boots on the ground & the one with the manicured nails.
Folks need to be informed & stay grounded in order to make sound decisions.
Don't get me wrong, who wouldn't love a gourmet meal prepared by a renowned chef but there aint nothing wrong about some down home country cooking made with love.
I appreciate ya Big Boy.
You keep strokin Hoss.
Small house with loads of outdoor living space really is the way to go. 99% of people could live in 800 SQ feet if they got rid of all their crap.
So what. 99% of people could get by with driving a small compact car instead of agiant SUV. It comes down to personal choice and your financial capabilities.
Usually a building is worth more than open land, you should extend your real estate investment as much as possible, its the best investment you can make. Its best to live in a more expensive home BC you sell it in the end, my area goes up 5-10% in value per year, never goes down.
@@FletcherHillier not at all true in California. My lot is 25x100, my house is a 2 story 2000sf. Paid 400k in 1999 now it's 1.5M. The "improvement" on the land isn't even 300k in today's prices.
I'd like to live in a newly built 950 sq. ft. house when I'm older. I'll be living by myself and I don't need all the extra room.
@@hunterreitz7161 You don't want to build an 850 sq.ft. house anymore?
Very informative.
And I think the super-cheap house looks quite pretty.
Martin H
Maybe a better term
Cost Efficient..
Most people don't want cheap.
but i think almost everyone wants
value for their money..
What was the cost of the build minus the pricing of the lot??
One factor left out of using that "wasted" attic space is where does the insulation go then? That house can't meet minimum R value (49) for attics in zone 6 or even warmer zones since there is not enough room between the top corner of the attic area and outside of roof. They saved cost in square footage by using the attic space but are now going to pay every winter for extra heating costs. This could have been addressed by adding appropriate thickness of exterior foam board to the roof deck or not having such high ceiling in the attic space to give more room for the insulation.
Does a finished basement count as added Square footage? Especially if there is no egress? In my state you have to have two egresses from a bedroom in order to count it as a bedroom.
Not sure what traction you got on this video, but I find them very beneficial
This is awesome. So much value in home planning here. You've opened my eyes to a new way of thinking about these things. Thank you, thank you!
My wife and I just finished paying off our acre of land in Hawaii...we have a home(payed for) in what some would call a ghetto in Pittsburgh....when it comes time to move in a few years we, do not want to be tied with a mortgage because jobs are scarce over there...so we have considered everything from high cube shipping containers, to yurts, to us just building a platform and putting a screen house on top...what we settled on was an Argus kit home...because of permits and lending institutions when it comes time to sell...when we were on island last year, we stopped by and they said a shell package (no drywall or floors or cabinets)that was wired, rough plumbed, had the water catchment and septic installed....$80per square foot...The materials looked of good quality as well...for a 1000 square foot simple, model...I feel we can make it happen...ps....thanks for your helpful video😃🌈🤙
Hows it going ? Out of pittsburg yet?
@@kuhelss not yet. It’s good. We. Sold the land and bought a house that we have rented out. ( long term rental) We found it to be easier to get a property manager rather than build. There’s a small Ohana in back yard that we stay in we we visit. Still have not met tenants because of Co Vid but they are great tenants as they pay rent and keep the place nice
I am so happy to have stumbled upon your channel! My husband and I are tired of all the bells and whistles that are on homes these days making them incredibly unaffordable. Would you mind sending me the plans of the first “shoe box” house? Much appreciated and thank you for your willingness to educate every day folks looking for affordable options. Take care.
Email me essentialhomesteading@gmail.com
Really appreciate the information. This was so good it had me glued to the screen. Gave me a lot to consider too.
Ok but this is with property, labour and everything. Could you also do something with just the absolute basics? Lot is free etc.. just the material cost for things like concrete basement of above house, and the framing material cost for it etc.. just done till its roofed and outside walls done, berfore doing any interior...
Can we still get plans for the 30 x 40 build ?
Nice video don't forget Hurricane/Earthquake zone building codes drive the costs way up too with all the precise nail head penetration depths and distance apart patterns on plywood, metal ties and straps everywhere.
Thank you! Especially the last advice, soo helpful!
Awesome video. I have never understood the idea of going into debt (via mortgage) for things like fake dormers. Imagine how many subprime mortgages were created for "fake dormer" type houses that lead to the 2008 recession...all due to vanity. And now our national debt is up hundreds of billions, if not trillions, of dollars thanks to bank bailouts. It's not difficult at all to live a comfortable life in America if vanity and extravagancies are set aside.
Great video!!! This is the very reason why I want to build our own home. I want efficient space without all the fluff!!!
I love this house! We would love the plans. So great you're sharing this info. Looking to build in Utah asap.
