2024 Cost to Build a House From Top to Bottom
Normal range: $135,969 - $522,424
The average cost to build a house is $311,600, but it can cost between $135,969 and $522,424 depending on your unique specifications.
Buying a home is a dream for many, but building your own house is another great option if you want to put your own personalized stamp on a forever home. But how much does it cost to build a house anyway?
The average cost to build a house is $311,600, but prices vary widely depending on your home's size, location, and materials you use. Nationally, the average house build range is between $135,969 and $522,424.
- Average
- $311,600
- Low end
- $1,500
- high end
- $900,000
Cost to Build a House Per Square Foot
A house can cost anywhere from $100 to $500 per square foot to build, with the higher end of this range accounting for large cities like San Francisco or New York City. The size and type of house you choose will also affect what you’ll pay. The average cost to build a house is $150 per square foot. Labor accounts for about 40% of the cost, while materials account for 60%.
Remember that the prices listed here are accurate as of the publish date, but pandemic-related construction supply shortages continue to cause price fluctuations. As we'll dive into more later, the average size of a home in the U.S. is 2,200 square feet. Let's look at all standard home sizes and their related building costs.
| Home Size (Sq. Ft.) | Average Cost | Price Range |
|---|---|---|
| 1,000 | $150,000 | $100,000 – $500,000 |
| 1,500 | $225,000 | $150,000 – $750,000 |
| 1,750 | $262,500 | $175,000 – $875,000 |
| 2,000 | $300,000 | $200,000 – $1,000,000 |
| 2,200 | $330,000 | $220,000 – $1,100,000 |
| 3,000 | $450,000 | $300,000 – $1,500,000 |
Cost to Build a House by Number of Bedrooms
Square footage can be hard to envision if you're not used to measuring spaces and mapping out homes. Here's one way to picture it: The average home in the U.S. today is 2,220 square feet and has two to three bedrooms. The amount you'll pay per square foot will also vary depending on the layout and the number of floors. It is less expensive, for example, to build up than build out since adding a second level requires fewer materials than laying more foundation-level flooring.
Here are the new construction home costs based on the number of bedrooms at the average price of $150 per square foot.
| Bedrooms | Price Range |
|---|---|
| Two | $90,000 – $150,000 |
| Three | $150,000 – $360,000 |
| Four | $285,000 – $420,000 |
Building a House Cost Factors
So, where does all this money go? For example, if you break the big-picture items into major categories—material costs, labor costs, or the cost to prep the land—each line item makes a bit more sense. The price will also come down to who you decide to build your house. Taking a better look at individual costs may also help you zero in on the price ranges in your area.
Land
Lot prices will have a significant say in your new home cost, but you can find pieces of land between $3,000 and all the way up to $150,000. Highly sought-out areas and lots without prior hookups to utilities will increase your total costs.
“The location of the house makes a huge difference in the price,” says Bob Tschudi, Angi Expert Review Board member and general contractor in Raleigh, NC. “We were recently looking at small parcels for a tiny home and the same exact square footage ranged from $25,000 to $150,000. So you have to look at the overall value of the final product.”
House Plans and Design Fees
Once you secure the land, you can choose from either stock or custom home design plans. Pre-designed layouts come in plenty of options tailored to your needs, and they don’t require an architect to draw up your design from scratch. You can even take a stock design and make some customizations to suit your personal style and preferences. You'll pay between $500 and $5,000 for stock plans.
You can also tailor your home to your exact vision by hiring a local architect, but the cost of blueprints ranges from $750 to $20,000. An architect may also charge based on the size of the project. Expect to pay between as low as 5% of the total home cost for new construction plans.
Permits and Inspection Fees
Construction building permits cost between $150 and $2,000, but this can run higher depending on your area's local laws and the size of your home. You may also need permits for garages, utility hookups, patios, or land grading. Additionally, you must hire an inspector before moving into your home, similar to when buying an existing property. Expect to pay an average of $340 for an inspection for new construction.