We maximize space in garages by doing high lift or roof pitch garage door installations. Also, in new homes, buyers should look to add garage overhead shelving before move in. Its a must.
From someone who worked for a GC, this guy is definitely worth his salt. Especially what he said about sweat equity. We had a guy hire us to build a huge immaculate house and he saved 40k on the kitchen alone from ordering an RTA kitchen and putting it together himself. He also got his own counter tops and installed those. If we had done it the cost would've been approaching 100k for the kitchen alone. He also had experience with excavation and concrete work, and he dug his own foundation himself, which saved around 35 grand. Roofed it himself with the help of his brother. They put all the flooring in including the tiling in the bathroom. He textured and painted the entirety of the inside. No attached garage. He ordered a metal building kit for a 40x60 shop and did that himself for around 20k. After we left he built his own covered front walkway with elk antlers and all sorts of cool designs. The house was 3200 square feet and it only cost him like $70 per square foot. The house had beautifully designed pillars, wainscoting, 4 walk in closets on 3 bedrooms, vaulted ceilings, windows everywhere. The works. The house is absolute gorgeous. We had built similar houses for around 800 grand.
Thanks for this video. You have taught me a lot about building a house.
Is there any way to know what the cost of land acquisition was out of the 180k? It really would help to make things clearer.
We live in a colder climate. Is there insulation that would makeup for using 2x4s instead of 2x6s? Thanks.
I live in Alaska. 2x6 is the way to go. Your R value will be much higher if you use 2x6 and insulate accordingly rather than 2x4 and stuff insulation as tight as a snare drum.
@@TTundragrizzly Thanks. That is kind of what I am thinking as our house is 2x6.
Great video. Planning a home build and this will help me a lot in the early stages.
Glade to hear it😃
For my info; is it a big difference in cost if using ICF products and/or metal studs? Do they really cut back on labor as well?
Great information, can’t wait to see more of this from you!
How can i make that 30x40 a 4 apt building with a door into the roof room? Its in FLORIDA so it will be 2 story cedar blocks on a slap?
That could work, can you do a basement where you are? Send me an email and let's talk. Essentialhomesteading@gmail.com
Wow, thank you so much for this information!
While I appreciate your ideas regarding sq. footage and how to bring that price down,there are two sides to every coin. First off,let me say this,markets do put a lot of emphasis on size,another factor we cannot dodge is that eye appeal is buy appeal. A house with no windows on the sides is called TV architecture. Reason being,like a television,only the front counts. To access the flip side of this debate,read the excellent essay by Connor Homes titled Creating Value in the New Old House. Thank you for sharing your expertise and perspective.
Smaller house = less money
I am going to price an SIP house...framing insulation and sheathing in a day or 2. That is a huge savings. Time is money. Garages built pole barn style are less than 1/2 the cost of a stick built. Side them to match house.
Have you priced SIP foundation walls ?
Not having a basement I believe is a mistake...you will need to sacrifice square footage of your main floor for mechanicals which woukd have been in the utility area.
I am throwing all this out here because I have built a few custom homes, pole barns and have been doing this for over 40 years. $125-$150 is realistic if you are doing lots of the labor as the owner. This is the way I am going to do my house in Northern Idaho this year.
Hello Sir. If someone want to build a house of bricks only. So what will be the cost for one square foot? ( bricks only) no wood.
Fake dormers are just potential rat and squirrel nests.
Fake dormers are just stupid in every way
@@FletcherHillier But cute.
@@tmo4330 kind of like a kardasian :P
@@FletcherHillier What dormers *DO* , is add dimension, interest & will add to the overall curb appeal as they even literally "heighten" the home. Just like clothing, furniture, etc...the added lines can fool the eye in making the home look larger and taller than it is. I've never known them to be nesting places for squirrels, rats, etc, but I guess if they're not properly attached to a home, sure...but no different than a "real" dormer. With a "real" dormer, it's wasted space inside a home.
Wow. I had no idea this was an option. Thank you for this!
No need for a fancy house. I would like to keep the house around $80,000. I wonder if that's possible to get around 1200 sq ft? 🤗
thats basically the size of a 2 bedroom apartment
I'm planning on a 2760 sqft house, 2500 sqft garage for 250k and I own the property, having an architect over this week. So how ever you want to split the sqft cost between garage and house. By my math its 160k for house at 58 a sqft and 90k for garage and 90k for garage at 45 dollars per sqft. I will do 90% of the work myself. So far I'm told it's impossible, but that's my plan and I'm sticking to it. But I designed it off alot of the principles in your first house you were talking about. 2 story, square box, no unnecessary architectural details.
Send me an email and let's talk essentialhomesteading@gmail.com
The nail gun concussive shots in the background gives this video a nice ambience.
Great tips, but the noise in the background was hard to overcome. It may have been useful to stop the video until the contractors left. Thanks for your insight.
What gets me is as a builder cost per square foot includes the entire build where as a realtor only sells the livable interior footage. This makes builders look bad.
Very nice! Now I need to know what the lot cost? To get the build cost.
With a shed roof do you save a lot of $$ compared to traditional truss/gable roof?
FANTASTIC VIDEO! LEARNED A TON IN THIS SMALL SEGMENT
I'm glad we could help
This could be a popular series: you breaking down, generating an estimate for a fictional house design. Do an episode once every 2 months. Maybe feature a historic home at today’s estimated construction price.
Great video!
Does the price per SQFT include the finished interior and finishes on those projects? If so what kind of finishes are we talking about? Middle of the road like Granite counters, laminate flooring or the high end stuff like heated toilets that can clean your Corn Husker for ya? Keep up the good work 🇺🇸
you did not show the exact cost per SQF. you included the value of the land in the SQF, expense , the value of the land is not the business of the builder, the owner of the lot probably paid for that lot $ 1.00 only. Just tell us how much will be per sqf. when you build that house , forget the value of the land.
George Capra exactly
Do you have a tour of this home finished
What's the roof pitch and sidewall height on the first house?
Yes and no, market value also changes due to supply and demand as well as other factors. The square footage is just a major part of how that is all measured and compared but it's still only one of multiple factors that determines whether a property appreciates or depreciates as ultimately, what you can sell a property for depends on what someone else is willing to pay for it...
Besides, the problem with looking at only cost per square foot is it doesn't take into account everything that can effect the ownership of the house... Architect Sarah Susanka,author of 'The Not So Big House' series, once said something along the lines that pricing a home by square footage is like pricing a car by the pound!
It may be how we've been doing it the last 45 or so years but it doesn't mean it's a good way to measure...
Things like how energy efficient is the house, how durable and long lasting, how often will it need to be renovated, whether the layout is an efficient use of space, and whether it's even healthy to live in are often never considered with a square footage way of measuring value... But all these things and more can translate to higher long term costs that can end up costing the owner up to multiple times the original cost of the house.
Energy efficiency alone is a growing factor since existing houses consume so much energy that they account for over 41% of our total annual carbon output. Compared to just 29% for all vehicles... Thus why we are seeing a growing emphasis on energy efficiency starting to be required in the building codes for all new construction.
Buyers also have to watch out for dishonest and misleading use of square footage by realtors... An example...
capitalhb.wordpress.com/2013/04/05/price-per-square-foot-is-misleading-for-real-estate-values-in-thomasville-ga/comment-page-1/
So home performance and testing is rapidly becoming the big selling point of houses going forward...
Zeo, Great comment lots of good information. Thank you for sharing
I agree there are other costs of maintaining a home over the long term that should be considered but the majority of people are only thinking about the next five or ten years. Even people who are buying their forever home just don't think that far ahead. Its all about the payment and the current cost. I love high performance buildings but in my area most people don't care to pay for it
That used to be the case but it's changing. Things like the housing bubble crash have started to get at least a portion of the population to start seriously educating themselves about what they're actually paying for and there are more and more resources becoming available to make that knowledge easier to acquire...
Check out the following channels, for 2 such examples...
th-cam.com/channels/I2VDyfqdsttBE0X3c-ArXg.html
th-cam.com/channels/FCTrfb1JUJjs3Im8OZDtBw.html
It's also starting to be reflected in the building codes as more and more places are starting to impose higher energy efficiency standards for all new construction. Among other changes happening...
I wish you were building around where I live in Tennessee. I’m a simple man and would love a home like that! I could decorate the inside to my liking myself!
You have the patience of the gods...that banging every time I opened my mouth would have drove me nutts..thanks for pushing through..Very informative Video..Even through the banging🤣
Just had a quick conversation this week with a builder who is building a house a block away from me. Asked him what it cost these days here in Vancouver BC - of course depending on finishes etc starting at $225 per sq ft - which I thought was a little low, I suspect it is more in the $300 sq ft here.
www.vancouverhome.builders/how-much-cost-to-build-house/
Yeah I am in VIctoria just across the pond from you and that sounds about right 300+ sq ft
Why does the basement have windows?
Great information. So how much per sq. ft. without the land cost ? I am looking into building a basic 16 by 28 detached unit on my home lot. I will be going owner builder and hoping to save some costs.
Thanks for any information, keep up the videos.
The cheapest house per square foot is a windowless 50x100 steel building slab on grade with a 1/12 roof pitch, 2 doors and only 1 room (super open concept). $25/sqft. Bonus: your property tax will be super cheap.
I love the idea of all that shop space and I don't even need a Room I could just put a bunk bed in one corner.😉
@@EssentialMountainHomesteading A twin size air mattress is only $8 at Walmart. If you want luxury the queen size is $15.