Labor
Labor will account for the remaining 40% of the cost of your project, covering everything from the architect to the plumber. Hiring a general contractor is often the first step to planning and executing your home construction, and this hire will account for between 10% and 20% of the total project cost.
Alternatively, you can also choose to hire a construction manager, who will oversee the project and budget but will leave more of the decision-making to you. These professionals charge between 5% and 15% of the total cost.
“Whether you choose to hire a general contractor, a construction manager, or manage the work yourself, be sure to have the proper insurance coverage,” says Tschudi. “At the minimum, make sure that the entity managing the construction has builder’s risk insurance, general liability insurance and, for every employee, workers’ compensation insurance.”
The rest of the team will fall into place with the guidance of either of the managers above. Here are some of the major players in building a house and their standard rates:
Structural engineer: $100–$200 an hour
Architect: As little as 5% of the project cost
Draftspeople: $50–$130 an hour
House framer: $7–$16 per square foot
Site Work/Excavation
The cost of the land aside, excavating, surveying, and grading the site will launch your project before you can lay the foundation. Excavation and grading will cost between $1,500 and $5,600 on average, while land surveyor costs for a new construction range from $100 to $600.
Foundation
The cost of your foundation will come down to where you live, the state of your property, and—depending on both of these factors—the type of foundation best for your home. Basement foundations, for example, cost between $10 and $25 per square foot, whereas traditional pier-and-beam and concrete slab foundations cost from $4 to $12 per square foot.
Unless you’re well-versed in construction, you’ll probably want to lean on a structural engineer to help you determine the correct foundation and inspect the foundation after its completion.
Framing
Watching the framing of your home take shape is an exciting time. The framing is the outer support beams that structure your home, determining its layout and number of floors. This part of the project costs between $20,000 and $50,000, depending on the type of building materials you choose and the labor cost.
The most common type of house framing is platform framing using lumber, but more durable options like steel framing will cost up to 20% more. Again, a structural engineer or contractor will make—or help you make—the call about which type of house framing is right for you.
Exterior Finishes
Exterior finishes, from the siding to the shingles on your roof, will account for $25,000 to $60,000 of your overall home-building costs. You and your team will have a lot of decisions to make depending on the exterior style you’re going for and the best options for your local climate, among other factors.
| Exterior Finish | Price Range |
|---|---|
| Aluminum Siding | $3 – $18 per sq. ft. |
| Cedar Wood Siding | $1.50 – $5.50 per sq. ft. |
| Plywood Siding | $ 2– $3 per sq. ft. |
| Other Wood Siding | $2 – $35 per sq. ft. |
| Vinyl Siding | $2 – $12 per sq. ft. |
| Fiber Cement Siding | $4 – $15 per sq. ft. |
| Stone Veneer Siding | $11 – $18 per sq. ft. |
| Brick and Brick Veneer Siding | $3 – $10 per sq. ft. |
| Asphalt Roofing | $8,700 – $22,000 |
| Tile Roofing | $24,400 – $35,000 |
| Wood Shake Roofing | $20,000 – $40,000 |
| Metal Roofing | $20,000 – $50,000 |
| Stone Roofing | $32,000 – $40,000 |
| Standard Exterior Doors | $525 – $1,700 |
| Sliding Glass Doors | $500 – $4,500 |
| Standard Window | $180 – $410 |
| Bay Window | $900 – $7,100 |
Interior Finishes
Moving on to the interior work of your home is an exciting phase. This stage is the moment to determine the flooring, the paint colors, and all appliances and home systems that make your house a home. Assume you'll pay between $50,000 and $175,000 for all interior finishes.
The higher cost range accounts for more complex and sought-after materials. These include everything from insulation with higher R-values to beautiful marble countertops. Nearly every category, however, offers options for all budget preferences.
| Interior Installation | Cost Range |
|---|---|
| Spray Foam Insulation | $1.50 – $4.90 per sq. ft. |
| Fiberglass Insulation | $0.30 – $1.50 per sq. ft. |
| Cellulose Insulation | $0.60 – $2.30 per sq. ft. |
| Batt-and-Roll Insulation | $0.30 – $1.50 per sq. ft. |
| Mineral Wool Insulation | $1.40 – $4.00 per sq. ft. |
| Rigid Foam Board Insulation | $0.25 – $2.00 per sq. ft. |
| Insulation Labor | $40 – $80 hour |
| Drywall | $1.50 – $3.00 per sq. ft. |
| Paint | $2 – $6 per sq. ft. |
| Trim | $2 – $3 per linear ft. |
| Hollow-Core Door | $30 – $400 |
| Solid-Core Door | $70 – $250 |
| Solid Wood Door | $240 – $590 |
| Aluminum Door | $300 – $2,000 |
| Bifold Door | $140 – $360 |
| Pocket Door | $100 – $2,500 |
| French Door | $250 – $500 |
| Sliding Bypass Door | $250 – $500 |
| Barn Door | $100 – $300 |
| Saloon Door | $100 – $300 |
| Murphy Door | $500 – $1,000 |
| Subflooring | $4.50 – $10 per sq. ft. |
| Tile Flooring | $6 – $20 per sq. ft. |
| Hardwood Flooring | $6 – $22 per sq. ft. |
| Stone Flooring | $6 – $20 per sq. ft. |
| Engineered Wood Flooring | $4 – $16 per sq. ft. |
| Carpet Flooring | $3 – $11 per sq. ft. |
| Laminate | $3 – $10 per sq. ft. |
| Vinyl and Wood Flooring | $3 – $7 per sq. ft. |
| Cabinets | $100 – $1,200 per sq. ft. |
| Laminate Countertops | $8 – $27 per sq. ft. |
| Wood Countertops | $18 – $38 per sq. ft. |
| Corian Countertops | $20 – $75 per sq. ft. |
| Marble Countertops | $15 – $190 per sq. ft. |
| Granite Countertops | $15 – $140 per sq. ft. |
| Stainless Steel Countertops | $60 – $100 per sq. ft. |
| Slate Countertops | $50 – $200 per sq. ft. |
| Porcelain Countertops | $55 – $120 per sq. ft. |
| Zinc Countertops | $120 – $200 per sq. ft. |
| Copper Countertops | $100 – $300 per sq. ft. |
| Ceiling-Mounted Lights | $90 – $230 |
| Pendant Lights | $95 – $250 |
| Chandeliers | $300 – $2,000 |
| Recessed Lighting | $125 – $230 |
| Track Lighting | $200 – $450 |
| Wall-Mounted Lights | $190 – $450 |
Installing Home Systems
Woven within the ceiling, walls, and floorboards, contractors install all the systems that keep your home connected to local utilities. In total, you'll pay between $30,000 and $75,000 to install all major home systems.
HVAC
An entire heating and cooling system that manages both an AC and a furnace will cost an average of $7,500. Separately, central air costs between $2,250 and $5,500, while a furnace costs from $3,250 to $6,000 on average.
Electrical
Wiring a whole house will cost an average of $10,000 between materials and labor when you hire a local electrician. Now, remember that most land plots already have access to the local grid. However, if you need to connect the property to electrical service for the first time, connecting your new home to the grid will run anywhere from $4,500 to $20,000.
Plumbing
Rough-in plumbing is a term often encountered in the home building process. It refers to the pipes and fixtures added to new construction for the first time. In other words, these are the pipes in the walls, ceiling, and floorboards that connect directly to your home's water supply. The term does not refer to all the faucets, showerheads, appliances, and fixtures that come later.
Rough-in plumbing for a whole house will cost between $7,500 and $15,000. Like the electrical hookups above, connect your new home to the local sewer system for an average cost of $3,300.