Essential Mountain Homesteading 😀
McNoodles 😀 😅
I'm so tired of getting the awful response to the square footage question and you nailed it! I'm certain we have always worded the question wrong and perhaps we should ask "How can I build a home for under $75/sq. with these needs....." Simple foundation, simple roof line usable space above/below, savings in glass and labor. Thank You, Thank you I'm sure everyone appreciates these straight forward answers. We are currently doing plans for a single story 28' x 40' and we are only 1080 sq. That's a 2 bed/1 large bath to accommodate a small family but now you mention basement and I feel like a work of opportunity just opened up. We have about 5 acres and a basement would be easy for equipment etc. I would love to see more photos of the home you mentioned at 2960 sq. Perhaps a .pdf of a floor plan if that would be acceptable to your client. I live here in California so i'm not sure I would be much of an issue utilizing some of your ideas. Thank you for your great video. Now if I can just dig through your videos and find the insulation technique of that style of roof line. Living in the country I will not want a vented attic for mice and dust to accumulate.
Please send me an Email and I will send you a set of the plans and thank you for all your kind words
Learned a lot here, thanks. Any further breakdowns on that project for material / labour costs?
Not all square feet are of equal value. A grade level square foot is much more valuable than a basement square foot or even a second level square foot that requires dealing with stairs.
You are a good educator thanks for your time and effort.
Thank you so much! We are considering building as an option in the next year or so and I appreciate this insight! I always thought it was crazy expensive to build! This gives me some hope! I sure wish I could find someone like you to work with here in MN, they all only seem interested in the big expensive homes :(
I'm curious as to what other topics on building you mite find valuable for future videos.
Great information. Gracias.
Are you willing to share your plans for the value build that you discuss? I would love to use that as the basis for my next build.
LMBO @ "Sorry, I'm struggling to do math and draw" cute...lol.
That is great ... We're was the house build at ...
I have actually learned something valuable from a youtube video for probably the first time ever.
Even a broken watch is right twice a day! Thanks for the kind words!
This was sooooo helpful. Thank you!!!!!
Thanks for sharing of your experience . Its useful.
This is essentially how our home was designed/built. Second story is built with attic trusses and smaller than the main level, all on a basement. No dormers, doors and windows on each end of the home which is basically a rectangle.
I'm interested in a 2 bay carriage house.
2 bedrooms 1 bath upstairs .5 bath downstairs.
Open floor plan living, dinning, kitchen upstairs.
Radiant concrete floor heat.
Upstairs covered balcony.
Low roof pitch enough for storage.
Any idea for price per square footage in Florida?
$61 a square, including land?! America is so cheap. Here in Canada you'll be lucky to build for $150 (that's about $115 USD) a square (depending where you are) with out land.
Before the current boom in the local Colorado market it was at $150. I have no idea now
Was chewing on what you said yesterday, $61/sqft seems pretty cheap. Could you clarify what that exactly means. Framing? Exterior finish? roof material. Insulation? Legal limit electrics. Septic? Basement poured or block? Thanks
Thanks so much for the video and explanation. We are trying to do the exact same thing here in the Midwest. We've finally found a builder who builds to the Passivhaus standard that actually understands building science. We want to keep everything simple and functional. Did the first house have any upgrades in insulation/air sealing? Also, if you don't mind disclosing, how much land did they buy and what was the price? Thanks.
You talked about thawing the attic trusses saving money. I know it gave them more square feet and all that. But are trusses all that much cheaper then stick framing with rafters?
Not at all. Attic trusses are at least $250 each. You can buy plenty of TJI joist and hand frame them AND have a better flatter ceiling and roof. It's all about the time savings.
Have you wished you'd do something different on this house? Do you sell these plans?
How does one go about finding a reputable builder? Second question would it be better to work with an architect or to pick out a plan out of a magazine.
Is it better to do a full basement as your ground level or is half size basement ok? I've done a simple design of just under 800sqft house and just a half basement for water heater and storage. Built on flat ground no hill side.
pinky2389 I would do a full basement as it is an easy way to pick up space in your home and add a lot of value. I would love to see your plans, send me an Email.
Great video:)) thank you for sharing your ideas for saving in costs on a building a house…
my question would be how much would that 30x40 with attic trusses on slab on grade cost ??? no basement no land cost just structure??? per sq ft
much less total cost, but more per sqft.
$4-5K for the slab
$5 for the attic trusses
$10K for the rest of the lumber.
$10K for siding and windows if you buy right.
Add labor yourself. Easy.
That's just a dried in shell.
$10K for a well, maybe
$10K for a septic
$$$ plumbing
$$$ heating
$$$ electrical