After the rough-in plumbing, you must account for all the fixtures you use directly daily. Standard plumbing-related fixtures and expenses include:
Kitchen or bathroom sink: $220–$630
Toilet: $220–$530
Shower: $200–$1,500
Bathtub: $400–$4,200
Water heater: $840–$1,700
Off-Site Living Expenses
Don't forget that you and your family will need somewhere to live as your home is being built. Whether you've yet to move from your old place or are renting a smaller apartment nearby, you'll spend between $8,600 and $11,900 for about seven months—the average time it takes to build a home.
Storage
Moving and storage companies often work hand in hand to help with more involved moves and projects. Let's say you've loaded up your moving truck, headed across the country to your mid-construction home, and must store furniture and boxes for several months. The average cost of a storage unit is $240 a month, but you'll find small locker storage boxes for as little as $40 a month.
Also, consider choosing a local moving company that offers storage services. Many movers will work storage into their base rate and even include a month of storage free.
Appliances
Since all central wiring, plumbing, and HVAC vent work went in during the middle of the construction phase—now it's time to choose the appliances themselves. Budget between $3,000 and $15,000 for all new appliances and their installation costs. Here are some of the must-have appliances to keep on your list.
| Appliance | Average Cost |
|---|---|
| Dishwasher | $1,000 |
| Washing machine | $1,000 |
| Dryer | $700 |
| Refrigerator | $1,500 |
| Range/oven | $1,300 |
Furniture
Even if you plan to bring in your antique dining table and your favorite bar cart, you'll likely want to start fresh with most major furniture items. The average cost to furnish a new home is $16,000, or anywhere from $3,500 to $95,000.
If you're starting from scratch, breaking up your budget by room can be helpful, as some are more furniture-focused than others. Here are some typical price ranges depending on whether you choose high-end brands or more cost-friendly options.
Living room furniture: $1,500–$31,000
Dining room furniture: $1,000–$16,000
Primary bedroom furniture: $1,000–$15,000
Additional bedroom furniture: $1,000–$15,000
Large design undertakings like these also benefit from the help of hiring an interior designer. Interior designers cost between $50 and $100 an hour or will offer flat rates for big projects.
Outdoor Structures
The outside of your home deserves just as much love as the inside, so don't forget about your lawn and outdoor living space. One of the many cost factors to build a green home includes how the structure relates to the surrounding environment.
| Outdoor Installation | Cost Range |
|---|---|
| Deck | $30 – $60 per sq. ft. |
| Sunroom | $20,800 – $72,600 |
| Gravel Patio | $1 – $4 per sq. ft. |
| Concrete Patio | $3 – $8 per sq. ft. |
| Brick Pavers | $8 – $25 per sq. ft. |
| Natural Stone Patio | $3 – $35 per sq. ft. |
| Permeable Pavers | $10 – $30 per sq. ft. |
| Interlocking Pavers | $8 – $25 per sq. ft. |
| Porcelain Pavers | $3 – $35 per sq. ft. |
| Gravel Driveway | $4 – $15 per sq. ft. |
| Paver Driveway | $7 – $13 per sq. ft. |
| Concrete Driveway | $10 – $50 per sq. ft. |
| Tar-and-Chip Driveway | $8 – $18 per sq. ft. |
| Rubber | $10 – $25 per sq. ft. |
| Garage | $29 – $120 per sq. ft. |
| Pool Installation | $90 – $160 per sq. ft. |
| Sod Installation | $1,000 – $3,000 |
| Planting a Tree | $100 – $2,000 |
| Topsoil | $12 – $55 per cu. yd. |
| Mulch | $0.20 – $0.60 per sq. ft. |
| Border Plants | $2 – $50 per plant |
| Land Leveling | $1,000 – $3,200 |
| Fence Installation | $1,700 – $4,400 |
Site Cleanup
While many home builders will include the basic cleanup in their fee, including hauling leftover materials, you may still end up with some excess dust and wood chips before moving in. The cost to clean up a construction site costs between $250 and $1,250 for a 2,500-square-foot home or between $0.10 and $0.50 per square foot.
Weather Delays
Wind, rain, snow, hail, and major storms can wreak havoc on the best-laid home-building plan. Inclement weather can affect the cost of your home build in several ways. On a basic level, delays caused by bad weather might mean you miss deals on materials or contractors. The more you shift your building timeline, the more you risk spending on fluctuating costs.
In a worst-case scenario, bad weather can even damage your home mid-construction. The average cost of storm damage on a home ranges from $2,700 to $19,600. Thankfully, builders' risk insurance plans will cover many types of weather-related damage during construction—though not before or after. Always clarify whether you or your contractor are responsible for purchasing this additional insurance, as it varies by team.
Location
Location will play one of the most prominent roles in the cost of building a house, both in the price of the land and due to the area's general cost of living. The cost of materials, labor, and delivery will all affect your bottom line, as will the price of local building permits. Home design elements specific to certain areas, such as more substantial insulation or weather-proof building materials, also come into play.
Additionally, if there is a lot of competition in the area for a home builder's time, you may end up with a longer timeline or higher bids. Here are the average costs to build a house state-by-state.
| State | Average Price |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $279,000 |
| Alaska | $384,000 |
| Arizona | $306,000 |
| Arkansas | $269,500 |
| California | $384,000 |
| Colorado | $314,000 |
| Connecticut | $356,000 |
| Delaware | $328,000 |
| Florida | $280,000 |
| Georgia | $289,000 |
| Hawaii | $421,500 |
| Idaho | $320,500 |
| Illinois | $322,500 |
| Indiana | $274,000 |
| Iowa | $269,000 |
| Kansas | $259,500 |
| Kentucky | $294,000 |
| Louisiana | $282,000 |
| Maine | $313,000 |
| Maryland | $315,000 |
| Massachusetts | $376,000 |
| Michigan | $270,000 |
| Minnesota | $294,000 |
| Mississippi | $271,000 |
| Missouri | $283,500 |
| Montana | $316,000 |
| Nebraska | $271,000 |
| Nevada | $330,000 |
| New Hampshire | $330,000 |
| New Jersey | $381,500 |
| New Mexico | $302,000 |
| New York | $365,000 |
| North Carolina | $299,00 |
| North Dakota | $276,000 |
| Ohio | $277,000 |
| Oklahoma | $280,000 |
| Oregon | $339,000 |
| Pennsylvania | $320,000 |
| Rhode Island | $355,000 |
| South Carolina | $301,000 |
| South Dakota | $252,000 |
| Tennessee | $281,500 |
| Texas | $286,500 |
| Utah | $313,000 |
| Vermont | $314,500 |
| Virginia | $310,500 |
| Washington | $353,000 |
| West Virginia | $302,500 |
| Wisconsin | $287,000 |
| Wyoming | $309,000 |
Cost to Build a House Yourself vs. Hiring a Pro
The DIY reality of building a home yourself from start to finish heavily depends on the extent of your project, and doing too much yourself is one of the most common home building mistakes. While you can cut down on up to 40% of your project costs by leaving out labor, not all parts of the home building process are doable without significant experience and even a license. Your home must be able to pass inspection to show it meets local safety and zoning codes. It can also be extremely dangerous to attempt some heavy construction work without experience.
All this being said, the cost of building a home yourself will mean something different for everyone. Hire a construction manager over a general contractor, for example, if you want to work directly with each designer and specialist hired. You can also take on smaller-yet-significant parts of the process, such as learning how to install floor tiles, paint the interior, or install appliances like the dishwasher.
How to Pay for Building a House
There are two primary routes you can take when obtaining a loan to buy land and build a house: a construction-only loan or a construction-to-permanent loan. In both cases, you will apply for a loan that acts more like a line of credit at first than a traditional mortgage. Banks will agree to deposit set amounts of money in your account as you move through each phase of the land-buying and home building process. Here's how the two loans differ.
Construction-Only Loans
In this case, a bank approves a maximum loan amount to build a house and deposits the set sums as you move from stage to stage. During construction, you only pay interest on the loan but are required to pay the full balance—or secure a mortgage—as soon as it's completed.
Construction-to-Permanent Loans
A bit more user-friendly for the average homeowner, a construction-to-permanent loan—also known as an all-in-one loan—transitions the construction loan to a mortgage automatically. You will still only pay interest while the home is being built, but you will transition to mortgage payments once your bank approves the final construction. While these loans are more convenient, they often come with higher fees, interest rates, and down payment requirements.
How to Save on the Costs of Building a House
So, how do you keep homebuilding costs under control as you launch into this large endeavor? While there are plenty of small tips to save cash in each category, there are some overhauling ways to avoid overpaying for the process.
Choose a plot of land attached to utilities and the local sewer system. Setting up utilities will cost between $6,200 and $34,600.
Work with a general contractor familiar with your area and style of home to unlock local knowledge about permits, materials, and trusted contractors.
Set your budget in stone before meeting with your contractor, but keep a buffer for necessary changes and delays.
When looking to save money but increase square footage, consider building up instead of out to lower costs. An additional floor requires fewer materials than a larger ground floor with a wider foundation.
DIY any appropriate tasks like painting, caulking, driveway sealing, and basic landscaping.
Opt for stock plans over custom plans. Not only will your general contractor be familiar with the cost of materials, but you will cut out the cost of an architect.
Project Pitfalls to Avoid
Unless you’ve been through this homebuilding rodeo before, the process can be daunting (and even if you have, each build will look a little bit different). Hiring a general contractor is one of the most important things you can do to avoid the top mistakes when building a home. You can also avoid some issues by keeping these pitfalls in mind.
Don’t Move Too Quickly
Just like buying a home, building one is a long-term commitment. Take your time when choosing the right location, general contractor, and building team. When hiring a general contractor to build your home, be sure to clarify the project's timeline, the potential for price changes, and their experience with similar projects in the past. Speak with at least three general contractors that are highly recommended by your community.
Don’t Go DIY Crazy
Even if you've been drawing up plans and picking out countertop materials for years, it's important to know when to call in the pros. Keep in mind that even if you hire a general contractor, you will still absolutely have a say in how things are done. In fact, a great team leader will help guide your ideas toward the most budget-friendly and stylish options available.
Don’t Be Too Hands-Off
Sitting back and ignoring the homebuilding process can be just as damaging as trying to steer every detail. Keep a consistent communication schedule with your general contractor, and always read and re-read contracts before signing. A balance between control and trust will help you avoid surprises during the process.
Don’t Underestimate Time and Money
Be sure to keep flexibility in both your budget and timeline. Delays will inevitably happen, whether it's from weather or a global supply change crisis. Make sure you have wiggle room to spend a bit more when surprise fees or dream installations come across your desk.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is often more affordable to buy an existing home than build one from scratch. First of all, new construction mortgage interest rates are often higher than traditional loans. Also, when building a home, you're covering the cost of new finishes, appliances, electrics, plumbing, and, in some cases, utility hookups. Between the cost of labor and permits, building a home will often cost more in the long run.
Ranch and colonial-style homes are often the most affordable to build. They have a common layout with available designs that are easy to adjust in simple ways. Both types of homes' symmetry, simple roofs, and often one or two-story plans mean they often call in the $150 to $300 square-foot range.
Above all, the downside to building a new house is a longer timeline. You need several months to finish the build, depending on the supply chain and labor availability in the meantime. Building a home compared to buying one is also more expensive, both in the building process and when it comes to securing a mortgage.